Burning bridges with past employers doesn’t have to be dramatic or explosive. Many people mess up professional relationships in the months — or years — that precede their decision to quit, after they receive a new job offer, or even much later afterward.
Although there is time when this past work relationship may not seem valuable, burning bridges is never a good idea. Can’t think of a situation when you will need anything from your past supervisor? Think again. From a reference phone call, a word of mouth mention to a required letter for a future employer, there are plenty of reasons to keep communication channels open.
Reasons aside, what can undermine your relationship with a past employer? Here are a few situations.
Messy notice period
You receive a job offer and you simply can’t wait to get out of that job. That is understandable, but your work still needs to be done. Your coworkers don’t want to hear — more than needed — about your exciting future at the expense of work hours and morale. And your supervisor wants to ensure a smooth transition.
So once you make an announcement regarding your move, keep it quiet and think of how to make a lasting good impression before you leave. Wrap up any projects that are on your plates or plan to hand them over to your successor. Work with your supervisor on the best timeline for handing over your duties. In short, keep your current employer’s interest first while you’re leaving.
Gossip and politics
You may be on your way out, but stirring gossip and office politics won’t help your coworkers or supervisors deal with the transitional period until your successor is up-to-speed. It is also not the best image you want to leave them with. So while you may be happy to open up and speak about everything that led to your decision to move on, resist the temptation.
If curious coworkers ask about your reasons, make them as generic and personal as they could be. Your friends and close coworkers probably know if you have had troubles with your supervisor or others. Oversharing is likely to create grudges and send vibes of bitterness. It may seem like there is nothing to lose by indulging in some office politics before you leave, but the reality is your contribution will be surprising because you should have no stake in whatever conflict at this point.
Losing contact
Although many people would expect you to be busy with a new job, never hearing back from you after your last day can sabotage your relationship. Keeping a professional connection online or sending emails occasionally to check in can help you maintain the relationship, and open doors for you when you need to get a reference or a recommendation.
The biggest challenge sometimes is to how and why you reach out. With many coworkers, you probably only had work matters to discuss. Once these topics are off the table, your options become limited. But this doesn’t have to be the case. You can define your future relationship based on how much you know about these contacts. With one, for example, you could share an article or some industry news on social media. With another, you may send a holiday card or a quick email.
Surprise problems
Whatever impression you try you make won’t hold if your coworkers, successor and supervisor have to deal with problems related to your work after you leave. If you are planning to quit a job, make sure you do your best not only in producing quality work, but also in maintaining good records and sustainable procedures.
If your departure causes an unneeded chaos, you are less than likely to have a good relationship with this past employer’s staff. Your attempts to stay in touch may not be welcome, and many people may struggle to separate their frustration with your work from keeping in touch. So the best way to go is to produce work that remains a positive reminder of your tenure.
The writer, a former Gulf News Business Features Editor, is a Seattle-based editor.
Keeping former relationships
Produce quality work
Manage the notice period well
Don’t stir office politics
Stay in touch
— R.O.
