Former employer won't let me go!

[harley]

I had this one in my cubicle for years. I don't think my boss ever even read it.

[FUEGO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by harley I had this one in my cubicle for years. I don't think my boss ever even read it.

I think we may get some despair posters to put up here. My guess is management would look at the big word, fail to read the caption, then give an attaboy pat on the shoulder for being a team player.

[Purron]

Here's the link if anyone's interested:

View All Demotivators®

[Milton]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RunningBum Could be. But how would that change the situation?

Indeed.

[LOL!]

This thread is depressing to me. Before one retires and still need to work, they should have a job that they enjoy. I think that after the retire day, one should still be friends with colleagues and bosses. It's pity that folks appear to hate their jobs and colleagues.

All I see in this thread is a lack of negotiating skills on all sides.

[Alan]

Kabekew - congratulations on your retirement. Sorry to read that the parting was so painful.

[Broke Bert]

Congratulations on retiring. Given the date of your first posting and your recent follow-up posting, you have already made your decision. Wise move to divorce yourself from a real leach of a boss. And, would your coworkers REALLY have been upset -- especially after you made the effort that last year to get them up to speed ? And you made the info available to everyone -- except maybe an incompetent boss who wouldn't know how to find the file.

DEFINITELY wouldn't feel any guilt or concern -- unless you planned to use them as a future reference. Funny thing about retirement, sometimes it doesn't last (money issues, boredom, need for accomplishment, social atmosphere, etc.) -- but make your "retired job" according to your OWN terms. Be careful about signing anything with a non-compete clause. And if you DO get into consulting, price yourself at a minimum of twice your previous hourly rate -- DECENT companies are usually willing to pay a premium rate for short-term assitance by an established expert (which you are with your EXPERIENCE), and they don't have all of the financial commitment (benefits, EEO, etc.) as with a salaried employee.

Venting is good -- you can usually get a different perspective and advice that you hadn't considered.

[Kabekew]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Broke Bert Venting is good -- you can usually get a different perspective and advice that you hadn't considered.

Yea, there's really a lot of good advice above! Thanks, everyone.

So, since my last post, their contracts person hasn't been back in touch, so I assume they've decided to drop it. Then yesterday, the main sales guy gave me a call and just wanted to say congratulations for getting out and doing your own thing, and I probed to see if everything was going okay, and it seems yea, everybody's doing fine. I guess life goes on without me.

God, I love this. For the first time I actually went through the grocery store on Sunday, just cruising the aisles calmly to see what was there and get whatever I might want to try. Before, I always had to rush from spot to spot to get my basic things, because grocery shopping was a waste of my precious weekend free time. No more!

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kabekew God, I love this. For the first time I actually went through the grocery store on Sunday, just cruising the aisles calmly to see what was there and get whatever I might want to try.

Sunday? Try a weekday morning. You won't believe the difference.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo Sunday? Try a weekday morning. You won't believe the difference.

I went last Thursday morning at 8:30 AM, and it was really different! There were scarcely any other shoppers.

It was a little annoying that two retirees who were talking managed to completely block one aisle that was otherwise empty. And then the employees were busy restocking, and a little bit in the way. But otherwise, a nearly perfect experience.

(And get off my lawn, you young whippersnappers!! )

[audreyh1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kabekew Yea, there's really a lot of good advice above! Thanks, everyone. So, since my last post, their contracts person hasn't been back in touch, so I assume they've decided to drop it. Then yesterday, the main sales guy gave me a call and just wanted to say congratulations for getting out and doing your own thing, and I probed to see if everything was going okay, and it seems yea, everybody's doing fine. I guess life goes on without me. God, I love this. For the first time I actually went through the grocery store on Sunday, just cruising the aisles calmly to see what was there and get whatever I might want to try. Before, I always had to rush from spot to spot to get my basic things, because grocery shopping was a waste of my precious weekend free time. No more!

Well - that's great that someone higher up (in the know) called you just to say congrats and he could tell you things were going fine. Just like you probably already knew they would since you were so thorough in turning over your responsibilities. Glad you are enjoying your retired life so far. Even after 10 years it's still sweet for us! Me too - love that no rushing thing! I often say - "it's OK, I'm not in a hurry" when dealing with the public.

I must say - I really enjoyed your exit story as unpleasant as it must of been for you (not much worse at work than a bullying boss)! This was a wild one, and I'm so glad you posted it.

Audrey

[Kroeran]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MasterBlaster Boy that's a scene right out of the movie "About Scmidt"

my favorite part about this movie is the thing where he has been working on a special marketing research thing or something, for many many years, and he carefully hands this off to his successor, which is housed in several boxes.

then as he is leaving the building for the last time, he turns to look down the alleyway and he sees all of his boxes of documents for the special project being thrown in the dumpster.

[Kroeran]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ziggy29 Having said that, I have to imagine the environment must have been at least somewhat toxic if the boss has this kind of arrogant, control-freak attitude even with the people they can no longer control. I would think that even if someone had a little bit of inclination to consider consulting in the future, that attitude would certainly make me a LOT less likely to want to set foot in that place again. .

Warren Buffet said his favorite part of being rich is getting to decide who he spends his day with and being able to avoid people who make your stomach tighten up.

One of the pieces of the puzzle is realizing money is not about conspicuous consumption, but is rather about freedom, and ironically, is a spiritual kind of thing.

Live free or die. ; - )

[Kroeran]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LOL! This thread is depressing to me. Before one retires and still need to work, they should have a job that they enjoy. I think that after the retire day, one should still be friends with colleagues and bosses. It's pity that folks appear to hate their jobs and colleagues. All I see in this thread is a lack of negotiating skills on all sides.

ideally.

for many who are early foolish and late wise, you get on a track and it may become impossible to switch companies or careers.

for the young guns I get a chance to corrupt, I repeat something I heard at a course once from a very high ranking individual who rode in on a motorcycle (kind of a House type)...find your crowd.

while I am on this topic...here are some of my rules, based on my experience of clawing to the middle

- in the early career, work hard to find a corporate culture that you have a natural fit in, otherwise you will spend too much energy trying to be something your not, you will become something you don't want to be, or you will not adapt and be labelled unpromotable. The latter becomes a stressor when you then have to submit to less experienced younger bosses of the dominant culture. Better to find the appropriate level in the heirarchy according to your talent and experience (age), in a culture that you have a natural fit in.
- make an effort to identify the gifted managers (in all respects) in your organization and attach yourself to them, follow them to other organizations. Accept that work is not about the work, that in reality, the boss is 95% of the job.
- although there are exceptions, as a general rule, seek out slightly older managers than yourelf that are as close to your cultural profile as possible to minimize cultural translation issues - so that communication and shared perspective is effortless. Create your own old boy, old girl network.
- when bosses rotate and abusive or untalented bosses are moved over you, do your best to make them think you respect them, and try to move out as quickly as possible to minimize the damage to your psyche. This is especially true for married men working for abusive women bosses. I suspect that many divorces come from men being abused by women bosses at the office, and this resentment/hatred transfers to women generally, and the wife specifically, and men just don't have the primal hardwiring to cope with this. Women should not put up with abusive male bosses, however, my observation is that women are built tougher in this respect.
- many attractive jobs are vacant and available to outsiders because the insiders know the boss is high maintenance and won't transfer over. Most high maintenance bosses can be identified with merely an hour over lunch, and much pain can be avoided with this simple technique.

[Milton]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LOL! This thread is depressing to me. Before one retires and still need to work, they should have a job that they enjoy. I think that after the retire day, one should still be friends with colleagues and bosses. It's pity that folks appear to hate their jobs and colleagues.

Unfortunately, many people have stressful and/or tedious jobs, incompetent and/or obnoxious bosses, and idiotic andor lazy co-workers. That is certainly undesirable, but it is reality. It is not surprising that such people are keen on early retirement, or that they have no great desire to maintain contact post-retirement.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LOL! All I see in this thread is a lack of negotiating skills on all sides.

All I see is a person who was ready and able to stop working and a boss who was determined to make him continue, on disadvantageous terms.

Give that the o/p was determined to quit and had no interest in any form of consultancy, there was really nothing to negotiate.

[travelover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kroeran my favorite part about this movie is the thing where he has been working on a special marketing research thing or something, for many many years, and he carefully hands this off to his successor, which is housed in several boxes. then as he is leaving the building for the last time, he turns to look down the alleyway and he sees all of his boxes of documents for the special project being thrown in the dumpster.

Sadly, I've been the guy loading the dumpster. We had a guy quit and his office sat empty for months. Finally my manager asked me to "clean it out". I tried to save anything that I thought might really be useful, but in reality it was more a collection of everything that he had ever worked on, than any treasure trove of knowledge.

[moreorless]

Yikes! Just came across your issue today & can only reiterate everyone else...Just be glad you are away from there! After that kind of send off I wouldn't be so kind to help him out...but if I did, the rate would be 2.5 times previous total salary & fringes etc...a typical rate for consulting.
Think about this though, as long as you hang around, your co-workers will not be given the opportunity to show that they are also capable & can carry the ball! So are you really being fair to your old co-workers by agreeing to hang around?
More likely, your old boss is probably a lazy jerk and having you around simply makes his life a whole lot easier. Having to make sure that work is carried on means this guy actually has to become acountable himself! By the way, the way this guy operates, I wouldn't trust him for a second! I retired January '09 & could not be happier. My humble opinion...stay as far away from him as you can!

[Westernskies]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purron Here's the link if anyone's interested: View All Demotivators®

My personal favorite:

[FUEGO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelover Sadly, I've been the guy loading the dumpster. We had a guy quit and his office sat empty for months. Finally my manager asked me to "clean it out". I tried to save anything that I thought might really be useful, but in reality it was more a collection of everything that he had ever worked on, than any treasure trove of knowledge.

When I'm tasked with this, I usually just pile all of the departing person's $hit into another empty cubicle. Not hard to find empty cubicles at the wasteland that is my employer. I occupy the only cube in my six cube area.

Need someone to pass the buck? I'm your guy!

[scrabbler1]

Fascinating thread to read.

As one who retired one year ago I was concerned about getting hit with questions about work things. The first thing I did was to not release my home email address like some others who had left the company over the years. A few friends at my office had it and my home phone #, but I made it clear to them that I did NOT want to be contacted with work-related questions. This was also due to the fact that I had mostly telecommuted for a few years before the company ended it so if they were not going pay me any more to work from home I surely wasn't going to it for FREE.

The only person who has called me at home from there is my best friend at the office, so when he has called once or twice we would talk about other (non-work) stuff before he would hit with me a simple question. He knows full well I don't want to have anything to do with anyone there at the office although my ire is directed at the company's top management and their policies as opposed to the management of my division (I let the poor HR guy have it at my hour-long exit interview).