Exiting smoothly and gracefully
Ken Pelczarski | TLT Career Coach November 2015
These tips will help you leave an organization in a smooth and professional manner.
© Can Stock Photo Inc. / focalpoint
ARE YOU A LUBRICANTS INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL thinking about leaving a job in the near future? If so, be ready to resign in a professional manner to maintain your industry status and reputation.
This article focuses on issues that arise when you leave a job voluntarily. There are a host of different issues that occur when you are released because of a layoff, merger or for performance reasons. I hope to cover this topic in a future article.
Listed are five critical components of the exit process along with tips on how to depart your company gracefully.
GIVING NOTICE
1. Write a resignation letter. Write a straightforward, unemotional resignation letter to your boss with a copy to human resources. State an effective date of resignation from your position. Make only positive comments and emphasize that you are making a change to advance your career in a new direction.
2. Give two weeks’ notice. There is no legal requirement for a two-week notice. This is a professional courtesy you are giving your employer to help the company plan for transition. Giving less than two weeks for a notice could easily damage your reputation.
3. Inform your boss first. Make sure your boss is the first person to know you are leaving the company. It is proper to inform your boss in person, although a phone call is acceptable if you work remotely.
4. Leave in good standing. Your industry reputation is at stake if you leave a bad taste in the mouth of your employer upon resignation. You run the risk of receiving an unfavorable reference or not being able to go to work for this employer again in the future. Be sure to (1.) keep comments positive, (2.) help with the transition as much as possible and (3.) not take property or proprietary information with you.
HELPING WITH THE TRANSITION
1. Work hard until your last day. Display professionalism and earn your final paycheck by working hard through your last day of employment.
2. Finish important projects. Attempt to complete high-priority projects including those for which you have acquired great knowledge and insight. Work extra hours if necessary.
3. Document status of projects. Provide your employer a list of projects you have not finished along with project status and tips for completion.
4. Offer to train others. Offer to facilitate a smooth transition by training others to complete your projects.
5. Assist with the replacement process. Offer to assist with (1.) hiring your replacement, (2.) training your replacement and (3.) writing a job description for your position.
MAINTAINING POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS
1. Thank management. Thank management individually for their support and for opportunities you have been given during your employment. Tell them the good things you will say to industry colleagues about the company.
2. Thank coworkers. Show gratitude to fellow employees who have supported you in your efforts to learn and grow with the company. A small gift or thank-you card is a great gesture to those who have gone out of their way to help you.
3. Offer to assist others. Offer help and support to coworkers who are looking to advance their career either with this employer or by making a job change.
4. Keep in touch. Stay in contact with peers, coworkers and management for mutual support and networking purposes. Keep others aware of your career status and goals and stay aware of the same for others.
5. Do not speak negatively about the company, management or coworkers. The more you talk negatively about your past employer and its employees, the more likely you will damage your industry reputation. Explain to others why the environment at this employer was not right for you and focus primarily on the positives of your new opportunity and why it better suits your career goals.
6. Line up references. Request a reference from those who know your work including (1.) your boss, (2.) top management, (3.) peers and coworkers, (4.) subordinates and (5.) customers. If you have already lined up a new position, these references will be handy down the road. Obtain written recommendation letters if possible. Offer to provide references for others.
SECURING PAY AND BENEFITS
1. Review company handbooks, policies and employment contracts. These documents help determine your rights to specific compensation and benefits when you leave an employer voluntarily. Company history and oral promises also help determine fair solutions between you and your employer.
2. Review federal and state laws. Federal laws, such as the Fair Labor Standards Act, and state laws focus mainly on rights to earned salary and hourly wages when you quit a job. These laws largely defer to company policies and guidelines when it comes to bonuses and commissions. Most legal questions can be answered by your state department of labor.
3. Speak with human resources. Review company policies with human resources upon resignation. Cover issues such as 401(k) transfer and health insurance transition periods. Remember to request desired documents from your personnel file.
4. Secure regular wages. Your employer is legally obligated to issue your final paycheck on the next regular payroll date or sooner, depending upon laws which vary from state to state.
5. Vacation pay. Compensation for accrued vacation time is commonly paid by employers when an employee quits and is normally included in the final regular paycheck. Company policy often governs this situation, so accrued vacation pay is not guaranteed. Approximately half of the 50 states require that pay for accrued unused vacation time be included in the final paycheck.
6. Annual bonus. Timing can be the difference between receiving a sizeable annual bonus or no bonus at all when you resign your position. There are no federal or state laws governing annual bonuses. If a bonus plan document at the company exists, that should determine your rights. In addition, the employer’s history of paying annual bonuses in similar situations will be a determining factor. Otherwise, it is up to the employer to decide whether or not to pay your annual bonus. Some companies will pay if you work through the end of the year, while others will only pay if you are employed at the time of annual bonus payout. Leaving on good terms should increase your chances of receiving an annual bonus in a borderline situation. To be safe, wait to turn in your notice until you have your annual bonus in hand.
7. Sales commissions. A commission is generally considered earned when an individual is responsible for closing a sale according to internal company guidelines. Even though courts differ in their views, most courts agree that if an employee is completely responsible for handling and closing a sale and the company has been paid by the customer, the employee who has left the company will be owed the commission. The employment contract is the primary governing factor, although in absence of such an agreement, past history of commission payments as well as the understanding between the two parties will be looked at by the courts. Applicable state laws will govern in the case of no employment contract and no clear precedents within the company.
8. Severance. Employers are not obligated by federal or state law to offer severance pay to individuals leaving companies under any circumstance. It is uncommon for employers to pay severance to employees who leave voluntarily, so any severance pay would be an unexpected bonus.
THE EXIT INTERVIEW
1. Speak openly about your new opportunity. Be specific about your new position and company to promote trust. Your employer may even reinforce your decision to make the change upon learning details of the new opportunity.
2. Be honest about reasons for leaving. Emphasize positives of the new opportunity and how it fits with your career goals. You can always find reasons to complain since no job is perfect, so avoid being negative and focus instead on how you are improving yourself.
3. Offer positive suggestions. If you are asked about things you would change in the working environment, offer ideas without being negative or overly critical.
4. Stress your new commitment. Emphasize that you are not interested in a counteroffer even though you highly value the time you have spent with the company. Stress that you are leaving because of opportunity, not money, if that is the case.
5. Discuss your noncompete agreement. Make it clear if you are not going to work for a direct competitor. If you are leaving to work for a competitor, stress that you intend to honor nondisclosure and noncompete provisions in your employment agreement. You may want to reveal the name of your new employer since it will likely soon be discovered by your current employer anyway. Attempt to get in writing or at least obtain a verbal assurance that you will not be pursued for noncompete violations if you perform stated responsibilities for a specific employer for the duration of the agreement (e.g., as a sales representative, you can call on all prospective customers except those specified in writing by your employer).
6. Sign new agreements cautiously. If you do not have a new permanent position lined up upon resignation, your employer may ask you to sign a new and stricter noncompete agreement in exchange for compensation such as a severance payout. Your employer is trying to protect its own interests, so evaluate carefully the value of the short-term payout versus ramifications of noncompete restrictions being placed upon you that could affect career advancement. Also be wary that a new agreement may include a waiver of your right to sue the employer.
Turn your voluntary departure into a painless and positive experience by being professional and respectful during every phase of your exit.
Ken Pelczarski is owner and founder of Pelichem Associates, a Chicago-based search firm established in 1985 and specializing in the lubricants industry. You can reach Ken at (630) 960-1940 or at pelichem@aol.com.