The bottomline is civility

For a more thorough understanding on how to resign properly, consider the following general tips from the experts:

•Take a moment to review your work contract to ensure you won't violate any terms when you resign.

•Inform your line manager verbally about your plan. Do this before handing over your resignation letter.

•Write a simple, well-written resignation letter. Keep it short. "The golden rule is be nice, be brief and be factual. Say thank you. Say you have enjoyed your time and document the legal aspects in writing such as your last day at work, who you will hand over to and such," advises Andrew McNeilis of Talent2. "Never ever be tempted to write down your anger — once it is in black and white, it is immortalised. Don't be tempted to ‘have your day in court' or stir things up," he adds.

•When your boss receives your resignation letter, give him time to consider and come back to you for a discussion.

•Observe the standard notice period. "However, be prepared to serve your notice as requested. There are very few instances where you may terminate a contract without notice under UAE law, and these include being physically assaulted by your employer, or for breach of their contractual terms to you, in most instances non-payment of salary," advises Toby Simpson of The Gulf Recruitment Group.

•When its time to discuss your resignation with your boss or HR head, being honest is the best policy. "So much of successfully negotiating the right exit terms is based on goodwill between people rather than contractual terms," says Simpson. "Perhaps the only time to be cautious is if you are moving to a direct competitor and you have a non-compete clause in your contract. Ultimately, the employer is very likely to find this out anyway."

•If you're joining a competitor, however, it pays to be extra cautious when talking to your boss. "Less is more. If you're joining a competitor, tell them that but not who. Never give negative feedback," advises Andrew McNeilis of Talent2.

•In cases where your company makes a counter offer, it would do you well if you just ignore it and move on. "In general, you should not accept it. Most people who accept counter offers resign again within six months as nothing has materially changed about the role or the environment other than perhaps the salary. You don't want to have to resign every time you want a pay raise," says Simpson.

Papers you need to change jobs

If you're resigning to join another company in the UAE, you need to keep certain papers handy. Here's a list of some of the critical documents you might need to organise in advance and turn over to your new employer, to facilitate your transfer and new visa/work permit processing.

For those who wish to maintain their existing credit card accounts, your bank may ask you to submit a salary certificate from your new employer, updated passport copy and visa page. Also, you might need to change your billing address.

Seek out an arbitrator if you feel pressured

Any resignation can go bad, especially if the employee does not observe the proper etiquette. One of the worst things that could happen is that a company will stop you from moving to another organisation. Your current employer may also decide to withhold your salary or gratuity.

"An employer may ask to apply a one-year labour ban if they can prove that you have violated your contractual terms or general labour law," warns Toby Simpson of The Gulf Recruitment Group.

If you feel that your company's actions are unfair, your best option is to go to an arbitrator. The UAE Ministry of Labour has an arbitration service designed to resolve labour disputes quickly and fairly.

"The arbitration service of the various UAE labour offices will side with the employee, but it is still an eventuality you want to avoid if at all possible," says Simpson.

If the dispute is not resolved in your favour, the next viable option is to take the legal route, but Simpson says this can be expensive and time-consuming.