Being honest to my boss as I walk out the door. Financial ramifications?

[CRLLS]

Way to generalize...good job.

Perhaps you did indeed 'change things' but the reality is that's not the norm. I could have bitched and complained and written letters...you name it...but nothing would change, nothing. And in the world of megan corporations, one person is rarely going to say something (especially walking out the door) to bring about change.

as they say, When you have them by the ba!!$, their hearts and minds will follow" You and your associates had them where it counts. That is seldom the case, even though most of us think we do.

IMO, the OP has a tough job. Being swallowed up by a bigger company, mergered with equals (never the case inspite of the PR) etc is a difficult thing to endure for the long term. The whole dynamics of the "new" company changes. To endure, one must have the attitude of the OP's manager. She seems to have made the necessary corporate-rewarded changes. I would not have, oh wait, I didn't

As mentioned by others, there is no benefit at all to spewing your opinion to either the boss or their boss. Just quietly submit you resignation and be the "better person".

 

[athena53]

I sent my boss an e-mail about a month after I left telling him how disappointed I'd been with his performance as a manager. Short version: unspoken expectations, didn't back me up on decisions we'd agreed on together. He never replied, of course.

The only downside, to me, was that if someone wanted me to refer them to the company my name might actually be a detriment. I'm still on cordial terms with some of my former coworkers, though, and would have no problem referring people to them directly. It was just a palce that didn't work out for me.

 

[Sunset]

Rather than waste your time trying to piss off higher ups, perhaps you can think of a couple of fellow workers who could benefit from looking for a better job and need a reference from you.
Offering to them to be a reference might be enough to encourage some of them to also leave a sinking ship.

 

[Tailgate]

And as Johnny Paycheck said:

Take this job and shove it
I ain't working here no more
EFT]
Read more: Johnny Paycheck - Take This Job And Shove It Lyrics | MetroLyrics
[/LEFT]

Or as Jimmy Reed put it...

Big boss man, can't you hear me when I call?
Big boss man, can't you hear me when I call?
You ain't so big, you just tall, that's just about all.

You got me working boss man, a workin' around the clock,
I want a little drink of whiskey, you sure won't let me stop.
Big boss man, can't you hear me when I call?
You ain't so big, you just tall, that's just about all.

I'm gonna get me a boss man, one gonna treat me right,
I work hard in the daytime, sure get drunk at night.

You ain't so big, you just tall, that's just about all.

 

[EastWest Gal]

Make your last day end at noon and make sure boss sees you leave. Get someone to drive you to work that day. Hire a limousine to pick you up at work. Look on boss's face: priceless.


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[Texas Proud]

If you give your feedback to your boss.. then of course nothing will happen... she is only interested in her well being...

If there is an exit interview with HR and HR is independent, then give feedback... but then again you said it was part of the company culture now, so that will not do anything...


There is another option... just keep working and ignore your boss... I did that for over a year a couple of times when I had aholes for bosses... they did not have the power to fire me and would have to convince a higher up to do the deed... and they did not want to spend the time or effort to get rid of me since I actually did a LOT of work compared to everybody else..... sure, it hurt me in moving up the ladder, but I really did not care...

 

[Bestwifeever]

I'm sure a lot of people here spoke up when conditions warranted while they were still working--that's backbone. To wait until you're leaving anyway? What's the point?

 

[Amethyst]

+1

You already know she has no interest in what her employees think. So why would she suddenly be interested when you leave? Pearls before swine...

Your words will most likely be forgotten before you get out of the parking lot. As soon as the critique starts, she will start ignoring you.

 

[alaska55]

The advice here isn't a lack of backbone, it's both common sense and experience. You're talking about venting to the bad manager, not reporting them to a superior. That MIGHT get a response, but unlikely. All you are talking about is being an asshat on your way out the door. Backbone would have been standing up to the manager on an ongoing basis. Whining and then taking your ball and going home is not a classy way to do anything.

Believe me, we (the 3 of us) let him now what he was doing was screwed up after he was settle in his job. Between the the 3 of us we had over 60 year of experience in this field. He had zero! We inform the new regional manager of what was going on early and gave them time to change. So who's a asshat

 

[harley]

And as Johnny Paycheck said:

Or as Jimmy Reed put it...

Just to be pedantic, it was David Allen Coe (Take This Job) and Luther Dixon and Al Smith (Big Boss Man). Credit where credit is due. Although nobody would know the songs without the singers.

 

[harley]

Believe me, we (the 3 of us) let him now what he was doing was screwed up after he was settle in his job. Between the the 3 of us we had over 60 year of experience in this field. He had zero! We inform the new regional manager of what was going on early and gave them time to change. So who's a asshat

Anybody who vents on the way out the door, without speaking up earlier. Just like I said.


Although I admit I crossed your post and the OP, unintentionally. The writing styles looked the same to me and I assumed it was the OP.

 

[Aerides]

If she's truly "terrible and shameless" then your words will achieve nothing, and you might expect to receive some back. She sounds more like a middle manager operating out of fear and doing what she can to survive - at her team's expense. Nothing extraordinary there, sadly, quite common.

So, nothing good will come of your attempt to school her. So why bother on the off chance that she is liked and respected by someone you might want to work for in the future - even a different field? Six degrees of kevin bacon, etc.

Your hostility to her is worth examining though for your own peace of mind. We've all had that boss - this one seems to have really gotten under your skin. If you're that close to RE why not just shrug it off and laugh?

 

[kaudrey]

As some of the others said, I would be honest with the HR people in the exit interview, but I wouldn't necessarily say anything to the boss. She doesn't sound like she will listen, but senior execs might get the HR feedback; and if enough people leave and are honest with them; change could happen.

 

[RobbieB]

I've always avoided "high drama" in the workplace. If I didn't like my job I found another one.

Eat 'em and smile -

 

[Totoro]

Meh, if you are going to invest in negative energy: Don't get mad, get even.

Collect written feedback of confirmed star employees having left company because of her, and deliver that to her boss. Include your own resignation. Stay calm and state that you care so much about this company you couldn't help but share the warning signs.

Engineer transfer of your fellow compadres elsewhere, help them achieve freedom from hell-boss.

Get customers served by your team to move to a competitor, have them convey the message that they switched because they don't recognize the company anymore since hell-boss entered.

That sort of thing.

So don't attack the boss directly (you'll fail), just make her an obvious business liability and let Adam Smith's hand work its magic. When she gets kicked out of the company, greet her and explain its all your doing. Bring the evil smile and your team of henchmen. With a bit of luck you'll see her cry.

Or, if you can't achieve that, redirect your energy to something positive.

Don't play her game. Because being unaffected by her actions is the ultimate revenge: That takes away her power and significance. She can handle adversity and the language of power (bullying) I'm sure - I doubt she can handle indifference and irrelevance.

 

[Keim]

I've done it. I did it in a way such that I had no repercussions-via a series of private meetings over time with the board of directors. Not a single F.U. departure meeting. It felt good to let the directors know the truth of what went on, and was interesting to watch the fireworks as the consequences of somes poor behavior both personally and professionally played out.

My situation was way different than OPs, small business in a small town, highly public departure.

 

[Willers]

Management typically writes off this feedback as "just another one who couldn't make the transition into the new way of doing things". In a perverse sort of way, it may even reassure them into thinking they are accomplishing something positive.

There is one possible downside not to be ignored. If some on the executive team are punitive, or on the prowl for people to push out, they might look toward co-workers, work friends or team members and ask "who else shares these views".

This is my experience. She wants to do things her way and you don't agree. You'll just be written off as an example of someone resistant to change and not willing to get on the bus. Regarding venting to HR...with whom do you really think they are going to side?

Leave and enjoy the aftermath from a distance.


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[Dawg52]

My boss gave me a new golf cart when I retired. Even though I didn't agree with all his decisions in management, I was pleased with this one. No slams by me on the way out the door.

 

[SonofCohoes]

Aside from the five minutes of satisfaction from speaking your mind, what would be the benefit?
Nothing will change with either the organization or the boss, and you could potentially be seen as petty by your cow-orkers.

Just walk away with an enigmatic smile on your face. That would be a moment you can remember with pleasure for years.

This ^^^^^^^ and this

 

[RunningBum]

Regarding your direct questions in the OP, no, they can't sue you for a private conversation. That would be stupid of them to put those issues out in public anyway. Now, if you were to take out a full page ad in the paper and list your issues, you could be sued.


Now the retirement fund, I suppose they might be able to take away if they fire you for cause due to your outburst, especially if you swore at them and were threatening--which you said you wouldn't do.


Just a civil sit down, bluntly stating why you are leaving, should not have any repercussions, except that you can expect your story to be distorted to make you look bad when it's retold, so you might have some explaining to do with any co-workers you see socially.


At most I'd probably keep it brief. If she wants to talk about it more, go ahead, starting with a "since you asked...", if you want to.


I agree with the others, it's unlikely to do any good, but if it makes you feel better, that's certainly something. She'll probably be rewarded for getting rid of one more of the higher paid "old guard" so I don't think going over her head does any good either.

 

[38Chevy454]

Same basic advice from me: Just go out with a big smile on your face and your head held high. Don't stoop down to their level, it will not make a change and they will just turn it around as you are the problem, not them. You might say a little to HR, but remember HR is always there to protect the company, not you the employee.

 

[BreathFree]

From my experience, not only will it not make a difference, but they will be recounting your exit for weeks - laughing at you. If you leave angry they will feel you were weak and could not handle the changes.

Make your departure about you, not about them. I plan to leave with a simple, "Thank you for providing an opportunity that contributed to my financial independence. I no longer need to work for a living.

 

[Big_Hitter]

won't they give you an exit interview? that's commonplace nowadays

 

[Cobra9777]

Even if I had been in this situation, I would not have said anything. In my case, there were too many future financial interactions with Megacorp, the most significant being: employer-subsidized health insurance, unvested stock options, and a pension annuity.

In any case, if I had an issue with my boss, he or she would know about it immediately, not as I'm leaving. Whenever I had an issue with an employee, they certainly knew about it immediately. I've had my share of difficult bosses, difficult employees and peers. Also difficult customers and suppliers. I think part of the challenge is learning to successfully navigate this maze of personalities to everyone's benefit. As a card-carrying INTJ, I was never particularly comfortable with any of this. But I learned to survive and thrive, and that enabled ER at 52.

 

[UnrealizedPotential]

I had a similar situation when I retired and choose to say nothing. While it might have made me feel great at the time, I don't think it would have made one iota difference in the management philosophy of the company or the well-being of my co-workers.

Instead, I chose not to waste one more iota of my energy towards the past and focus only on the future. No regrets whatsoever.

I agree. Nothing else I can add.