A couple of weeks ago, I did something I have NEVER done in my entire life.
I walked out on my job. That's right. No notice., no farewells. I just wrote out my resignation effective immediately, packed my belongings in a bag and walked out!!
I am not normally an impetuous person. I like to think through the pros and cons of a situation so that by the time I make a move, I am really sure of what I am doing. Unfortunately, in this circumstance, the situation had become unbearable and for the sake of my emotional well-being I had to do it.
So what went so badly wrong?
When I first started working for this company it was wonderful. I felt like I had fallen on my feet and loved going to work each day. I was challenged, stimulated and felt like I was doing a great job. My statistics certainly proved that.
Then the 'powers that be' decided to change the management structure of the company. This effectively ensured the resignation of the centre manager and out of hours manager. Both these managers were 'people' people. They were warm, friendly, approachable and caring (as well as being inspirational leaders). They were replaced by two very different people, whose only interest in the workers was how much profit they could produce.
From then on things went down hill.
Teams were disbanded and people moved around like pawns. Twice, I was a member of a team which was split up (the second time no-one in management even bothered to tell me, I learned about it through friends).
The pay system was ridiculous. No-one understood it, including team leaders. If you wanted to question anything it had to be done over the phone to the HR department ,who seemed unable to understand your issues much less explain the system. Trying to comprehend this totally convoluted pay system was frustrating and the records that were kept for annual and sick leave never matched reality.
The final crunch came when, again, the 'powers that be' decided to overhaul the products we sold as well as the entire computer system. It was horrendous.
I have never worked anywhere that had so many people resign in such a short space of time.
While most of the team leaders tried really hard to prepare us and support us during the change-over, it was an impossible task as they were not given all the facts and data.
We were assured that the changes would benefit our customers with cheaper prices and better value for money. The total opposite was what really happened. How do you justify price rises to a long term customer. They are getting nothing extra for their money. I was not comfortable with having to excuse this. Certain products doubled in price (we were never warned this would happen) with no real justification. It was embarrassing.
People were either not trained properly, or did not understand their training, because a lot of time was spent fixing other people's mistakes and again, trying to explain and justify this to the customers.
It all became too much and the final straw was being short-paid. The response to my complaint was unsympathetic and unresponsive. That was straw that broke the camel's back!
So I walked.
How do I feel about what I did? To be honest the first couple of weeks I was deeply depressed and shocked. Now, in hindsight, I realise it was the very best thing I could have done. I protected myself and have no regrets.
I have met some lovely people through this job. I have appreciated their friendship and look forward to keeping in touch with them.
Endings don't have to be sad and traumatic but unfortunately this one was. So now I move on .... but to what? That is the big question! Both LOML and I would like this to be the end of my working life. Enough is enough. What happens next? Only time will tell.
