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I recently published an article on how to resign from your job. If you haven’t checked it out, I hope you will – even if you’re not thinking about resigning right now. One of the things I didn’t talk about in the article is what to say when it comes to the reason for leaving. So, let’s talk about that today. 

I can think of many reasons that an employee would resign and not want to get into a lot of detail regarding the reason (i.e., an upsetting health diagnosis, a change in family status, being victim to a crime, feeling unsure/unsafe about their living situation, etc.). There’s no rule that says an employee has to tell the organization why they’re resigning. An employee can simply say “it’s personal” or “it’s private” and stop there. I want to believe that an organization would be respectful of an employee’s comments and not push the matter further. 

Obviously though, organizations ask for a reason so if they spot a trend, they can address it. For example, let’s say an organization doesn’t allow for part-time work. What if all of a sudden, several employees were resigning for part-time work opportunities, then the organization might reconsider their policy. Organizations aren’t asking to be nosy. They’re asking so they can potentially address problems and keep good employees. 

Expanding on the part-time work example, I know I said that the organization doesn’t allow it, but could this be one of those situations where an employee might want to confirm the policy – before they start looking for a new job? Recruitment and retention are tough. Good employees who like both their job and the organization they work for are hard to find. Employees might want to consider if it makes sense to ask if the organization would consider part-time work – or whatever is prompting an employee to look for a new job. Maybe the employee could offer to be the ‘test case’ for changing the policy. Ultimately, the employee knows their organization and can decide if it is worth asking just to be sure. 

Back to reason for resigning. If an employee wants to offer a reason for resigning, but is unsure about what to say, here’s another option. Some employees when they are resigning give a reason but not the *real* reason. You know what I mean. I’m not saying that employees lie. What I mean is that an employee might say, “I found a job closer to home that pays more.” And that’s true. But the *real* reason – the reason the employee started looking in the first place – is because their boss is a bully. If an employee has a reason for leaving that they would rather not share BUT they also have one that they’re fine with sharing…focus on the latter. Maybe an employee could say, “I have some personal issues that I need to focus on right now, so I’m going to find something part-time or on-call.” 

One last thing. There is something that the employee should definitely say to the organization. If an employee loves their job – say it. If they enjoy working for the company – say it. If they’d like to be considered for rehire at a future date – tell them. I’m sure the organization would appreciate hearing that your employment experience was a good one. 

No one knows for sure what the future brings. We will all have challenges that we have to deal with, including how we will handle our jobs. That doesn’t mean we have to share all the details. Employees should think about what they’re comfortable sharing including how they believe it would be received. Oh, and don’t forget to share the good things too.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of Gainesville, FL

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