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You have decided to leave your current job and are looking forward to a new life. But anxiety is mixed with joyful expectation – how will your colleagues and manager react to your decision? In what atmosphere will you finalize the last two weeks? A few nuances worth paying attention to.
1. Communicate your decision on time
Talk about your intention to quit not too late, but not too early either. You are required to give your employer two weeks notice, stick to that deadline.
You don’t have to wait until the last minute: you need to complete things, and the manager needs to find a replacement for you. But do not talk about your intentions too soon, even if you really want to do the right thing.
Firstly, everyone evaluates correctness differently. Second, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. A break, even if it is a break not with a person, but with work, is not a very pleasant thing, and there is no point in dragging out this process. Determine the time you need and stick to the plan.
2. Don’t be naive
People around you may react differently to your departure. Many tend to take any change too personally. You cannot control other people’s emotions, but you can and should control yourself and your reactions.
Some of your colleagues will simply stop communicating with you, someone will try to throw off the most unpleasant work for you. Someone will press on guilt and try to shame you. Perhaps someone will even try to ruin your reputation.
All these actions characterize colleagues, but say nothing about you, unless you start to react emotionally and violently. It is difficult to show sympathy for those who are hostile to us.
Therefore, if you feel that you cannot be kind to colleagues, at least behave professionally and do not be afraid to defend your reputation if someone tries to ruin it, just do it calmly and politely, without stooping to scandals and accusations.
3. Do not give in to anger and resentment
For the rest of the time, do the job as well as you can. Even if one of your colleagues condemns you and demonstrates it in every possible way, do not let this ruin your mood. Surely there are many people in the office who treat you well and will be happy to finally chat or have lunch together.
Concentrate on the work process and helping colleagues, this will make each of the remaining days better. You will feel like a professional, fall asleep with a light heart and wake up with joy, you will inspire others. This approach will help not to burn bridges, and it will only be at hand.
4. Don’t be pressured
Be aware of your limits and feel free to share them with colleagues. Doing your job and helping others is a great approach, but you need to know when to stop. There will always be someone who wants to take advantage of your generosity and dump additional responsibilities on you and will insist that you have time to finish everything before the moment you leave.
Even if you move to another department, do not allow yourself to be treated like this. You need to start a new chapter with enough energy, try not to waste it for the sake of five minutes to please former colleagues who just want to “jump out” at your expense, or a manager who finally decided to ruin your mood.
Often this happens a couple of days before the X date, when you have already relaxed and do not expect a new wave of emotional reactions from others. Don’t let yourself be dragged into it, there’s only a little bit left. You can show understanding to the manager and colleagues, but at the same time act primarily in your own interests.
Starting work in a new place will be easier and more enjoyable if you do not have to mentally recover after being fired.
5. Don’t doubt yourself
Be kind and compassionate towards yourself. If the day was not very successful, do not doubt your ability to improve, tomorrow you will have another chance.
Changes are not easy for us, they even seem pleasant and long-awaited to us. Do not let this discomfort confuse you, do not confuse it with doubts about your choice and strength. What is happening is happening, and you are doing everything right, enjoy the process.
About the author: Bridget Basch is a business coach.