Telling Co-Workers You're Leaving Your Job

Dear Debra:

I just gave a two-week notice to my supervisor. She asked that I wait one week before telling anyone, including my co-workers, clients, and vendors. That’s fine. Many of my co-workers are in the other branches, but we interact frequently online and by phone. What’s the best way to say, “good-bye” to my co-workers?  I want to leave on friendly terms with everyone at the company. I only left to pursue great compensation and responsibility.

Thanks,

Eric

Dear Eric:

Congratulations on your new job!  It is smart to respect your supervisor’s wishes. She probably needs a few days to make some plans and did not want to have a panic in the office regarding who will be handling your workload. Also, the less that people are talking about your departure is better for the company. They need to protect employee morale.

At the appropriate time, you may want to send a brief email to the co-workers that you interact with frequently. It is not necessary to email everyone with whom you ever encounter. Also, don’t contact clients or vendors. It is up to the company to make those contacts. Later, after you have left the company, you may reach out to your closest client/vendor contacts just to thank them for their past support and let them know you accepted another position.

In your communication to anyone, be positive about your employer. No matter how you really feel, take the high road and avoid any negative comments. It will only make you appear small to speak negatively about past employers and associates. You may say something like, “While I enjoyed my time at ABC Company, I was offered a new opportunity that is a good fit for me at this stage in my career. I really appreciate the training and support from my manager and peers at ABC. It was a great experience.”

Thanks for writing, Eric.  If you have more questions, I hope you will contact me.

All the best,

Deb