So, you’ve finally come to a decision and you’re now determined to leave your current position and company. Even if you’re itching to start moving on, there are still things you should do to make sure that your resignation goes as smoothly as possible.
Here’s a checklist of what you should do to ensure a hassle-free exit.
1. Follow notice period guidelines
The moment you signed your contract, you were already bound by it. It’s highly likely that your contract states a required notice period for resignations. You should check your contract and follow the indicated minimum notice period.
Notice periods are there to allow everyone to transition and adapt to the change that will be caused by your resignation. It gives the company time to decide whether they’re hiring someone to replace you or appoint someone in-house. It also allows you to finish tasks that you may still have, and let you turnover tasks and projects to a new employee or someone else in the team.
2. Inform your immediate boss before sending a formal letter
If you’ve been in the company for a while now and you’ve grown fond of your boss and vice versa, be courteous and respectful enough to let them know of your plans personally before sending your formal resignation letter.
When writing your formal resignation letter, make sure you indicate the date of your resignation’s effectivity, your position, and other important information. You should also ensure that those who might need to learn about your resignation get a copy of the letter or email, too.
3. Confirm the receipt of your letter
It’s important to make sure that the recipients of your resignation letter have received and read it. People receive a lot of emails every day. If your letter is not read as close to the time you sent it as possible, the involved parties might not be aware of your resignation plans and fail to perform related tasks, such as looking for new candidates to apply for the position you’re about to leave behind.
4. Inform your team
Ask your boss how to best tell your teammates about your resignation, if you’re allowed to do so. Your boss might prefer that he or she will be the one to break the news. Your boss may also want to withhold some information, such as the reason behind your resignation.
5. Complete exit requirements and interviews
Most companies require their human resource staff to conduct exit interviews. The purpose of these interviews is to acquire information regarding issues that employees may have. It also allows employers to evaluate whether changes in the workplace is necessary to prevent or reduce employee turnover.
6. Assist in the transition and tie up loose ends
Now that your boss and teammates are aware of your impending resignation, it will be easier for everyone to get on the transition period. Tell teammates about ongoing tasks and projects, if any. Clean up your stuff, both online and offline. If someone will be replacing you, make sure you coordinate with them and discuss the job and tasks that you will be passing on to them.
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Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash
