Employers expectations when working your notice

[chrisdk]

I will attempt to avoid this turning into a rant, but I'd like opinions from both management and "foot soldiers" as to what you expect from an employee when working their / your notice.

I'm currently on my last day of a four week notice period and can honestly say this has been one of the most pressurised times of my three years in the job.

I had been asked (and was completely willing) to provide a "very good handover" to my two replacements, this has meant I have had to take time out of my normal working time to train these guys as well as documenting processes, reporting lines etc so that they had reference material once I had gone.

My "normal" workload has dipped slightly as over recent weeks I have been able to farm some of the "easier stuff" on to them but this week I have found myself in the office 7am-7pm for the last ten days just to ensure that things go smoothly.

I'm also finding myself pulled into additional meetings so that others in the company can talk stuff over with me before I'm out the door, as well as the obligitary "exit admin".

I'm proud of what I've done as I've grafted until the second I've walked out the door but wondered if my employers expectations are normal ? Part of this is to leave on good terms (which I've managed as I've been told the door is always open if I want to return) but also that I have some good friends working alongside me and want to make things go smoothly for them.

Any one else had something similar ? Or should I MTFU and say "here's my notice, you can 40 hrs a week from me until I'm gone" ?

[pugwash4x4]

depends entirely on yoru role and the paygrade.

if you are on 30+ then that's what i'd expect to do.

[NotKenBlock]

Also depends on what you want from the old company in the future.

I.E if you want:

- A good reference
- Possible employment in the future should things not work out or you come back higher
- Stay friendly with certain collegues
- Not let it get out that you were an arse in your notice

You unfortunately have to tow the line.

Im in my 4 weeks notice period at the moment and I have mixed feelings. I thought it would be full of joyfull handshakes, well wishings for the future and a good wind down, getting ready for the new place.

I have pretty much zero now to do (1 week left) having handed over everything... so im pretty bored. And I really feel 'in limbo', no point starting any new projects in the old company, to early to
start anything in the new company. So im doing my best to swat up as much as possible on the new place without stopping me doing anything in the old place should I be needed.

I'd say if you were doing anything technical, specialised or vital to company workings then what you are doing is pretty much expected. Especially if you are well paid and / or senior level.

[Johnnytheboy]

As above, you're presumably going to leave held in very high regard if you keep it up until the end, which will pay long term dividends that outweigh slacking off in any major fashion.

[Alex]

When it has been my choice to leave, I have always worked as normal up to the final day.

However, once I was made redundant and they expected me to wrap up a load of work and perform handovers to everyone who would be taking my tasks on. Let's say I wasn't quite so motivated in this instance...

[chrisdk]

Thanks for the replies, interesting reading (and nice to know I'm not the only one in this boat).

I accept I am in a well paid job and, whilst not in a senior role, what I do is pretty specialist within the company (and industry). It perhaps doesn't help that three of the guys in my department have left in the last three months (we've had a recent organisational change and decided this place aint for us any more) and I'm very much the last one holding our collective knowledge in the company.

Anyway, the end is in sight, I've just been handed a very good bottle of Glenlivet by someone as thanks and I know that I'm getting a lie-in tomorrow, so I'm off PH and back onto PPT !

[pugwash4x4]

chrisdk said:

Thanks for the replies, interesting reading (and nice to know I'm not the only one in this boat).

I accept I am in a well paid job and, whilst not in a senior role, what I do is pretty specialist within the company (and industry). It perhaps doesn't help that three of the guys in my department have left in the last three months (we've had a recent organisational change and decided this place aint for us any more) and I'm very much the last one holding our collective knowledge in the company.

Anyway, the end is in sight, I've just been handed a very good bottle of Glenlivet by someone as thanks and I know that I'm getting a lie-in tomorrow, so I'm off PH and back onto PPT !

this is probably the main reason why its both required and preferable.

in a niche within an industry its always a good idea to go above and beyond on the way out- you never know when you're name will come up within some sort of networking- and if you leave on good terms then it will od you wonders!