Would you just email a remote manager to give notice?

[Anonymous]

Universally disliked boss is 2,000 miles away. Just the thought of being on a Zoom call and giving two weeks notice is enough to bring major anxiety. I just want to get out of a toxic, mind game environment and never think of the place again (two year tenure). Do I just send an email resigning and if he calls, he calls? I can already get references from the boss who hired me there.

[Anonymous]

Yes, why not?
A written resignation letter by email is fine.

[Anonymous]

Email is totally fine.

[Anonymous]

Yes

[Anonymous]

This should be the happiest day of your life. Why the anxiety over quitting?

[Anonymous]

Gentle reader:

Yes, notice is ultimately needed in writing. HR needs to receive it for obvious reasons.

But most grown ups tell their boss directly and then follow up in writing to the boss and HR concurrently.

If you opt to just email your boss, you should expect a phone call. To be clear: that’s the normal response from any boss. It’s not toxic, and you shouldn’t be riddled with anxiety. (PS - Your anxiety is (always) on you. It’s something you should seek to get under control.

[Anonymous]

You do realize you’ll need to connect with your boss during the last two weeks to transition your work, right? You can’t avoid that. Most bosses would schedule multiple calls to cover that.

If you are valued at all, most bosses will ask you (not in writing, but by zoom) where you are going and if there’s anything that would prompt you to reconsider (again, noting they’ll only ask if you are truly valued…). If you are essentially ignored over the next two weeks, your takeaway should be they are not upset that you are leaving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You do realize you’ll need to connect with your boss during the last two weeks to transition your work, right? You can’t avoid that. Most bosses would schedule multiple calls to cover that.

If you are valued at all, most bosses will ask you (not in writing, but by zoom) where you are going and if there’s anything that would prompt you to reconsider (again, noting they’ll only ask if you are truly valued…). If you are essentially ignored over the next two weeks, your takeaway should be they are not upset that you are leaving.

Not sure if you meant to come across harshly, but please consider that you cannot say with authority what "most" bosses do, and your implication is that if the OP's boss does not bring up reconsideration that she is somehow not valued. I've worked for several bosses who were staunchly committed to never asking a departing employee to reconsider, no matter how valued. In their minds, once an employee says they are leaving, the best thing to do is to make arrangements for their departure and leave it at that. At one point, a HIGHLY valued team member submitted their resignation, but likely would have stayed if asked. The team begged the boss to inquire about reconsideration, but he repeatedly refused, even though it left a big hole that took two years and multiple false starts to fill.

OP, if there's no potential harm to you reference-wise, an email re: resignation is fine. You can also lay out your plan for wrapping up your work so the focus can be on that before you move on.

[Anonymous]

"No potential harm", oh there is absolutely potential harm. I got pissed enough at an old boss to quit by email, my co-workers said that I didn't burn the bridge, I nuked it. If the new job didn't work out there was no begging my way back. My friends at the company I left even caught hell. It wasn't all about the email, but that was referenced repeatedly. I never looked back, no harm done, but definitely caused hard feelings.

[Anonymous]

Sometimes you need to act like an adult. Call the boss and follow up with an email to him/her and HR.

[Anonymous]

Email to boss and copy boss’s boss. Then boss can’t pretend they didn’t see it. No need to call or zoom. You don’t have to talk to them ever again if you don’t want to!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sometimes you need to act like an adult. Call the boss and follow up with an email to him/her and HR.

Ridiculous. No need to call.

[Anonymous]

How often do you have calls with your boss? If you see them on calls/Zooms multiple times a week, you need to call. If you almost never see them and deal with them mostly via email, then email is fine for the resignation letter. Congrats on the new job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You do realize you’ll need to connect with your boss during the last two weeks to transition your work, right? You can’t avoid that. Most bosses would schedule multiple calls to cover that.

If you are valued at all, most bosses will ask you (not in writing, but by zoom) where you are going and if there’s anything that would prompt you to reconsider (again, noting they’ll only ask if you are truly valued…). If you are essentially ignored over the next two weeks, your takeaway should be they are not upset that you are leaving.

Not sure if you meant to come across harshly, but please consider that you cannot say with authority what "most" bosses do, and your implication is that if the OP's boss does not bring up reconsideration that she is somehow not valued. I've worked for several bosses who were staunchly committed to never asking a departing employee to reconsider, no matter how valued. In their minds, once an employee says they are leaving, the best thing to do is to make arrangements for their departure and leave it at that. At one point, a HIGHLY valued team member submitted their resignation, but likely would have stayed if asked. The team begged the boss to inquire about reconsideration, but he repeatedly refused, even though it left a big hole that took two years and multiple false starts to fill.

OP, if there's no potential harm to you reference-wise, an email re: resignation is fine. You can also lay out your plan for wrapping up your work so the focus can be on that before you move on.

While my personal policy is to not negotiate to keep someone once they’ve given notice, I always ask where they are going and if there’s anything that might make them reconsider. I do this for my own intel, not because I’m going to beg them to stay. A good leader wants to know why someone is leaving, where they are going, and how they will be paid, etc.

I’ve only tried to retain one person who was highly valued by the business. Note: that’s very different than being valued by colleagues who are friends.

[Anonymous]

Call and email. It sounds like a tough person you’ve created a workable relationship with. Don’t take any chances. Congrats.