Conclusion to Kink in the Old Retirement Plan

[brewer12345]

And we have a big winner here!!!!!

My boss was his first hire. The two people above me retired about the same time last year. I've told coworkers that the new department head would never do anything because it would mean he made a big mistake. Instead, he's accommodating my boss by giving his tasks to others and taking control of things my boss should be doing.

And yes, every person leaving was explained away. Three retired, three transferred, one didn't work out and two just moved on. They'll likely add me to the retired group, but I have not indicated to them I'm retiring. I'm just exploring my "options." HR will eventually know because they have an exit checklist and need to report to the pension fund. While I do like the people in HR, they know who they work for and will tow to the management line.

Now I really must wonder if we work for the same organization. I have seen this so many times it isn't funny.

Will you have a ritual burning of the employee handbook/business cards/whatever?

 

[akck]

Now I really must wonder if we work for the same organization. I have seen this so many times it isn't funny.

Will you have a ritual burning of the employee handbook/business cards/whatever?

It's really shocking how different workplaces are so similar.

I'd have to print the handbook of in order to burn it. Business cards.... I might scatter them around the files so some future employees might wonder who the heck akck was? No, that would be too much like work. I'll leave a couple in the desk and burn the rest.

 

[brewer12345]

It's really shocking how different workplaces are so similar.

I'd have to print the handbook of in order to burn it. Business cards.... I might scatter them around the files so some future employees might wonder who the heck akck was? No, that would be too much like work. I'll leave a couple in the desk and burn the rest.

I have not decided on my ritual. I will be throwing out all my dress code-approved clothing in the first week. I am thinking maybe the burning of the business cards would be a nice way to do it.

 

[akck]

I too will be donating/throwing out my work shirts and pants, just keeping a couple for dress-up occasions. I've culled my dress shoes in October. I'll have a mostly empty drawer once my dress socks go.

 

[akck]

As a next to the last update, it's been 3 weeks since I turned in my notice. I let them stew about it for a week and finally said I was retiring to stop all the questions about what I was doing after my last day. This prove to be a great relief to them as it gave them a reason they could blurt out that it wasn't them.

So for the transition, my boss's boss is doing all the work. Over the 2 weeks, my boss spoke to me about 3 times and maybe half a dozen emails. Even during the transition meetings, he says nothing, that is until his boss told him that he has to do one of my jobs. So for one meeting he did ask questions about a system. I answer their questions and that's about it. Oh, I do speak up when something they want to do is not policy.

My boss's boss's boss did come by and offered an exit interview. I thought about it and accepted. So I let her know that my supervisor was why I was leaving and that retirement was only the option I was waiting for. I let her know the problems go deeper than the likely reasons given to her. 10 in 12 positions leaving has to be a red flag. I told her thing will fall apart for next year's audit as he still doesn't know how to do any of the tasks he's responsible for completing.

The only unfortunate fallout is my coworker who transferred is being pulled back to train for an indefinite period. He's not making it easy on them as he points out my boss's errors every time they happen. My boss isn't talking to him either, communicating only through email.

So, that's where things stand as of today. I'm down to 4 work days until the end of the year. It would have been a heck of a lot easier if I gave notice this week as originally planned, but I'd have to say the lack of communication was worth telling them earlier.

 

[audreyh1]

Whew! Wow! Looks like you made the right call, and congrats on only 4 work days left - woohoo!

It's good that you were able to have a frank discussion with your bosses boss as she's going to have to deal with the fallout of her employee.

 

[foxfirev5]

If this is the kind of stuff all you guys put up with I am speechless. Right now I'm feeling like a spoiled brat and should feel fortunate to have the job I have.
However, I'm still looking forward to ER at some point because life's too short.

 

[Huston55]

akck-

It's unfortunate that your last bit of time has been so unpleasant. Actually, 'I feel your pain' in a slightly different way, and I'm not far behind you.

But, don't let it make you bitter. Think positively about your ability to FIRE, those who can are very fortunate, and enjoy each day from now on.

I wish you all the best in the next phase.

 

[akck]

Whew! Wow! Looks like you made the right call, and congrats on only 4 work days left - woohoo!

It's good that you were able to have a frank discussion with your bosses boss as she's going to have to deal with the fallout of her employee.

Thanks.

I've worked here long enough to have some concerns about what will happen, so it was a big relief to fill in the top manager with details not likely passed on. Nothing may happen, but at least I can think I told you so when the SHTF.

 

[akck]

If this is the kind of stuff all you guys put up with I am speechless. Right now I'm feeling like a spoiled brat and should feel fortunate to have the job I have.
However, I'm still looking forward to ER at some point because life's too short.

I think most of us liked our jobs. Otherwise, we wouldn't have stayed so long. The thing to be aware of is the situation can change with a change in management. For some reason, good management retires/leaves and they bring in a new person who was able to snow them in the interview. The new boss then hides the problems or blame it on their staff. Experience shows your best option is to exit the situation. Fortunately, retirement was close and I was able to wait it out.

 

[travelover]

I think most of us liked our jobs. Otherwise, we wouldn't have stayed so long. The thing to be aware of is the situation can change with a change in management. For some reason, good management retires/leaves and they bring in a new person who was able to snow them in the interview.

Exactly so. I was lucky enough to work for a big company where one could run laterally.

 

[audreyh1]

Thanks.

I've worked here long enough to have some concerns about what will happen, so it was a big relief to fill in the top manager with details not likely passed on. Nothing may happen, but at least I can think I told you so when the SHTF.

Really, that was very good of you. You didn't have to do that, but I'm sure you feel better being able to share your feedback and not just leave silently.

 

[akck]

akck-



It's unfortunate that your last bit of time has been so unpleasant. Actually, 'I feel your pain' in a slightly different way, and I'm not far behind you.



But, don't let it make you bitter. Think positively about your ability to FIRE, those who can are very fortunate, and enjoy each day from now on.



I wish you all the best in the next phase.

I won't be bitter. The exit interview being three levels up was cleansing. I was able to give her the other side of the story. There wouldn't have been an exit interview with two or less levels up.

The only pain I have is for coworkers left (not many), and I do feel sorry for the replacements. It wasn't painful for me because I could get him to back off easily. The hard part was dealing with his assigning his work to me. It would only get worse with time. Time, I could and did stop.

 

[brewer12345]

I finished my last day pre-quit in the office on Thursday without incident. No blowback from calling in sick to avoid a hideously stupid and wasteful meeting across the country. In fact, pretty much radio silence from above the last couple of weeks. They are 500 miles away, which helps. My immediate friends and coworkers know my plans and I feel sorry for a few of them as it is unlikely they will be able to replace me any time soon and they will simply get flogged harder to keep up with a bigger workload. One guy is looking and will be gone soon as well, since he is eminently employable. I am now on vacation for the rest of the year and will quit when I go back in on the second. My desk is devoid of the last shred of personal stuff in preparation for the unlikely scenario that they walk me to the door same day.

 

[akck]

I finished my last day pre-quit in the office on Thursday without incident. No blowback from calling in sick to avoid a hideously stupid and wasteful meeting across the country. In fact, pretty much radio silence from above the last couple of weeks. They are 500 miles away, which helps. My immediate friends and coworkers know my plans and I feel sorry for a few of them as it is unlikely they will be able to replace me any time soon and they will simply get flogged harder to keep up with a bigger workload. One guy is looking and will be gone soon as well, since he is eminently employable. I am now on vacation for the rest of the year and will quit when I go back in on the second. My desk is devoid of the last shred of personal stuff in preparation for the unlikely scenario that they walk me to the door same day.

Boy, I was hoping they'd do that to me. Unfortunately, they need what little I can give them about my duties, and it is little, but that's their choice. We emptied my office of personal things this weekend. I wonder if they'll notice. Good luck on your transition brewer, letting them know does bring relief because it sets everything in final motion.

 

[brewer12345]

Boy, I was hoping they'd do that to me. Unfortunately, they need what little I can give them about my duties, and it is little, but that's their choice. We emptied my office of personal things this weekend. I wonder if they'll notice. Good luck on your transition brewer, letting them know does bring relief because it sets everything in final motion.

I expect to be kept around the final two weeks as they try to assimilate as much of 20 years experience in my one little area as they can.

 

[retiredatfifty]

Add me to the list of people who left my career employer under less than amicable circumstances. Once you get past the bitterness, you realize you were right to leave. It's still stressful. I envy those who had amicable partings with a longtime employer.

 

[akck]

Well, my last day went well from my standpoint. If we work both Christmas and New Year's Eves, we get to take a half day off on one of them. I chose mine for today, so I was able to leave at 11 am. I was able to cut short any last day questions, not that they knew what questions to ask. I had initially asked that nothing be done, so my boss, to look good, had initiated a gathering. I emailed and reminded him that I wouldn't be participating. So I left, smiling ear to ear. It felt good to be leaving on my terms and work and their problems will be easily forgotten.

 

[akck]

I see a promotion in my boss's future. One of the most used ways to deal with a mistake is to promote them to an advisory position off to the side. I won't be surprised when he moves into the newly created position of Assistant Director sometime next year.

Well, I was wrong on this one. Here's a final-final postscript on this saga. But first, retiring when I did has been one of the smartest decisions I've made.

In another post, I mentioned that I did an exit interview with the top boss (not my boss's boss). I put her on notice that the next year-end audit would be telling, going as far to say that there was no way my boss could handle it without a lot of outside help.

Fast forward a year later. My former boss resigned. He's "retiring" at the end of January, which is a far cry from his statement of working another 5-10 years. Apparently, the audit did him in and he was asked to resign. It's nice to know that all of us who left the division have been vindicated by this (i.e., it wasn't us who were the problem(s)).

 

[EastWest Gal]

In my present position--about to go "independent contractor" status within our company, I have seen a myriad of deficiencies and solutions for those deficiencies over and over again. It seems that after ignoring me all these years that my input suddenly matters, go figure!

Many of us have been in your position.


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