WorkFromHomePolicy
EmployeeResignation
OfficeCulture
WorkplaceEthics
JobSatisfaction
Sudden Change in Work-From-Home Policy
Employers sometimes make sudden policy changes that can disrupt an employee’s work-life balance. This shift is a prime example of a company abruptly changing their attitude towards Work-From-Home (WFH), compelling employees to return to the office unexpectedly.
For jobs that can be done entirely via laptop, such changes can be particularly inconvenient. Such was the case for R, whose job required zero physical office presence.
Handing in a Two-Week Notice
When an employee encounters a change that significantly impacts their workflow and lifestyle, searching for a better opportunity becomes a natural response. That’s precisely what R did and subsequently handed in a two-week notice after securing a better position. The unexpected resignation was met with surprise and dissatisfaction from the employer, D.
Employer’s Unusual Request: Departure Letter
During the notice period, D asked R to draft a departure letter to staff, but from D’s perspective. This unconventional request raised some eyebrows and made R uncomfortable.
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Reason for Request: Employers may request departure letters for a more cohesive transition. However, asking an employee to write this from the employer’s perspective might feel inappropriate or even humiliating.
- Employee’s Reaction: R perceived this task as a tactic to control the narrative around their departure.
Refusing the Task: Overreaction or Justified?
R’s reaction sparked debate:
- Valid Concerns: The task could be seen as inappropriate, especially if it seems to undermine the departing employee’s autonomy.
- Potential Overreaction: Some might argue that refusing the task is overreacting and that professional decorum should prevail in completing the request.
Is R justified in refusing to write the letter? Let’s explore:
- Respect and Professionalism: Employers should respect their employees’ comfort levels, especially during their notice period.
- Narrative Control: Employees should have the right to narrate their departure rather than shaping it according to another’s perspective.
- Tone and Intention: The request might come across as condescending, especially if perceived as an attempt to humiliate the employee.
Key Takeaways
- Work Environment Dynamics: Sudden policy changes can significantly affect employee morale and prompt resignations if they disrupt work-life balance.
- Respecting Boundaries: Requests made to departing employees should be respectful and consider their comfort.
- Navigating Departures: Both employees and employers benefit when departure processes are handled professionally and empathetically.
😱 What’s Your Take? Have you ever faced an unusual request from an employer during your notice period? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Deciding to leave a job due to sudden, adverse policy shifts is completely understandable. While requests during a notice period can vary, ensuring that they’re respectful and professional from both sides should always be the priority.
Just don’t do it. What are they going to do about it?
Nope sorry that your bosses are too lazy or ill informed to be able to write something themselves. This isn’t your responsibility so just don’t do it. It’ll give them something else to be upset about.
Ok, this is a new one for me. I would have refused as well and i wouldn’t have been so eloquent about it either.
That’s a strong no. Don’t get involved in this rubbish. There is no advantage to you. You put in your notice, end of story. If you feel the need send a mass email to all your colleagues with the absolute truth. No editing by them, no prior approval, nothing changed.
If I were you I’d do nothing, why you have left has nothing to do with the management or the other members of staff. Why you are leaving, where you are going, what job if any you are moving to, what company, state or country you are moving to is is of no concern to anyone but you. This is business, you work, they pay you. You leave, you don’t owe anyone anything.
I don’t get this, seems like a lot of runaround and just a waste of time.
The causal factor can be summed up with the word “Deloitte”.
This is a great opportunity to say all the bad things nobody wants to hear. Do it well enough and they’ll write a new one for you anyway
Idiots should be happy you didn’t leave booby traps all over your work.
“It’s best to just force them”
Nah, that’s terrible management.
Sorry your bosses aren’t even able to do something management should do themselves. If it was going to sent out *from you*, yeah sure that would make sense. However, them wanting you to write *their* exit announcement about you? Nope.
Dear Staffmembers,
With pain in our heart OP has decided to leave this company. After the many good things OP has done for this company OP just couldn’t take our bad managementstyle anymore.
After some good reasoning OP found out about something called “other companies” and “good pay”. These are reasons OP used to explain why he was leaving. He also mentioned a “work/life balance”, but till now we still don’t know what he meant by that.
We will miss OP dearly, but we won’t fill OP’s position, since we figured you can all just take a little of what OP did. Since it is just a little, you will only need a little extra time to fullfill OP’s tasks. Therefore we will allow unpaid overtime if you need it.
Kind regards,
Management and Boss.
That would be a hard no from me. And unless your bosses paid for things for you, other than your paycheck, you owe them nothing, not even thanks.
This might be a tactic used by companies in lieu of an exit interview or survey. Supposedly how you write such an exit letter to your peers is somehow more insightful than your responses would be, at least that’s the idea. I’m not sure many companies are trying it. Personally I feel once the decision has been made to end the relationship by either side, that nothing is gained from communicating the whys or hows
You’re not overreacting at all. They’re being lazy and a bit petty. My husband recently left his job and no one asked him to write a letter to his team. His supervisor wrote and send the letter himself
I don’t think writing farewell letters is in anyone’s job description.
I would simply “forget” to do it. What’s the worst they could do? Fire you?
I know this a little tired, but what are they going to do if you don’t do this, fire you?
You do realize you can make claim to other’s work in this? Something like “Employee of the Month January to April” when you were only it for January. “Provided excellent support for <client another deals with>”, “Exceeded goals for 1st quarter 2022” and the like.
If you have things in there that you did do, but during periods you didn’t, boss may completely miss it.
For your coworkers, think of how much they would…appreciate… your boss being this clueless and advertising it to everyone.
I put in my resignation a few weeks ago. They ask me to do this big presentation for a monthly S&OP meeting I do with the executive team. Probably takes me 10 or more hours. I just didn’t do it. They ask a few times and I kept saying oh give me a few days. Finally just said, nope not feeling it. Moral of the story, f it. If you don’t want to do it, then don’t.
“the initial was a request. After your pushback, it was told”
So it was never a request, it was an instruction they dressed up as a request.
The passive-aggression is top tier……
Never seen anyone do this in 10+ years. Tell them to pound salt.
A quick “nah” will suffice
>”… so it’s a good learning experience for me that if someone expresses discomfort with a task it is best to force them to do it.”
Love how you spoon-fed them their shitty management practice with this statement. They’ll bend themselves into grotesque pretzels to justify their actions as good management, but I bet that particular statement cut through their delusional bullshit even for just a moment and stung a bit
DiK sound exhausting. So much emphasis on some bullshit departure letter. You’re not being unreasonable. They can suck it.
Departure letter would be 2 words: Later Bitches
Love that last line!! Management is new to me, so it’s a learning experience to force someone to do an uncomfortable task 🤣. Bahaha good on ya.
Write it and send it directly to all other staff. Claim you were saving the bosses time.
https://postimg.cc/QBPcVZQp
https://postimg.cc/2qqBs9s3
Feel free to use those as your letter. Don’t give it to management. Set it up to mail out like at 4pm the day before you leave.
My rule for departure letters- if I write it, I send it. You don’t get to edit it.
Personally I’d grab bullet points of my last couple of performance appraisals for mgmt, and the true story to coworkers who care.
You want *me* to do *your* task in a send off letter? How about go pound sand and I’ll just see about moving up my start date at the new place, fuckers.
What are they going to do. Fire you?
“Acobatic-Rate was by every measure an exemplary worker. His work was without peer in both quality and output. It is with the deepest regret and no small amount of shareholder panic that we bid him adieu as he moves on to what we can only imagine is a future which will dwarf our own.
On a personal note, Acrobatic-Rate was not only a great worker but giant among human beings. His compassion and radiant demeanor were an example to us all and we are all better people for having known him. We will miss him greatly, I only hope that the company can survive his departure.
Only now do we realize that we did not treat him as the treasure that he is. He was not compensated even remotely reflecting his value to the company and we only now realize that it was his deep benevolence that kept him on. I vow to you all that we will not make that mistake in the future.”
Here’s my draft:
“It is with devastating sadness and near hysterical crying that we announce that Raj is leaving us.
He is the greatest worker we have ever hired, and we don’t know how we will continue without him. His departure is an omen, a herald, a *warning* that things will only get worse.
May god have mercy on our souls,
Management”
I thought I might as well do a letter, for laughs.
Everyone,
This email is to announce that OP is leaving the company for better opportunities, pay and advancement. These are things we say we provide, but everyone knows it is all useless corporate speak.
While the process of finding someone gullible enough to take on his responsibilities for the lowest amount of salary possible, we ask that everyone takes on additional workload of what is already at an unattainable level within a reasonable standard. We are a family here, which means some sacrifices are not requested, but demanded.
We anticipate that this process will be complete within the next 5 to 6 years. By then, most of you suckered will also have left until there is one person working 24/7 doing all the work. For that last person, please remember to turn the lights off when you finally snap and rage quit.
We’re all quite jealous of OP, for jumpimg ship before the water really starts to sink this boat. We sk that OP sends postcards to show what it’s like I the real world.
We wish OP the best in future endeavors, and for the rest of you, may the odds ever be in your favor.
Regards,
Management