Most of us at some point in our careers have felt the desire to walk out of our jobs due to a workplace grievance. Whether this is due to a mean boss, limited career progression, difficult co-workers, broken promises, toxic work environment or poor terms and conditions, walking out in haste should be avoided at all costs for multiple reasons.
The majority of employee grievances can be brought to a satisfactory conclusion without confrontation. Your first port of call should be to resolve the issue yourself internally, then through management, and if this is unsuccessful through a third party. When all of these options have failed and you have decided you have no option but to resign, you must first have a Plan B in place before you leave.
Never just walk out with nowhere to go. It’s also advisable to avoid telling colleagues of your desire to leave until later in the process. If you do walk out, although this rebellious act and sense of relief will feel fantastic initially, you will be leaving your family’s welfare exposed and potentially damaging your future employment prospects. You’ll have created a difficult situation to explain in the career section of your CV and you’ll most definitely have lost this employer as a reference.
Being emotionally involved in a job is a healthy situation as it can bring out the best in us, but it can also cloud our judgement causing us to sometimes act irrationally. Think through your situation wisely, plan, and act accordingly. Where possible, find alternative employment first then try to leave the employer as professionally as possible.
No matter what the reason you are leaving is, try to serve your agreed notice period. Spend as much time as possible towards the end of your tenure preparing for your exit by closing as many outstanding items as possible, conducting a solid handover with your replacement, labelling your files and generally ensuring the upkeep of your good name. This may seem a bitter pill to swallow at first, but remember, your focus must be on preserving your professionalism, character, and future.