when is the best time to tell your boss that you are retiring?

[rick55]

After my boss had an argument with the CEO at a Monday morning leadership meeting, our whole unit was put at risk. Money for equipment and projects was gone, and my boss went out sick, for a year.
He negotiated his resignation and his replacement (who I had hired years before) met with me on a friday and gave me the “I need you” speech, telling me its going to take long days and a lot of work to make the changes he wanted. I went home and discussed things with DW,
Then on Monday I went to his office and gave him my notice, equivalent to my annual allotment of vacation time - 5 weeks. My last day was Good Friday in 2013. I forget the actual date. Been lovin it ever since

 

[PointBreeze]

I was a highly successful Vice President at a small private university, in a non-academic department. My boss was a punitive narcissist. My spouse is 16 years older than me and a two-time cancer survivor. I had pitched multiple arrangements that would give me more time at home while still meeting/exceeding my university obligations and each was rejected without discussion.

So I told my boss I was retiring and gave her 7 weeks’ notice. She blew up at me and said I had to stay until the end of the academic year (although my role had nothing to do with the academic calendar).

I countered and said I was retiring on my schedule, but would then consult part-time for several months, doing only the part of my job that was very technical (and also my favorite part), until they could replace me. I stipulated no meetings, no expectations of immediate responses to emails and phone calls.

It was the most enjoyable several months I spent at that institution, and worked out well for all involved.

 

[Dean56]

I gave my boss 3 weeks notice. At my MegaCorp your insurance continues until the end of the month you left. So, I retired during the first week of September 2022.

Like others have said "everybody is replaceable".

 

[Alex The Great]

I'm doing pretty straight software job fixing minor bugs in old and terrible product and by that reason I have a plan to give two weeks notice to retire.
But I wonder what common wisdom say about stock options? I mean would you give a termination notice before stock grant is vested? Even if we're talking about one week time here (not months or years)? Vesting still suppose to happen a few days before the departure.
In this company, I did not notice anyone terminated on the day of notice so far.

 

[wmackey]

Not when I retired, but about 15 years ago I resigned in my mid year review. Wasn't planned that why. I tried contacting my director for ~ 2 weeks, but could never get to speak directly. She flew out just for my review. She slid the review my way and I slid the resignation her way. I gave 3 weeks notice, but I expected to be walked out as I was IT Security. Stayed all three weeks and wrapped up a lot of work.

Ran in to some people from that company at a conference a few years later and found out I had become a legend with that resignation.

 

[CardsFan]

I'm doing pretty straight software job fixing minor bugs in old and terrible product and by that reason I have a plan to give two weeks notice to retire.
But I wonder what common wisdom say about stock options? I mean would you give a termination notice before stock grant is vested? Even if we're talking about one week time here (not months or years)? Vesting still suppose to happen a few days before the departure.
In this company, I did not notice anyone terminated on the day of notice so far.

If you are talking weeks, there is no way I would give notice before the vesting. Way too much risk for little reward. Everything MAY go smoothly, but then again, some a$$hole 3 levels up the food chain could want to set an example.

For a few weeks, or even a month, I would be careful.

That said, no matter when you leave the job, you will also leave something on the table, so don't get too carried away with the next thing.

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

Well, my boss gave me zero notice when my position was eliminated.

Me too.
Turned out to be the best day of my life, if I hadn't been pushed, I'd probably still be working today.

 

[Badger]

My first job of 7 years I walked out the day I left. I figured that was all they deserved since they told everyone for years how lucky they were to be working there and they could be easily replaced. The second job of 3 years I gave them notice of about 2 months. The third job of 9 years gave me and hour notice and I was surprised since I was a senior member of the group and had trained the last 3 members who were hired and had been given a highly desirable trip of 4 weeks to service accounts in Australia. The last job of 22 years before retirement I gave them a year notice so I could help them with the job search/replacement. The last week they asked me a few times if I would consider working part time. I thanked them but declined due to health concerns.

Cheers!

 

[Jeffman52]

A very informative thread with many points of view and many experiences. I have not yet retired and expect to retire in May 2024. I had planned to give them my retirement notice in January. On the other hand, I don't want to risk my bonus that pays out in April. So looks like I wont be telling them officially until late April after bonus pays out.



This thread reminds me that I have had to rebuild two full teams since 2020. In both instances we let people go without warning as restructuring. One on my team was a 30 year employee that we (HR, my boss, and myself) called while they were on vacation in Vegas. What a miserable call that was. Yes they got packages but still, no notice.


So I wont feel bad at all about leaving with little notice.

 

[Alex The Great]

This thread reminds me that I have had to rebuild two full teams since 2020. In both instances we let people go without warning as restructuring. One on my team was a 30 year employee that we (HR, my boss, and myself) called while they were on vacation in Vegas. What a miserable call that was. Yes they got packages but still, no notice.

I've been laid off from 17 years career at one company with just EVP message recorded in advance. I got email to call a specific phone number which I did and listened the recorded message. It was the same for entire division, from VP down to individual contributors. Then HR representatives collected our laptops and badges in a conference room and security guards escorted everyone out of the building.

 

[Koolau]

My first job of 7 years I walked out the day I left. I figured that was all they deserved since they told everyone for years how lucky they were to be working there and they could be easily replaced.

I recall everyone telling me when I joined Megacorp that no one ever resigned because it was such a great place to w*rk and had such great benefits and management was so great and we could be replaced, etc...

Well, within a couple of years, folks of my "era" began to leave. Each example led to gaping mouths. So and and so left! How can that be? I've never heard of such a thing!! Then the next person would be hired in their place and - who woulda thunk it - THEY left after 2 years.

Turns out that Megacorp was the perfect place for people like me. Well educated, competent and motivated - but not the very top of the scale. Our pay and promotion plan was rigid. It was scaled to performance (sounds reasonable) but the folks who had special skills or were unusually talented could only advance at the fastest "statutory" rate. There were no "jumps." You entered at "entry level" and then you got a jump and then you got another jump, etc. If you could do the w*rk of the 3rd jump when you joined, you wouldn't be paid at that level for 8 years or so.

So when the cream of the crop realized that they'd never be recognized at Megacorp, they bailed after 2 years. Megacorp never got it. They got a good w*rk force but never a great w*rk force. I honestly think Megacorp was afraid of the super-star empl*yee. They feared such stand outs and discouraged them with their advancement policies.