Boss is refusing to let me take my foot off the gas

[tiredofthisshit21]

I'm retiring at the end of this year, corporate role, mid senior. I gave more than my contracted notice out of courtesy, did everything right. I've only got just over two months to go and I had thought that there might be a bit of easing back of the pressure to ease me gently into retirement. But my manager just keeps piling on the workload and pressure, regardless. I'm trying to care less, I really am, but there's no acceptance whatsoever that I have no incentive to go the extra mile any more. Currently facing into another working week with dread.

If you've been in this situation, how did you handle it?

If you wanted to ease into retirement slowly, couldn't you have used annual leave to gradually reduce your hours? Or could you ask for unpaid leave?

I'm not sure that it's reasonable to expect your employer to pay you a full "mid senior" salary to be unproductive for a couple of months.

It’s 2 months and you’re getting paid, just get on with it ffs 🍪

Start handing over and work to rule as much as possible. Not withstanding you still have two months to go. It’ll go in a flash!
it almost doesn’t matter what your boss thinks. This is about you needing to get your mind into more of a state of not accommodating this boss. don’t be available for the week after you leave

In the end, what can they do? Your next performance management review isnt going to be much of a concern.

Do the job you're being paid for. Ease off on any ridiculous demands. Work your hours. Tick days off on the calendar.

I haven’t been in this situation, but can you not push back a bit?

“This deadline isn’t workable for me”
“Shall I prioritise A, or B?”
“I will not be able to / have not been able to achieve X by Y date, and propose Z course of action.”(even if you know they will hate Z).

What’s the worst they can do - sack you?!

agree, you are still employed
have you got someone to hand over to?

There's no such thing as easing into retirement and YABU to expect it. Whilst you're still employed in your role, you are obviously expected to continue to fulfil it.

If you don't want to work your notice, then don't. But thinking they're going to keep paying your full wage as you gradually do less work is pretty damn cheeky TBH.

This ☝️ 💯
Start handing over as much as possible.
Are you training someone to take over your role?
I would get a calendar and count down the day (like xmas) 😆
Have you got any annual leave to use up? If so use it and it will be over before you know it!
@tiredofthisshit21

You could ask your boss to reduce your salary to help you ease into retirement too. But I bet you are still expecting to get paid fully while not doing what's required from you as per your job description. If you ae going over your contracted hours, then you can log off at 5pm (or whenever your day ends) and there will be little they can do about that. But expecting a light workload just because you are retiring seems strange.
The issue is not what your boss is expecting. The issue is that you have checked out. This is exactly why we previously asked some people not to work their notice period. Mentally you are already retired.

Are they planning to backfill your role? You're paid to do a specific job, and the fact that you're retiring doesn't mean your workload magically shrinks. That said, all you can do is manage expectations during your actual working hours.

Anything left over after you clock out is no longer your problem. It's not your job to make his life easier; if the workload is too heavy for your standard hours, tell him it's unmanageable. It's his responsibility to find a solution.

Just make sure you get everything on paper!

They don’t care about easing you into retirement, they’re trying to get their pound of flesh before you go. They don’t care about pissing you off or wearing you out, you’re going in two months.

Just don’t stress about it, turn up and do your hours and then leave. If you don’t have the capacity ask what to prioritise!

You still need to do your job.

If you think they are punishing you with too much work then work out what is and isn’t feasible and talk to your manager.

How old are you roughly? 50s or 60s?

Go off sick - problem solved !

Giving them lots of notice doesn't help them unless you keep working at your normal rate until you leave. You could still give them the minimum notice and go, if you are finding work too stressful.

I'm late 50s. They are backfilling my role, person starts in a couple of weeks.

I'm not suggesting I shouldn't do my job or get paid for nothing, it's the expectation of late finishes and a very heavy workload that I object to.

I think as others have suggested it is time to push back and drop the rope slightly. Only work your hours from now on. You can't be made to work extra, although the manipulation and your work ethic has probably been making you do so for a long time, it will be a tough habit to break.

@Idelicious
Does your advice also apply to teachers? There is no one to step up until the new term. Should pupils get used to teachers who are leaving, not bothering anymore?
You never know when you want a reference. Lots of retired people continue to work in a part time capacity. I still do a little bit of work well into my seventies. I love it. I would hate to think there were people I worked with who knew that I gave up and didn’t make an effort towards the end. If they are paying you, you continue to do your best.

So get up and leave at 5pm or whatever your contracted finish time is. That's not unreasonable at all. And when they moan, you tell them that there's not enough time for A and B, and they need to pick which is the priority.

I wonder about those advising you to drop the rope. How would you feel about a health care professional, ‘dropping the rope’? Or a teacher, or any professional involved in matters of public safety?
Lots of older people want to be respected at work and able to work without discrimination. The advice on here says a lot about some poster’s work ethic.

You need to write down a list of everything you are working on and how long each week/month or it will take you to complete.

document how many hours you have left in work. Taking into account any leave/ bank holidays etc. so consider only your working hours.

does your current workload fit into the hours.

if yes - great sit down prioritise what’s on your list and tick them off one by one u til retirement date. Do not accept any new work unless you can get it done before you leave.

if no - prioritise your list given the time you have left. All the non essential stuff either hand it over to someone else or tell your manager you can’t do it and they need to give to someone else. If they push back show them your list and ask them from the stuff you prioritise what do they want you to stop so you can get the non essential stuff they want you to focus on done.

leave a 20% buffer for your time it will get used.

by having a list and detailing how long it will take it gives you something to show your manager that your not just sitting around but your full until you leave.

The last company I worked for reduced your hours so that you started to work 4 day weeks for the last 6 months before retirement to prepare you for it, same salary. So there is such a thing as easing into retirement.

However if the OP is taking early retirement, they won't care that you're retiring, you're just leaving. I'd make sure I handed over all my work to whoever is taking over as soon as they start. Carry on doing the work - you won't care what happens once you've left, just turn on your out of office message on your last day and forget about them. Not your problem.

Are you getting paid less??

Why would anyone need to ease into retirement? You're about to have 100% of your time to do nothing. You're not training for a marathon, I think you'll be ok. What a weird way to think!

Tell them you will not be continuing to work late with a heavy workload, and they need to wean themselves off you starting today.