Moving roles at work - nobody will talk to me about it

[Polarbearflavour]

So I’m leaving a job I hate. I’ve got an internal move to a new team / role / Location.

I leave just before Christmas. Everybody knows. None of the managers will mention it to me. As in, they are ignoring it and change the subject if I try to raise it.

It’s a weird team anyway and I don’t particularly like them. The other lady doing the same job as me left the organisation within two months of starting. There are now two vacant posts in this team (same job title)

So with nobody to handover to and my managers refusing to discuss I’m leaving - what do I do on my last day?

I would send out a general email to everyone wishing them luck for the future and including new contact details. Then hand in anything required and leave and don't give it any more head space, it's not your problem!

You're leaving, try and handover anything you feel important to your manager on your last day, if she doesn't listen then that's not your responsibility then don't worry about it and enjoy your new job.

It is slightly weird behaviour but on the other hand Christmas is a few weeks away yet. Unless you have a really complicated job and hours and hours of work to handover I wouldn't worry about it. Perhaps they are staying quiet because they are still planning how to cover both vacancies.

Delighted to know you have a new role PBF Hope it's better and more enjoyable for you if there is nobody to hand over to that's their problem. If they aren't engaged enough to discuss the matter that's not your fault.

When I left roles in the same place, I tried to make a useful out of office for the role account with alternative contacts etc.

Maybe stick a handover meeting in her diary? If she doesn't accept it's not really your problem, but do document it in case it comes back to bite you at mid year review time!

It’s finally been twigged how few working days I have left in post
They are worried now!

Would I be wrong in meeting the potential replacement off the record (she’s internal) and giving her the low down? She would the be third person in this job since April. It really is awful.

Why do you want to meet your replacement, give her the low down on what? You are leaving soon, just look forward to your new job.

You are moving internally. Keep that in mind before you share too much about how you feel. I have known managers to rescind internal transfers as pay back or give a poor end of year rating as pay back.

My move has been formalised and they can’t go back on it.

Basically, this workplace is toxic and the managers are challenging. If I was taking the job, I would want to know. I’ve also been bullied in this role and put in a grievance.

I was thinking of an off the record chat - nothing down in writing?

No please don't. You will just sound bitter. You never know what your replacement may say to your ex manager and a grievance is confidential.

I wouldn’t mention the grievance but I would give them the basic issues.

I probably sound bitter because I am! This is by far the worst place I have ever worked.

Please don’t. Your new manager is bound to ask your new manager for an overview - you don’t want to start off on a back foot there because managers believe other managers. Let it go and move on. Get counselling if you need it.

I like the Ask a Manager page and she does advise warning new people in certain circumstances.

www.askamanager.org/2013/03/do-you-have-a-duty-to-warn-job-seeking-acquaintances-about-a-bad-boss.html

To be honest, I don’t want to stay in this organisation any way and I’m looking outside as I don’t think it’s for me.

I don’t think I need counselling as such!

Look at the replies from real life managers! You don’t know this person and so stay out. You don’t even know whether the new hire is a close friend or family member of one of the managers.

And yes, take it from someone still recovering from a bullying manager, you do need counselling.

If you don't want to stay in the organisation then get another job somewhere else, that is what I did, I left a toxic poisonous work environment. If you are going into your new job already feeling negative and bitter then your new manager will pick up on that and you will be in the same position.

Okay...the potential new person has just emailed me saying can we meet up for a chat (I didn’t contact her). Well I can’t lie but I also can’t be specific so not sure what to do...

Stick solely to the job requirements when talking to your replacement. Take her through the role, offer to leave helpful.crib sheet files so she can use them to recap areas she is less familiar with. Give her your new phone number and tell her to call if she needs any help/had questions in the new year.

Do not get in to why you are leaving. Keep it simple, eg exciting new role, able to develop new skills and strengthen existing ones. Anything else and you could find yourself sleepwalking into a whole lot of trouble if word gets around you are 'bad mouthing" your old managers

Are you not a bit suspicious about why she wants a chat, why didn't she just ring you and ask to come to your office in work hours just to go through any oustanding work that needs completing. I would keep it formal, she may have a motive you are not aware of or been asked to suss you out. How did she get your email address.

She’s internal. All the people in my role know of each other as we are included on the same distribution lists and go to the same events.

Well we had a chat! She said she had heard X was a poor manager as he has a reputation. She said she had heard various things and listed them off, all which are true. I said “hmmm” in reply.

I just said “well I find this a very challenging role, it’s not been the right fit for me personally but you may enjoy it. I’m also moving because of not to do with the job but moving location”

She said was it true she would be the third person in the role in x number of months. I said yes.

She asked should she take the role if I were in her shoes. I said “I really can’t say!”

Anyway, she’s turned down the job as she’s decided to accept another one. I saw the email.

It sounds like a really horrid place to work, everyone talking about each other. You have put in a grievance, other people are saying he is that bad and this is the third time the job has become vacant, surely HR must know something is wrong. I'd let them deal with it.

All - Thanks for advising me not to say anything negative or mention anybody my name. I think from my silence and my not disagreeing with her she got the message!

retirednow - yes it’s a dreadful place. Staff survey results - one in four people want to leave within the next 12 months and 16% have been bullied or discriminated against in the 12 months!

I’m using it as a means to an end to jump ship. They are moving me to my preferred location and I’m once I’m there I’ll look for something else.

If it is that bad why not move to another company?

Only staying the obvious.

Stating*