People leave workplaces for all kinds of reasons. It’s important to recognize that sometimes, those decisions aren’t necessarily thoroughly rational and cool-headed, but because you dislike the management, believe the company is headed in the wrong direction, and can’t bear working for these people another day. Sure, that might sound unprofessional on the surface, but anyone that has been in this situation will know exactly what you mean, and celebrate your decision.

Leaving your workplace on good terms, however, is still a good idea. Holding our tongue and making sure we gain the reference we need, the post-leaving support we require, and the access to certain benefits we may still have could be impossible if we’re fired unfavorably. 

So, let’s discuss a few helpful means of leaving a workplace, even if you’d rather be a million miles from the people who run it:

Stand By Your Rights & Make Claims Where Needed

There’s no reason why leaving on good terms, at least from your side, has to be the same as accepting all the treatment you might have been subjected to. For example, working with personal injury lawyers could help you reclaim the compensation you’re entitled to, while still giving good notice, working well, and leaving the place as good as you found it. Don’t let any employer make you think that leaving on good terms means letting mistreatment, or improper care slide. Always work within the bounds of your contract and employment law.

Hand Off Well

Putting together a handing off package before you leave is important for many people leaving a firm, but for those scorned or unhappy with their position, it’s easy for them to let this duty go, and to somewhat ignore their final responsibilities before they leave. But this is not helpful, and it might impact you should you need to network further in the same industry or rely on a reference. Instead, do your best to help pass off the role to someone else before you go, but don’t think you have to work overtime or stretch yourself thin to achieve that – a reasonable effort is good enough.

Hold Your Tongue

It’s very easy to see the last moments of your time at a toxic workplace as vindication or excitement for whatever is coming next. That much can be worthwhile and interesting to partake in, But we’d also recommend that you don’t run wild with this approach. Instead, try to avoid any cutting remarks, any overblown insulting emails, any dramatic displays that can be so tempting to partake in. After all, even if you “win,” you’re really only venting frustration which could have been healthily expressed elsewhere – for example, reporting an office to the health department or worker’s safety boards depending on the difficulties you experienced there, or as we discussed above, letting the legal system speak for you.

With this advice, we hope you can leave a workplace on good terms, perhaps giving them a reason to offer you a good reference, even if you have a terrible impression of them. After all, it’s their loss, not yours that you’re moving on.