Resign With Immediate Effect! How To Leave Your Job The Right Way

Employees leave their jobs for a ton of reasons. Some might have found a better opportunity in another company. Others are looking to explore different careers or industries. There are those who are going through difficulties with their employer, and a handful simply wanting to take a break. If you’re about to resign soon, which of the above can you relate to?

When you’re at the stage wherein you’ve already decided, the question of why doesn’t quite matter as much. Instead, you’re probably more concerned about how to resign with immediate effect, if in any way possible. That way you can move forward without anything holding you back.

Why resigning, just like onboarding, is a serious matter

Entering a job is one thing. To leave it is another. But one thing's clear: Both involve important processes that leave a lasting impact on you as an employee.

When you’re starting a job, you put your best effort into your pre-employment requirements, the training, and your first few assignments. Halfway through your stay, you might be doubling these efforts to receive a promotion, an excellent performance appraisal, or even the simple event of getting acknowledged by your superiors for your hard work.

It’s the same thing when you’re leaving a company. Even though it may be the end of your time at that job, you still have the responsibility to make sure that you are doing everything as you are supposed or expected to. Not only does it help you have a good final impression on your employer, but it also helps all parties in the following ways:

• It helps the company in the turnover of tasks and transition to your replacement
• You're more likely to avoid any legal consequence that can complicate matters
• You'll have peace of mind, which is highly essential for your progression

To render resignation with immediate effect… or not?

First and foremost, is there even such a thing as to resign with immediate effect? Alternatively, can an employee resign immediately?

As much as resignation is within your rights as an employee, the quick answer to that is, however, no. As per the Department of Labor and Employment or DOLE resignation policy in the Philippines, employees resigning of their own volition need to give their companies notice of 30 days. But that is not to say that leaving the company outside of that period isn’t possible.

What are the valid reasons for immediate resignation?

For one, some employers allow their staff to leave sooner, which sometimes applies to probationary employees. A BPO company, for example, can contractually require these employees to only render for half the time. But there are also those who may request them to stay a little longer. The key here is to know what you and the company agreed with from the beginning or how flexible the management is.

With that being said, the more apt question you should be asking is can you resign anytime? In which case, the answer is yes. As for how long you should wait before actually leaving, it’s best to simply give your company a month’s notice according to law, especially if there is no need for you to discontinue working immediately.

In summary, what are some of the valid reasons for immediate resignation? And in contrast, what makes it not okay?

Advantages of resigning with immediate effect

• It gives you time and space to focus on urgent personal emergencies
• You can protect yourself from an unsafe or detrimental working environment
• The company can proceed with transitioning right away

Disadvantages of resigning with immediate effect

• You could face serious consequences for breaching your contract
• There may be professional bridges burned, which can affect your next job search
• If you don’t have a backup job, then that means zero income until you find one

Can an employee resign immediately?

As stated earlier, resigning is a serious matter and you should do everything you can to make it a smooth process for you, as well as your company. The following are a few things that you can do from the time you decide you will leave until your last day at work. Let’s skip the part where you need to finalize details with your next employer. Because as discussed before, a new job may not be the only reason for your departure!

1. Write an honest yet professional letter

As with everything else, it all starts with communication. A well-written resignation letter marks the first stage of your departure, whether you are doing it immediately or not.

Your resignation letter should be present in three forms: a hard copy, a verbal resignation, and an online copy. Make sure to relay them to all parties concerned. These are your direct manager, the department head (or the boss of your boss), and human resources or the administration.

As for the content, you can follow the format below:

Dear ___, 

Please accept this letter as a formal notice of my resignation from the position of ___ at __, effective ____.

I am truly appreciative of the opportunities the company has given me during my stay. Please let me know how I can be of help during the transition period.

I wish you and ___ the best in the future.

Yours sincerely,

___

As you may notice, the reason for resigning is not usually needed when writing or communicating your resignation intention. However, you may have to discuss them in your exit interviews or in face-to-face conversations. Hand over the hard copies of the letter to your manager and expect a meeting where you can talk uninterrupted.

In the circumstance that you really must resign with immediate effect, you can add in a paragraph or two to briefly explain your reasons and effectiveness period, which is subject to the company’s approval.

2. Start clearing out your remaining work

The period of 30 days (more or less depending on the management’s discretion) is, on average, a long time to do ample pending tasks. But that’s not the sole reason for laying out such a period based on DOLE’s regulations, which we will get to in a bit.

Nevertheless, the first few days after your employer has accepted your resignation is normally the ideal time to finish off any pending workload that you may have. Do you have an ongoing project that needs to be completed soon? Are there deadlines that you should meet prior to expressing your intention to leave? Just because you will leave the company, it doesn’t mean you can merely abandon these things.

3. Turn over files and accomplish transition needs

As mentioned, the 30-day period is not intended for you to just clear up your plate to make sure you don’t leave anything unfinished. But more importantly, it’s also the time the company uses to search, assess, and onboard your replacement for your position. Furthermore, it will also allow your colleagues to make necessary adjustments in their workload until your replacement has arrived.

Transitions involve a few processes that sometimes even start before you formally resign. However, it’s also ideal to wait until your resignation has been formalized and your pending work completed to plan out the things you can and no longer need to turn over. For this, you will need a transition plan as approved by your manager or supervisor. 

Are there files that you need to give others access to? Should you write detailed instructions on how to perform certain tasks that only you can do? If your replacement has been settled even before your 30-day render period is over, what can you do to assist in his or her training? All these should be carefully taken into account.

4. Exit as gracefully and professionally as you can

The last few days of your notice period are a make or breaker — this is your last chance to leave a good mark on your company before leaving. By this time, be sure that any tasks to your name are done and that transition has been smooth.

Also, see to it that you are on good terms with your colleagues and managers. Think about how you want the conversations about you to go about after your resignation. Wouldn’t you want them to look back with only fond memories of you? If you are onto something better, try not to be too full of yourself and make everyone you feel bad.

Then, in your exit interview and interactions, be respectful towards others no matter what. That way, you don’t burn bridges with anyone. Having your soon-to-be former workplace say nothing but nice things about you is rewarding, yes. And if you can leave this way and feel light-hearted after everything, then it will surely carry over to whatever’s ahead. Say, a positive recommendation or even a chance to work for your ex-company again in the future, perhaps?

Want more tips to resign the right way?

By following the above tips, hopefully, there’s nothing else stopping you from resigning the way you should be. The benefits are there not just for your colleagues and the entire company, but also for you as an employee.

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