Category: Just me being me

So, I’ve alluded to the fact that I’m going to be leaving my job soon. I’m still not quite ready to get into the long explanatory post, but I thought it might be a good idea to talk about how to actually get to the point that you can walk out the door and not look back.

Of course you could always throw your stuff in a box, curse out management and storm out. However, while I’m sure that it must be satisfying, it’s pretty much never a good idea to leave smoldering fires in your past because they could always come back to bite you in the butt.

I’ve found that no matter how horribly you’re treated, it is always best to take the high road and leave things with as much class as possible. Do you really want to leave a legacy of people talking about how much mess you left for your successor? In my opinion, it would be so much better to have them impressed that you made the transition as easy as could be.

When I found out that I had 6 weeks left at my current position, I created a “Transition Plan” that would chart out exactly how I plan to transfer over my responsibilities on a weekly basis.

Here are some tips for your own Transition Plan:

• Remove anything personal from your work computer. This includes cute photos of your dog that you’ve been using as a screen saver, any random personal files that you’ve saved on your desktop, and any non-business emails that you might have sent from your work email account.

• Create a list of projects that are currently in progress and indicate whether you’ll be completing them before you leave or who will be taking over. Schedule a time to brief the person who will be taking on the work in advance of your leaving so that they have plenty of time to ask you questions. Don’t take on any new work if you can help it!

• If you’re in a marketing position like me, review all of your printed items to see if anything is running low and needs to be reordered. It’s also helpful to create a list of what is printed at each printing company with your rep’s contact information readily available.

• If there are any programs for which you’re the only user, create instructions on how to compete needed tasks using the programs. This should help them get by until someone new is hired for the position (or until the new person is up to speed).

• Meet with your HR manager. Some health insurance plans can go with you (like AFLAC plans), and will need to be switched to bill you directly. Other plans, like health insurance, will expire at the end of the month. You will have the choice to continue the plan through COBRA or to purchase your own plans (of course, if you’re leaving for another position, you’ll most likely have health insurance through the new company). They will also be able to give you the information on any severance packages and how to sign up for unemployment.

• Go through all your login username and passwords and either change them to the new contact or make them general enough that you can leave them behind.

• Start to “Fade Out” – Remove your name from the company’s website and/or collateral. Email your contacts that you will be leaving the company and send them the new person’s information.  Leave a “Frequently Contacted” list for your successor.

• You’ll want to clean out your office towards the very end of your time. Take personal pictures off walls, clean off your bookshelves and take home private property, bring home your iHome… all that good stuff. Also, don’t’ forget to turn in your final expense report so that you can get reimbursed for anything that the company owes you.

You may be asking yourself why I would possibly want to make the transition easy if I’m losing my job. I admit, a part of me would much rather let the place crash and burn the moment I walk out the door. However, I have worked my butt off for almost exactly six years to make my marketing department a success. The last thing I want is for all my hard work to go down the drain.

So I’m keeping it classy and holding my head high on my way out. Hopefully karma will recognize this and hook me up with an incredible opportunity in the near future.

* By the way, when I was searching for that Anchorman photo I came across a surprising number of Ron Burgundy tattoos. Weird! I love Will Ferrall as much as the next gal, but I don’t know if I’d want one of his characters on my body for the rest of my life!

Why is it that so many employees are feeling such a lack of respect at their jobs lately?

And no, I’m not talking about me because my job is pretty much a moot point. Speaking of moot point, every time I use that term I think of this:

 

But I digress…

Anyways, everyone knows that the economy has sucked for the last few years. A lot of people have stayed in jobs that they’re not that happy about, because they feel lucky to even have a job.

In their minds, with so many people still out of work and on unemployment, it makes sense to put up with a crappy or simply unfulfilling situation. They tell themselves that it may be bad, toxic or disheartening at work, but at least they’re getting a paycheck.

Here’s the thing, I’ve noticed that a lot of companies are taking this for granted. Actually, they’re not only taking it for granted, they’re exploiting the opportunity.

Because there are a lot of people out there looking for jobs, it seems like many companies no longer value the employees they have. They’re replaceable, right? Their employees should be grateful that they even have a job! It’s like they’re trying to see how badly behaved they can be, because they know that the employee will just sit there and put up with it.

Many companies have discontinued or cut back their pay raises, benefits, annual holiday parties, gifts and random perks that made work a fun place to be. The worst part is that even if the employee is okay with not receiving a tchotchke (that immediately goes to Goodwill) they’re not okay with feeling the tone of lack of respect that has spread.

It’s like employers are trying to work each of their employees to the bone without giving them the positive reinforcement that everyone craves. Not bothering to say “thank you” for a job well done. Using the excuse of the economy to keep from giving a deserving employee a raise (even though the company is doing better than ever). Also unforgivable, is the “mean girls” in management who come out of hiding – how fun it will be to make a hard working employee hate every single hour at the office. Pathetic!

In the past couple months, I’ve probably heard from a dozen friends and acquaintances that are feeling used and abused in their jobs.

Nobody deserves to feel like they’re working so very hard for a company or manager that doesn’t even give them an ounce of RESPECT.

If this sounds familiar to you as a business owner, fix it NOW. The economy is starting to turn around and I can guarantee you that if your employees are not happy, their resumes will find their way out the door.

For you employees out there who are feeling as if you’re buried under a ton of work and not a teaspoon of respect, do something about it. Life is too short to be unhappy every workday.

I’m usually a pretty happy and easy-going person. However, I’ve been a bit of a crankypants lately because of my uncertain job future. Not to mention that bittersweet stress of finally selling my house, only to have to hustle to get out of it. So, what better day to share a random pet peeve list?

Let’s unleash the fury:

• I hate it when people try to hold the door open for you in such an awkward way that their body is blocking the area that you need to walk through. If it’s so darn hard to do it, just let me open the door myself!

• It annoys me when people will interrupt you to ask a ton of questions. Especially when the questions would have been answered if they had just let you finish what you were saying.

• I hate it when you have a payday that occurs three business days after the 15^th of the month. When you throw a weekend in there, I might not end up getting paid until the 20^th. Which is fine, except when you have bills due.

• I hate it when you end up losing a job that you wish you could have quit. It’s like when you plan to break up with a boyfriend and they break up with you first. You just stand there with your mouth agape and finally shout out, “You can’t break up with me because I’m breaking up with YOU FIRST!” Of course, this doesn’t work so well at work if you want to collect your severance package.

• I hate the fact that my stupid phone has been replaced three times and still doesn’t work properly. Oh, and when it decides to lose its battery charge in the middle of the day so that I have to turn it off. And yes, I’ve called my carrier and complained – their only way of solving my problem is to send me yet another version of my same phone, or another phone with really crappy reviews. No thank you.

Ok. Deep breaths.  I’m feeling a little better now.  

Now I feel like I must clear my palate from all this anger.

Do you feel like laughing? Well my new blog crush is The Bloggress and I freaking love her in a ‘laughing so hard I’m crying’ kind of way. If you have a few minutes, check out this post.

You’re welcome.

And if you have a pet peeve you’d like to share, leave me a comment here or on my facebook page!