Need to quit new job immediately

[SoyYo]

I need your advice please. I started a new position in January. Contractual notice is 3 months so now 2 months in. The position is not what I was expecting, for many reasons too long to go into here. Last week I gave a presentation and received extremely cruel feedback from immediate boss and functional Director. Was told they had "serious worries about my fitting in their culture" and that they had only received negative feedback on me. The content was apparently "textbook" perfect but not what they wanted. I am making this very short, but it was extremely cruel and for the first time in my 25 year career with excellent previous employment record I felt utterly devastated and started crying. The cruelty went on with comments such as "feedback is hard to take", etc. Went back this week and the perpetrators did not apologise but are making an effort and at least have not attacked me further. But the shock of what I went through and a whole weekend of confusion and crying stayed with me all week. By amazing coincidence my old employer has been in touch as my old position has not been filled. They have offered it back to me (I only left at Xmas and had mixed feelings as to whether it was the right thing to do at the time). They would like me to start in 1 weeks time and the offer is on its way to me. How can I resign next Monday, and ask to be released immediately. I just want out a.s.a.p. but worried they may force me to work my notice. I want to avoid further unpleasentness and to handle things professionally, while at the same time I just want out without serving more than a week's notice. Has anyone has been in a similar situation? I welcome your thoughts.

Haven't been in your position but what happened to you is appalling and you should leave immediately. What can they do to you if you don't work your notice. I think the worst that can happen is that you lose 3 weeks pay.

How can they force you to work your notice?

As you have had a very short and unhappy career with this company I assume you wouldn't want a reference from them in future?

Also, the requirement to give three months notice seems excessive when you have only been working there for two months. Did you not have a probabationary period?

I would clear my desk and walk away without a backward glance tbh. I have done this twice in my career - v satisfying!

Surely if you have only been there since January they cannot expect 3 months notice. Walk away.

No one can force you to work your notice. I walked out of the mod a d they threatened to stop me at the gate but even they werent legally allowed.

Just walk, I don't want to be harsh but they sound like arseholes who are looking to fire you anyway.

The company has an excellent reputation, and one of the reasons I was tempted to apply and leave my old job. Unfortunately the functional head of the area I have joined is on some kind of power trip. Since joining I found that last year they got rid of 4 members of staff due to them not having the "right skillsets" (after many years long service) and one of them going on long stress leave due to work. I had no way of knowing this before joining but can quite believe it having been at the receiving end of a vicious attack last week. I do not need their references, as going back to previous employer who is also very respected in the industry. I decided before the fortunate coincidence of being offered my old job back to bite my tongue and bide my time while looking for something else, knowing it would be my word against theirs. I think you are right, they would be foolish to sue me after such a short period but there is no probationary period in the contract of employment (It is a senior grade). I just want out and lucky I can put it behind me. Other people in function saw me very upset and that is why they confided in me about last year's "redundancies". Basically they have destroyed my trust and motivation to stay there one second longer than I have to.

If I were you I would leave and write a letter mentioning "stress".

They sounds like twats, why on Earth should you miss out on the chance of a good (albeit your old) job?

Your best bet is to try to leave by mutual consent, especially if you ahve a probabtion period and review, but they could hold you to your notice and prevent you working for a competitor in the meantime, will the other company hold the position open ?

Thank you for the fast replies, this is a fab community! Old company is in same industry but not a direct competitor so nothing contractual to stop me working there, just the 3 month notice period. I will try and be civil and explain there is no point after what happened to keep a demotivated and unhappy person on board, try and be civil but 100% firm that I will not work my contractual notice. If they want to play hardball I think I will just walk...I am frightened of confrontation and want to avoid agressive conversations, they are completely lacking in empathy or they would not have behaved like they did last week, or stopped and apologised when they saw how upset I was. In all honesty I do not even want to set foot in that place again...and having left old employer (despite them asking me many times to reconsider) I do not want to make them wait longer than absolutely necessary. I am very lucky they want me back.

I would tell them that you wish to leave with one week's notice to take up another post, say that given the feedback that you were given re 'worries' 'not right culture' you do not anticipate a difficulty with this, ask them if they wish you to be present during the week's notice.

And send a copy simultaneously to central HR requesting an exit interview to express your experience.

Thank you everyone.

Get your old job back first and then leave your current one.

DH manages someone who came back after 2 weeks at a competitor. All DH wanted to know was why the guy was looking to leave in the first place. The employee approached DH by saying he started looking for another job because he wanted to more responsibility and to move up. The new job turned out to be nothing like what was advertised or the position he interviewed for. DH was very happy to have him back. This guy had signed a noncompete contract. DH told the HR and legal people of the other employer that if they took it any further he would personally see to it that they were taken to court over the appalling way they treated their employees. DH never heard from them again and we are in the US which is courtroom and sue happy.

They've broken the psychological contract between employer/employee by being unprofessional and undermining/bullying you.
I would just hand them a letter advising of your resignation with immediate effect, then walk.
It is extremely unlikely they would pursue you for costs.

Why did you leave your old job?

Are you sure you want to go back - long term?
(It would be a bit crap to take the job then leave again for the same reasons you left last time).

If you do want to go back I would call in sick on Monday, call your old employer and make all necessary arrangements.

If you have personal belongings that you want to collect I'd go in on Tuesday morning and collect them. If not I would email them. Tell them that you will not be returning (and state that you expect your pay to be put into your account) - state their 'unreasonable' behaviour 'causing you stress' as the reason. They would be MAD to take this any futher after what they have said to you.

Resign, give one week's notice and say you feel you have no option but to leave because of the appalling way you have been treated which you believe to be a breach on your employer's part of mutual trust and confidence in addition to the stressful working environment to be a failure to fulfil their duty of care to you as an employee.

By putting all that in it says you mean business (it's what you'd refer to if claiming constructive dismissal which you can't because you don't have enough service).

Worst they could do is refuse your reference (so what? You're going back to previous employer) and sue you in county court for breach of contract (doubt they'd bother - too expensive and your letter should have them rattled).

From what you said it sounds like they don't think things are working out either so doubt they'll want you working your contractual notice.

I agree give a week's notice.

They could justifiably give a bad reference but you don't need a reference from them and probably won't ever put this employment on a cv anyway.

They could sue you for breach of contract but that's unusual as it's not normally worth the employer's while. Having said that, the more senior position it is, the more likely an employer is to pursue that option, as demonstrating a significant financial loss would always be easier.

However given the circumstances you describe, I can't imagine they would be miffed enough to make that much fuss.

Notice periods don't mean anything.

Once you've got your new offer in writing tell the current place your not coming in. If they insist tell them you'll turn up and punch the first person you see.

Just saying it will usually get you gross misconduct and dismissed without too much worry.

I agree with LIZS - you should try to leave with mutual consent - eg within a week

FWIW I would probably tell them that you consider them to have breached their implied contractual duty of trust and confidence by treating you in the way that they have done, and given their breach of contract you no longer consider yourself to be bound by your contractual obligations, including the obligation to give notice. As such your employment will be terminating with immediate effect.

I would say then something hoity toity like "Good day to you Sirs", turn on your heel and stroll out humming a happy tune.

Hope it all works out for you!