Suffering from Burnout - Can I FIRE?

[wabmester]

Looks like a "Best Of..." post to me!

Seconded!

FWIW, I made my ER decision in the spring and arranged my exit for June of that fateful year. It was looking out the window that did it for me, too. Nothing lets you feel the full weight of the BS bucket like a beautful spring day.

 

[astromeria]

Wow! Awesome post. Wonder why the a**h***s never have an epiphany and quit?!

 

[ESRBob]

Under Fire --
This is literature! I especially loved the part about doing the calcs under the table and literally getting up and leaving the toxic waste dump in mid-meeting. Priceless.!

Welcome to the Board -- we're the Survivors, btw. In the game of life, the people who _leave_ the island are the winners...

 

[TromboneAl]

BlueHero,

Know that if you want to, you can retire right now. Just knowing that should help the stress a little, right?

I'd go further and say that with your budding anti-consumerism feelings, you could reduce your living expenses, and retire with no worries. Perhaps the alternative is a heart attack.

So, I'd say... let's see, what are the words I'm looking for? Oh yeah: Groovy, man, go for it.

 

[TromboneAl]

P.S. Nice studio, like the HooDoo tracks. Sounds like you have things to keep you busy and happy in retirement. Do you know Dave Fleschner?

 

[bluehero]

Under fire - Wow! can I relate to

"a 6.30pm high level project management meeting three mths ago involving 20 stressed-out, miserable grown men/women with nothing in common and bent on either being/looking important or in the process of launching sick pseudo-corporate cynisms against each other or, for those at the receiving end, busily deflecting these BS attacks with even bigger BS's ...."

The combination of the stress of the issue with my son, while less than they were a year ago, and the stressess at work are just pushing me over the edge. I can;t handle hte daily headaches anymore (did I mention thta they compeltly disappeared during my 3 month sabatical I took last summer?)

I am going to spend the weekend composing my retirement letter. I have June 6th as a target date I find date of the liberation of Europe from tyrany to have an appealing parrallel. (and I have a large bonus tied to me being an employee on June 1

I want to thank everyone for ht esupport you've show in helping me clarify my feelings and make a decision that I knew had to be made.

TromboneAl- It's a whole lot nicer now. I havn't had time to update the site in a long time. We have 3 albums in production now. They'll get done a whole lot faster when I can atcually have time to play with them

Best regards,

Bob

 

[Jane_Doe]

Blue Hero-

Congratulations on making the decision to ER! Sounds as thought this will be just the ticket for you. Can you take some time off between now and V-day? I'm thinking you have to have some earned sick or vacation days you will need to use just to keep your strength up till then (V-day)!

Best of luck to you on Monday!

Jane

 

[Michael Moore]

I had those deja vu moments in staff meetings, where you look around with a "how did I get here?" feeling. Even if the discussion was something that was actually substantitive and important in the real world, it didn't necessarily feel important to ME.

Retirement is ever so much nicer, and today marks the end of my first 8 months of it. I've no regrets about taking some financial hit in order to ER and get out with most of my faculties intact.

cheers,
Michael

 

[ESRBob]

Blue Hero,
I am guessing you've the savvy to submit your resignation letter after June 1, right? Would hate to have your sense of fairness in giving them ample 'notice' be turned into the 'gift' of early retirement 2 weeks early. In some companies, they escort you out of the office the day you offer your resignation. Wouldn't want to let the pending bonus payment give any of your machiavellian superiors an incentive to use that particular method on you pre-June 1!

 

[bluehero]

June 1 is a very common retirement date since one of the last days of May is always the last day of the fiscal year. The executive bounus plan is a very rock solid legal contract. And they could not terminate after a notification of retirement for employees under this plan for any reason other than gross misconduct or illegal activity. If they are feeling particularly vindictive, they could give me a lousy performance rating whcih would reduce the bonus percentage a few points. But I don;t see this as a real viable scenario. I intend to leave on good terms to leave open the possibility of consulting in the future. If they did, then I have a strong legal document on my side and they are not anxious about generating bad press.

In the official HR website, the company requests 6-8 weeks of notification for retirement. Which would be next week. Still soemhting to think about. Thanks!!!!

 

[ESRBob]

Bluehero,
It might not be construed as a 'notice of retirement' if you are early retiring -- they might think of this category just for 65-year-olds or 30-year-with-the-company types.. WIll the executive bonus still be paid to you if you merely terminate voluntarily (to go work at another company, for instance). This is the scenario they will most likely view your termination under, and it would be important to know you aren't going to get dinged in the pool as someone leaving who can't do anything about it. Imagine if you were going to go work for a competitor -- would they also have to pay you out on a full prorata, and especially if you were not actually employed on June 1?

I am not trying to make you paranoid, but based on the nimwits you work with, I wouldn't put anything past them. "Your" bonus could quickly be turned into 'more for us' in the minds of this type of person.

Still your need to give notice and keep good relations is such that I understand the issue and you may end up needing to consider something like giving notice June 1 and working part time/using up some vacation etc over the ensuing weeks/ negotiating a July 1 exit -- that sort of thing. After all, to keep them all happy, you'll be needing to start recruiting/training a replacement etc. which can take time.

It may all seem like a drag to keep this thing strung out an extra six weeks or whatever, but once you've mentally made the decision to leave, taken some personal days and vaca/sick days in May, and started to breathe the air of freedom, you may find it isn't so bad to keep puttering away through those final weeks. Anyway, good luck with your logistics! You are ER-bound and that is the bottom line...

(PS: beware the lunch date in May where your boss's boss and his/her boss take you out to lunch and try to jolly you back into a new, interesting, guaranteed-BS-free position overseeing your old boss or in some other interesting part of the company... it's been known to happen...)

 

[bluehero]

I really don't expect them to get nasty. In fact, I actually hold a few cards that I may be able to negotiate an even more lucrative departure package. I am the Senior Manager of Quantitative Methods & Decision Support for Global Operations. I am responsible for global operaitons analysis and performance assessment. My professional degrees are in Decsision Sciences and Statistics. I have developed many operations analysis and forecasting models that are far more sophisticated than the Executive Management can understand(they involve real math & statistics . They work very well and my reports are very heavily relied on in the boardroom.

I have a small staff of 2 analysts who by the fickle finger of fate are also leaving the company this month due to spouses getting better jobs out of state. As soon as I found out I have been actively recruiting at local Universities (which is how I inadvertantly lined up the adjunct teaching position for this fall). We landed 2 very good prospects, a BS Operations Management and an MBA. One is starting in 3 weeks the other in mid June. While both are top of class candidates with great potential, neither has the technical background to fully understand the methodologies nor do they have the experience to interpret the results or provide any meaningful analysis(until trained)

I didn;t plan for this happen, I expected to turn the reins over to the existing analysts who would have been able to hold the ship on course until a replacement manager was found. However, with the new scenaerio me leaving on June 6 would be a very bad thing from the companies point of view. Especially since the transition between fiscal years is always complicated.

If I wait until June to inform them, it could easily be percevied as an attempt to scr*w them. If I tell them now, I might be able to create more of a win-win atmosphere and negotiate an additional severence package to hang around part time to train the new troops.

Comments?

 

[REWahoo]

I really don't expect them to get nasty. In fact, I actually hold a few cards that I may be able to negotiate an even more lucrative departure package...

...If I wait until June to inform them, it could easily be percevied as an attempt to scr*w them. If I tell them now, I might be able to create more of a win-win atmosphere and negotiate an additional severence package to hang around part time to train the new troops.

blue,

I was in a very similar situation when I pulled the ripcord last year, timing my retirement for the first of May due to bonus and stock option payouts. I wrestled with the notification issue, and decided to give several months advance warning, telling the company of my plans in late December. It turned out fine for me, as I was able to do what you mentioned above, agreeing to help with the transition to my replacement and parting on good terms with all.

However, every situation is different and unique. ESRBob's cautionary words are wise ones, but only you know the hearts and minds of those in a position to do you harm...or good.

Best of luck with your decision.

 

[ESRBob]

Blue,
I think you're in the catbird seat -- you are doing something highly technical and needed by senior mgmt, and your two supporting players are leaving/have just left.

I don't think they'll get funny with you.

I came out of the ranks of management and finance where everybody always knew how to do your job better than you did, and everyone was 'disposable'.

Nobody is going to escort you out of the office with the security guard saying 'we'll send your stuff after the movers put it all in boxes'. (This never happened to me, but was the norm for certain types of jobs on Wall Street for many years -- may still be).

I agree that springing a rapid resignation on them would be bad. I would steel yourself, though, for the fact that they'll try to talk you out of ER. They need you pretty badly right now. They are about to find out how badly, and so are you! Have fun with this one! 8)

 

[bluehero]

OK, I've finally finished the retirement letter with a last day of June 1 and I am planning on turning it in on Monday. I fully expect them to have a cow and say I can't leave at least until the new college hires are fully trained to run the system. Since the methods and proceedures are all fully documented (good old ISO 9000 for you) I feel no moral obligation to stay and train the new troops.

However, as we all know there is a big differece between ISO compliant documentation and actually being able to successfully run a complex process like the analysis of operations metrics from a mutinational corp.(nothing ever goes as planned). When they do put the hard court press on, I am inclined to say my June 1 date is firm, but am open to discussing a severance package(to include more than just salary) to stay on part time for a couple of months until a new manager is recruited and the new troops have things under control.

Is this an underhanded tactic or just reality of Mega Corp business? I have a hard time seeing a downside since the worst they can do is say no and I'm free on June 1.

Comments?

 

[dumpster56]

OK, I've finally finished the retirement letter with a last day of June 1 and I am planning on turning it in on Monday.  I fully expect them to have a cow and say I can't leave at least until the new college hires are fully trained to run the system.  Since the methods and proceedures are all fully documented (good old ISO 9000 for you) I feel no moral obligation to stay and train the new troops.

However, as we all know there is a big differece between ISO compliant documentation and actually being able to successfully run a complex process like the analysis of operations metrics from a mutinational corp.(nothing ever goes as planned).  When they do put the hard court press on, I am inclined to say my June 1 date is firm, but am open to discussing a severance package(to include more than just salary) to stay on part time for a couple of months until a new manager is recruited and the new troops have things under control.

Is this an underhanded tactic or just reality of Mega Corp business?  I have a hard time seeing a downside since the worst they can do is say no and I'm free on June 1.

Comments? 

Interesting blue

I want to dance on my principals desk and tell himm to shove the teaching job up his you know
I really want to quit, blue you are my hero, go for it as long as it makes financial sense, NO?

 

[ESRBob]

So, Blue -- how did Monday go? Any reaction to the letter? Keep us in the loop!

 

[BunsGettingFirm]

Seconded!

FWIW, I made my ER decision in the spring and arranged my exit for June of that fateful year. It was looking out the window that did it for me, too. Nothing lets you feel the full weight of the BS bucket like a beautful spring day.

Is that why they put us "senior" engineers in cube farms housed in windowless rooms? So that we don't see the beautiful spring days?

 

[bluehero]

I actually decided to wait until next week. I had to do the exit process for both of my former analysts this week and one of the principles I need to give the retirement notice to was out of town this week. Also being a very conservative person by nature (allfiction of being a Statistician i guess) I am setting up a large line of credit to cover four consecutive years of disaster scenerios without having to access any money in tax advantaged accounts. It's an easier approval porcess still "employed". Should close early next week. June 1 is still the sailing day. I still expect them to have a cow, perhaps even a herd

 

[ESRBob]

Blue.
Good luck == looks like they're losing an entire department in one swell foop!

pass out the nitro glycerin pills when you tell them

 

[bluehero]

Turned in my retirement letter at the end of the day to my director. No immediate reaction, kind of like a deer in the headlights, but he did go running right off to the VP. Tomorrow could be interesting.

 

[Under FIRE]

Blue,

Congrats.

Do keep us posted.


.

 

[Dawg52]

Congrats! This has been an interesting thread to follow. Good luck with your retirement.

 

[bluehero]

Well, it just goes to show you that regardless of the HR BS about the importance of people, to Mega Corp you are just a headcount to be sucked dry and discarded. Before I had come in today, they had already sent a broadcast e-mail out around the world to all the senior staff announcing my retirement and praising me for my significant contributions. The e-mail listed my departure date as sometime in late June or July.

This came as a bit of a surprise to me since the retirement letter I submitted specified June 1 as my last day of work. "We'd like you to stay for an extra 6-8 weeks to train the 2 new college hires you recruited to replace your other analysts and prepare the processes for the fiscal year transition. It would really help us out"

"Gee, I gave you a formal letter of retirement yesterday stating my last day of employment would be June 1. I would be happy to discuss extending past June1. Here are 2 alternatives that could work for both of us:

1) I'll agree to work part time 16 hours a week for the next 60 days (days flexible depending on headaches) to execute the AP612 Ops Review process, continue to train Dustin, to perform the system conversion for the fiscal year 07 rollover and oversee the AP701 ops review process, and to prepare for Jay's arrival and execute his training in July. At the end of 60 days I receive a severence package for my grade and length of service as if I had been laid off. Or

2) I can perform the same services as an executive consultant, time and health conditions permitting, with appropriate compensation "

Without blinking an eye, his response was "Ok, so it's June 1 then".


It's such a warm feeling that 20 years of dedication to the company that has resulted in a significant deterioration in my health means so much to them. The first new kid shows up next week. This provides me with little motivation to spend a lot of extra time and effort in the documentation, training, and knowledge transfer processs.

10 more days, one of them is Memorial day, I might get some real bad headaches on a few other days and then I'll be free.

 

[Bailer]

Wow.  This sounds like the kind of behavior described in the meeting when you were calculating whether or not you could RE!    Grrrrrrr.   I am so glad to see that your ducks are all in order (the HELOC, the music, etc).