Not going on your last day of work? No one enjoys being left behind without a proper farewell.
Whether you are leaving on a high or a low note, the last day of work is an unpleasant and stressful experience for everyone.
This is how you can say your goodbyes while keeping the door open to other opportunities in the future.
Contacting Current Employer without Permission [The Answer]
Should I skip my last day of work?
If you don’t show up on your last day, you could lose the chance of a good reference and be hired again. No one thinks you might want to work for the same company again after you leave.
But it does happen quite often. We say get over it and go in unless there is a good reason not to. They might even throw a party or take you out to lunch.
Your last day of work is a chance to say goodbye to your boss in a good way. Building a long-term relationship with your manager and the human resources department can help you later in your career if you want to apply to a new company and need a good reference from your manager and the HR department.
Saying goodbye to coworkers on your last day can also show them how much you appreciate the help and advice they gave you during your time at the company.
Lastly, you can ensure the company will keep running well after you leave by ensuring you’ve finished all your tasks and left them ready for your replacement.
Is it bad to not show up to your last day of work?
Even though you’ve probably finished most of your big tasks before your last day, you may still have a few loose ends to tie up.
So set aside some time to ensure your work (and handover) is done, and your coworkers are up-to-date on any new tasks or responsibilities they may be taking on after you leave.
After all, the last thing anyone wants is for something to go wrong when you can’t fix it. You did tell people to stay in touch, but that was more along the lines of “let’s meet for drinks” than “come back and fix this code.”
It’s also a good idea to spend some time with your manager.
Even if there’s nothing to talk about, this will help you end on a good note. You might even get a note that says, “thanks for all your hard work.“ Tears are up to you.
- Other things that you should avoid doing:
You should put off doing any work, call in sick, write “your name Woz ‘ere’ on the wall, and drink wine straight from the bottle while pointing and laughing at the impending demise of your soon-to-be old colleagues.
- Get rid of any private information on your computer
When you leave the office for the final time, the digital record of your time there should be deleted entirely. Before cleaning up your computer, ensure you have uploaded your excellent work papers to a shared drive, emailed yourself any vital files, and saved any critical emails.
The next step is to delete all your files, remove the history from your web browser, and complete any other tasks necessary to clean your computer.
- Assemble your contacts
You don’t have to give up all of your connections simply because you will be leaving your current place of employment. Talk to your boss and coworkers if you want to stay in touch.
- Final documentation or remarks might ease the transition to the next team.
When handing off projects to new team members, it’s courteous to leave behind some notes or documentation to get the handoff off to a good start.
Hold one last one-on-one meeting with your boss and give them your appreciation.
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No call no show last day of work: Think again
Not even a goodbye gathering? No issue.
Before you leave on your last day of work, it is not inappropriate to check in with and express your gratitude to your manager one more time.
This is true even if Human Resources did not request a closing meeting. After all, you cannot know how it will pay off in the future.
Calling in sick on the last day of work
Unless you are really sick, do not call in sick on the last day of your work. You may recover, but your reputation might not!
What happens on the last day of work?
You could, for instance, plan a farewell dinner with your coworkers or get everyone together for cocktails or lunch. You will get a chance to reminisce, catch up with one another, and share your farewells. Hey, if you’re lucky, you might even walk away with a few free beers.
You can also write unique farewell emails to your coworkers and management to thank them for all the support they’ve given you over the past few months or years. After all, they may miss having you around.
Sad “goodbye-related gifs” are ready and waiting…
Last but not least, it is never appropriate to speak negatively about your company, coworkers, or the role when you leave it, no matter how much you detested your work.
It is not only likely to leave a negative impression (and throw any prospects with them out the window), but it also has the potential to make your coworkers feel guilty about being in their positions.
After all, they may have pleasure in working there. Not to mention that they experienced an experience that was entirely dissimilar to your own.
The same principle applies to humble boasting.
Instead, limit your complaining to people you know outside work, such as your friends and family because it is in your best interest to keep the bridges relating to your work intact.
Put some thought into your farewell email.
On your final day of work, it is imperative that you write a final email to the office in which you say “goodbye and thank you!”
Convey to them that although you are leaving the organization, you have nothing but good things to say about it and that you had a wonderful professional experience working there.