Work colleagues

[Poet of the Macabre]

Few folk have done leaving speeches at my work and they have always made me want to throw myself in front of a train.

Excruciating awkward nonsense.

[NJ2]

The only leaving speech I deemed fair enough was a director leaving who had been with the company at least 30 year and was retiring. Wife worked for the company, son and step daughter too. Knew everyone and was a very nice guy. He dragged on like but could understand giving him his moment.

[Bairnardo]

When I leave my work I might send out a score settling, militant rabble rousing email tbh.

[Aufc]

My old work did leaving speeches for everyone. I said i didnt want any leaving present or speech and sent an email essentially slagging all the partners (timed so it sent just as i walked out the door never to darken their doors again)

[ICTChris]

I left a job I’d been in for eight years I got a gift and had a laugh with people before going to the pub, they weee my friends and I’m still pals with them now.

Job after that I left after two years p, they expected a speech and I gave it “thanks for the vouchers, see ya”

[D.A.F.C]

When I leave my work I might send out a score settling, militant rabble rousing email tbh.

Wait until someone you don't like is away from their pc and send it from theirs.

[Bairnardo]

33 minutes ago, D.A.F.C said:

Wait until someone you don't like is away from their pc and send it from theirs.

My card is well and truly marked in terms of rabble rousing. 

[Cardinal Richelieu]

3 hours ago, Aufc said:

My old work did leaving speeches for everyone. I said i didnt want any leaving present or speech and sent an email essentially slagging all the partners (timed so it sent just as i walked out the door never to darken their doors again)

Edited August 15, 2019 by Cardinal Richelieu

[The Moonster]

For some reason our work call them "leaving presentations". Essentially everyone in the company crowds round the desk of the leaver and hands over some flowers/vouchers/lager, then the leavers boss will say a few words about how great they've been and how they hope they have a wonderful life then the leaver sits there with a red face saying "aw guys totally didn't expect this, thank you so much, it's been great working with all of you" whilst I sit in the corner plotting the murder of every last one of them.

[fuzzydunlop]

On ‎13‎/‎08‎/‎2019 at 20:33, Hillonearth said:

I worked with an incredible functioning alcoholic down in England once - he had a daily routine that would put Oliver Reed to shame.

In at 7 every day, maybe not bright but certainly early, he kept the edge off in the morning by means of a bottle of vodka he kept in his desk. Two hour lunch in the boozer and more nips from the voddy throughout the afternoon before leaving to go back to the pub where he drank till shutting time. Basically if he was awake, he was drinking.

I assume he must have eaten at some point but I never saw him do it, just drink enough to kill a small horse on a daily basis.

had something similar with an old boss of mine.  He was always drinking out the same evian water bottle and his moods would suddenly change. Lots of working lunches with the sales guys down the local Indian restaurant where we'd hear he'd been running up a bar bill.  But he'd still manage to run the company. 

However his mood swings were awful. He'd go from acting like the nicest boss in the world to coming and in ripping you a new one in front of everyone for nothing.  It didnt help he was a massive Rangers fan with all the trimmings. So I quickly built up a resentment.   To be fair looking back i was bit of a sh*t employee and deserved some of the abuse...typical last in, first out type. 

He eventually got done for drink driving and banned.  However for a few months he got the workshop supervisor(another bigot) to be his chauffeur and drive him to meetings/pick him up if he needed. This lasted a couple of months then head office got a tip off(not from me!) and HR got involved and he was given the boot. Oh how I laughed.

[GordonD]

One of the senior managers in our place was like that. Don't know if he was already an alkie when he arrived and he was just better at hiding it, but as time went on it became more and more obvious. Eventually he was given medical retirement and not long after that we heard that he'd snuffed it. Thing was, he was a really nice guy throughout.

[MONKMAN]

Leaving collections are fairly common in my work, where £10 or £20 is the going rate! 99% of those are either retiring, or leaving for a better job. Am I f**k parting with a single £1 of my own money for someone I’ve more than likely barely spoken to and will almost certainly never speak to again.

 

Leaving speeches/emails are just an excuse for people to inflate their own self worth. I also refuse to attend leaving presentations etc.

 

It’s nothing personal, I just hate work and don’t particularly care for the majority of people I’ve ever worked with.

 

Edited August 16, 2019 by MONKMAN

[mathematics]

I left a financial institution after almost a year. Got a bottle of whisky, a tie with motorbikes on it, and a box of hot chocolate (all things related to me and shit I do). Was very thoughtful.

i then proceeded to tell them, in my leaving presentation, that the last year had been the worst year of my life and I couldn’t wait to go. No point in lying to them.

[hk blues]

14 hours ago, Aufc said:

My old work did leaving speeches for everyone. I said i didnt want any leaving present or speech and sent an email essentially slagging all the partners (timed so it sent just as i walked out the door never to darken their doors again)

Yep, that'll teach them!  

[Shandon Par]

My old work would have a night out for folk leaving and it was tradition for everyone to chose a spirit from behind the bar so the unfortunate person would end up with a huge cocktail of the most rank stuff gathering dust behind the bar. I left a few times.

[welshbairn]

11 hours ago, Cardinal Richelieu said:

Was thinking that, does nobody worry about future references or just checks on your CV?

[mathematics]

1 minute ago, Shandon Par said:

My old work would have a night out for folk leaving and it was tradition for everyone to chose a spirit from behind the bar so the unfortunate person would end up with a huge cocktail of the most rank stuff gathering dust behind the bar. I left a few times.

We used to do that at the Garage in Sauchihall St. A pint of spirits and an alcopop. You had to down it. Had mine about 4am after my last shift. Saw 6.30 am, then crashed. The next day was not pleasant.

[parsforlife]

Was thinking that, does nobody worry about future references or just checks on your CV?

What’s the reference or C.V check going to say about your last day like? Most companies don’t even bother with references and those that do will just confirm your employment dates, maybe even job title, nothing about who you are or your competence.

Yea there’s an element of burning bridges, even if you don’t go back someone you’ve just told was a c**t might end up being a colleague again.

[hk blues]

2 minutes ago, parsforlife said:

What’s the reference or C.V check going to say about your last day like? Most companies don’t even bother with references and those that do will just confirm your employment dates, maybe even job title, nothing about who you are or your competence.

Yea there’s an element of burning bridges, even if you don’t go back someone you’ve just told was a c**t might end up being a colleague again.

It won't say anything specifically about the last day, but what happens on the last day could colour everything that happened in the months/weeks/years before.  There's just no point to it and whilst it might make you feel better (for a few short minutes), it sure as hell won't mean anything to whoever you sounded off about.  Whilst It's true that written references aren't worth the paper they are written on,  HR people do sometimes pick up the 'phone and talk "off the record", especially if it's an important job.   

In the same vein as being honest in exit interviews, there's little to gain but potentially a lot to lose by being honest when saying cheerio! 

[D.A.F.C]

In the long term a company that denies the truth and tries to harm people will shoot themselves in the foot.
A high turnover of staff should prompt hr or senior management to step in but usually they do the opposite. Bury their heads and blame the people leaving.
An honest truthful exit interview does more good for everyone in the long run. No point lying or being scared they will give you a bad reference. If they talk off record then it shows them up to be untrustworthy and devious. What are they trying to hide? Would you want to work for a company that works in this underhand way?