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Wedding Woes
moira_rose_stan
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Um, so don't do this
in Wedding Woes
So I arrive to the office today to find a handwritten note and keys under the door from one of my team members, stating they took a job unexpectedly and won't be coming back. I'm pretty shitty, that's absolutely NOT the way to do that. They were here yesterday and could have just told me they took a job and needed to start right away, or sent me a MFing text message at the very least. And of course this person was supposed to work this weekend so now yours truly has to work this weekend because I'm Mrs. Manager.
Also, this jerk didn't even have the audacity to spell "inconvenience" correctly when apologizing for causing it. ::knife emojo::
Also, this jerk didn't even have the audacity to spell "inconvenience" correctly when apologizing for causing it. ::knife emojo::
"Gossip is the devil's telephone, best to just hang up."
Re: Um, so don't do this
That's really shitty - I'm sorry.
A person still wants to be able to build a resume and leave a list of references. That employer could be contacted and while they may legally not provide a positive or negative reference they can state, "This employee worked until January 8, 2020 at which time they left with no notice for a different opportunity." That isn't badmouthing or giving any negative reference and most hiring managers will see directly through the language that reads, "This is a person who is not inclined to work as a great team player."
I would also understand that if I did give notice, my current employer would probably tell me that my notice day was my last day and that if I was ever terminated / laid off I wouldn't have notice.
I work for a company that I like, and generally want to continue working for them. But I harbor no delusions that I'd be out on my ass in a hot second if it suited the bottom line.
I don't feel it's ever OK to bail on your employer with not notice, short of a dangerous or abusive situation.
I definitely wouldn't walk out, because I need my references and wouldn't jeopardize that by being rash in my departure.
The bottom line for me is: be an adult and speak to me, even if it's a phone call or a text, and let me know your intentions. We had a good working relationship and there's no reason that I or my other team members deserved to be left this way. And definitely don't leave your keys where someone could have taken them and accessed the office. It's unacceptable.
On the one hand, I do see where it is a bit unfair that employees are expected to give at least two weeks notice, but companies often don't. But then yeah, there are good and valid reasons for companies to do that also.
However, there's also usually no good reason why an employee can't just tell their employer/supervisor as soon as they accept a job offer, other than to avoid an awkward conversation. At least a "Hey, I know this might come as a surprise, but I accepted a job offer yesterday and my last day will be XYZ." Even if it isn't a two-week notice, at least give as much notice as they can! It's ridiculous and immature to do otherwise, if the only reason is because they're too cowardly to just say something.
@moira_rose_stan, I'm sorry this happened and that now you have to pay the price because this employee could not put on their big girl/boy panties.
I think we've been conditioned, especially women, to have this loyalty to team and company that just isn't reciprocal. I've heard so many women say that they'd couldn't look for a new role in the middle of X project or while the team is short staffed, even though they want to. I know there are some men who do this too, but I think these loyalty and obligation feelings really do hold women back from advancing at the same rate as men. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this, but I do think it's important to recognize that you have to look out for yourself, first.
Aaah, some old school Knotting.
I also do it because I want to weed out shitty employers. And someone who doesn't want me to give 2 weeks notice is someone I don't want to work for--lack of respect for professional norms.
I had a one person (a supervisor who is no longer here) who was a bit snarly about me starting in 2.5 weeks, and my old-sup offered to let me go early (at HUGE inconvenience to herself) and I reminded her there was no way I wanted to work here if they got super snarly about that.
(Said supe was a nightmare and I do think it's indicitive of some of the things I am working to change at my company. But, nonprofits, are nutty)
The current company I work for does a combination of both. People who are from staffing companies are given two weeks notice in a layoff, but no severance pay. Employees are always given severance pay and sometimes a two-week notice on top of that.
A few years ago, the only other person in my department was being laid off. But they wanted him to teach me the side of things that he did because I was going to be taking on those duties also. He was given the option for to work for two more weeks (and he did) and then get his normal severance pay after that. As an aside, they brought him back on last year. Though now he works in a different building, for a different client.
There is another group I work with that also had impacts, but only had 60 days notice. Everyone has been talking about how short that is. So I say I could be out on my ass tomorrow, and I could, but that's really a bit extreme.