How much notice should I give for retirement?

[Anonymous]

pp again, 3 Months but your focus is on training, if they'd like you to train. NOT working full-throttle wearing-yourself out. Be scaling down. You're there to help with the transition, not there giving 110 percent.

[Anonymous]

I would talk to your manager now and put it out there that you are looking into retiring before the end of June and that you would like to starting discussing a real transition plan. This way you are not blind siding them and can feel that an organization that you worked with (and I assume) supported you for over 20 years is not left in a spot.

See if there is are some new AI tools that can help you transition tasks / capture knowledge transfer. Clean up your 20 years of email / files etc.

If I was your manager, I would want to celebrate you and your contributions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would talk to your manager now and put it out there that you are looking into retiring before the end of June and that you would like to starting discussing a real transition plan. This way you are not blind siding them and can feel that an organization that you worked with (and I assume) supported you for over 20 years is not left in a spot.

See if there is are some new AI tools that can help you transition tasks / capture knowledge transfer. Clean up your 20 years of email / files etc.

If I was your manager, I would want to celebrate you and your contributions.

Thanks for these ideas.

I am in a union and double checked. I only need to give two weeks.

But a new wrinkle: Company wants us to slash over a million bucks in the first quarter so I could be getting a buyout offer.

[Anonymous]

When your manager says things like "I don't want you to leave bc this work is too much" start responding with "yes we need to train someone else on X and Y because eventually I will be retiring". This shouldn't be a shock at ALL since you are 64.

But like others have said, this is definitely a situation where you should look out for yourself first, then the company. It's not your problem if they can't produce this report without you. It's the company's problem. Yes it might suck, but that's how they learn that sometimes you need redundancy.

Early in my career a very important web developer for our company dropped dead over the weekend of a heart attack. Everyone was stunned. And no one knew how to do his work. There was stress about it for maybe 2 days. Then: they just figured it out. Life moved on. It was a good lesson that even the seemingly most important people are replaceable. So are you.

[Anonymous]

I'd probably give 3 months. any more than that it will be too much of a weird limbo, even if it does take them longer than that to hire and train a new person.

In my role, it's usually a year plus to recruit, hire and onboard, so when I've left jobs I've given 2-3 months and spent that time ensuring projects are transferred to others or wrapped up, as needed. I once gave almost 5 months and it was too long. People dont know whether to include you in a meeting, or not, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you have a pension, I wouldn’t give notice one second before you’re fully vested.

This! Don't be naive OP. They could cut you the second you tell them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Depends on the culture and norms. You’ve been there 43 years so you should know… will they use your early notice as a way to push you out the door if belt tightening is needed? Also, I’m sure you have deep knowledge. But no one is indispensable. The company will not fall apart if you leave and they bring in someone else to learn the ropes - in 6 months that person is going to be at least competent in the position, maybe not masterful to your standards, but they will be fine. All this to say, it’s not as simple as giving notice - it requires some strategy on your part.

She hasn't been at that company 43 years. Reading comprehension is important.

[Anonymous]

2 to 3 months. Ive been places where people gave 6 months and that kind of felt like too much. But less than 2 months is stressful for planning purposes.

[Anonymous]

2 weeks, or if you’re feeling generous, 1 month. For high level employees, like executives, it’s often in their contract how much notice they need to give if it’s 3 months, 6 months, etc. If you don’t have it in writing, just give as much notice as a normal departure aka 2 weeks. They would cut you in a heartbeat if needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you have a pension, I wouldn’t give notice one second before you’re fully vested.

This! Don't be naive OP. They could cut you the second you tell them.

Op here.

I am part of a union. I get six months severance if they lay me off. And to fire me would take months, and they would have to have proof of something.

I am not saying it is impossible, but they have never done such a thing in all the years I have been there.

The people I know who were fired were drinking on the job or starting physical fights or emotionally abusive on the job.

And in all of those cases, the employees were kept on for months before they were let go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:2 to 3 months. Ive been places where people gave 6 months and that kind of felt like too much. But less than 2 months is stressful for planning purposes.

Op here. Leaning toward 3 months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Depends on the culture and norms. You’ve been there 43 years so you should know… will they use your early notice as a way to push you out the door if belt tightening is needed? Also, I’m sure you have deep knowledge. But no one is indispensable. The company will not fall apart if you leave and they bring in someone else to learn the ropes - in 6 months that person is going to be at least competent in the position, maybe not masterful to your standards, but they will be fine. All this to say, it’s not as simple as giving notice - it requires some strategy on your part.

Yes to this. Be very careful. I know someone who was let go soon after they made it known they planned to retire in a few months and not in a pleasant way. I know in another case someone who told their boss they planned to retire in a few months. Her boss told her not to say anything yet to HR. They put her on a list to be let go but with an amazing severance package and her retirement package also. It was a win for the boss because he could say they met the reduction quota with someone who was going to leave anyway. It worked out great for both parties in that case.

I don't know your particular situation but be very strategic. I'm paranoid and unless I worked for the government in the before days, I would probably just give the minimal time needed to process paperwork and get out the door.

[Anonymous]

Once you give notice you'll be a lame duck. I'd give a month at most. Perhaps offer to come back as a contractor if they need more transition time but they likely will figure out out and won't need you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I gave them three months, which is ending soon. It's a long story but needed the money. Agree, within a week if it even takes that long, people will forget I worked there and vice versa. Life goes on. Honestly, if a F500 CEO leaves, how much effect does it really have? Just a new person with a new strategy.

I produce weekly work that has to get done on a tight deadline. There is no skipping it. The company would lose thousands of dollars weekly. It's a high profile product and very specialized. My boss can do it almost as well as me; others could get something produced but the quality would be missed.

Anyway, they will get it out somehow and eventually will be just as good as my work or better. But it will be hell for the person who has to take it over until they can ramp up.

I hate to just leave with only two weeks notice. It would be terrible for the person who gets thrown into it.

If there's no downside to you, you should give a huge amount of notice - 6 months or so. In my office, senior people who plan to retire do that, and it's appreciated and not punished in any way. But if you work in a place where you could get harmed - wage cut, worse working conditions, etc. - then hold off to protect yourself.

[Anonymous]

In this economy, I would wait until the day I get notified that I am fully vested. Then I would notify that I am happy to work another 6 months to train and off board.

Do not let them know until you know what you are fully getting per month and are satisfied with how your retirement accounts will pay out. This means do your due diligence and speak with your plan administrator about ALL of your options.