32

I’m feeling extremely guilty about putting in my 2 weeks with the company I currently work for and here is why.

I’ve been with this company for 4 years now and it’s only been the pharmacist and myself for the past four years. Some reasons I want to leave are because I do not get offered health insurance, I am no longer getting my full 40hr per week as promised when I first started and have yet to get one raise in 4 years!

I left the job briefly last year for some personal issues but was able to come back. Now, once I came back, I thought it would be different and I would have more help and I would more grateful that I got a second chance with the company who paid okay. I was completely wrong I felt just as stressed and overwhelmed as before.

The tech who replaced me when I left ended up quitting after only two weeks of being employed by the company. It's been a year and no other help has been hired and nothing has changed so I started to look elsewhere and I got hired off a phone interview with a huge company who offers insurance my full 40 hrs a week and way more money.

I accepted the offer but I feel guilty since the company I'm employed with will be left with no tech. How should I tell my boss?

Improve this question
9
  • 4
    It's just business.
    – Paul D. Waite
    Commented Sep 3, 2019 at 10:34
  • 7
    Just some quick advice (what I would do): If you are given an exit interview (by HR) and asked something along the lines of "Why are you leaving us?", if it were me I would be honest and up front. "I've been offered guaranteed 40 hours, with benefits, I really want health insurance." Don't burn bridges, but let them know they are behind at least one competitor. I've done exactly this, and it has only been a good thing.
    – CGCampbell
    Commented Sep 3, 2019 at 11:58
  • 1
    It is not your responsibility to find your replacement, but the company's. If they are comfortable with not having a replacement for you should something happen, then that is their decision. What would happen if you were forced to leave outside your control? The classic example is if you get hit by a bus.
    – krillgar
    Commented Sep 3, 2019 at 12:14
  • 1
    "The tech who replaced me when I left ended up quitting after only two weeks of being employed by the company" And, what does this tell you about your job in comparison with the rest of the market? Especially since "It's been a year and no other help has been hired and nothing has changed"
    – Chronocidal
    Commented Sep 3, 2019 at 12:21
  • 6
    Not your circus, not your monkeys. Employees are not responsible for their own staffing.
    – Flater
    Commented Sep 3, 2019 at 12:42

7 Answers 7

Reset to default
120

You do not get offered health insurance, you are no longer getting your full 40hr per week as promised when you first started, and you have yet to get one raise in 4 years.

No need to feel guilty.

And as DarkCygnus (and everyone else) will tell you, sign a new contract before you give notice.

Improve this answer
4
  • 7
    yes I'm definitely waiting for the written offer letter before putting in any notice! Thank you
    – mary
    Commented Sep 2, 2019 at 23:07
  • 7
    @mary I'm not sure what a "written offer letter" means in your region, but it doesn't sound like it is an actual contract. Until you have the actual contract with a company signature on it, you have nothing (if the offer letter says 40hrs/wk, $20/hr and you like that, but then the contract says "mandatory graveyard shifts with no extra compensation" and you might not like that - probably a bad example, but you get the idea).
    – Jory Geerts
    Commented Sep 3, 2019 at 10:12
  • 19
    @JoryGeerts Many jobs in the US dont have employment contracts. An offer letter outlines your benefits package and responsibilities if you accept the job. There is usually nothing more binding to wait for.
    – Matt
    Commented Sep 3, 2019 at 11:45
  • @JoryGeerts: Most jobs in the US are "at-will", meaning you can be fired without reason and without notice at any time - so even a contract does not mean much, because you can still be fired on the spot. That's probably why many employers do no bother with a written contract.
    – sleske
    Commented Oct 24, 2019 at 8:49
33

I accepted the offer but I feel guilty since the company I'm employed with will be left with no tech. How should I tell my boss?

There is no need to explain yourself or to feel guilty. It's your life and ultimately you have to look out for yourself and work in a place you get paid well and are comfortable.

You just hand your notice period, serve it, and move on to you new job.

The notice period is exactly for this kind of situations (will give you boss some time to prepare for your leaving).

A warning first, just make sure the new job you got is for sure, and that you won't hand your notice period and then have a nasty surprise.

Improve this answer
18

"...the company I'm employed with will be left with no tech..."

You have already spent much time and energy trying to assure that <the company I'm employed with> will continue to have a tech. Unfortunately <the company I'm employed with> refuses to coöperate.

If your employer wants to have a tech working for them, it is their responsibility to insure that this happens -- not yours. They can meet this responsibility by providing a proper wage, paying the tech to work the promised 40 hours, and providing health care and other benefits.

Since they have scrimped on proper compensation, reneged on the promised hours, and failed to consider employee benefits, they have failed to offer a position that is satisfying enough to attract an employee. Naturally no one wants to work for them.

Improve this answer
2
  • While this answer is correct you must take an honest look at the job market also. Is the fact your not working 40 hours due to a factor the company cannot contract (small town)? While your pay should be something that can be raised, you might have the same problem, at another company. Just food for thought. The grass might not be greener at another company.
    – Donald
    Commented Sep 2, 2019 at 23:31
  • 11
    OP already said "I got hired off a phone interview with a huge company who offers insurance my full 40 hrs a week and way more money." So the market has spoken.
    – A. I. Breveleri
    Commented Sep 2, 2019 at 23:49
14

Short answer: You don't. It's not your problem and certainly not one of your making.

Simply put, replacing you and your skillset is the responsibility of the organisation, not yours. If they haven't taken into consideration the Bus Factor, then this is a problem they will need to address. Don't take this responsibility on to yourself as it never was yours before and certainly not now as you plan to leave (and it appears for good reason).

Don't let them make you feel guilty either, your career is your career and you need to do what is right for you. Remember, if the situation were to their advantage to sack you tomorrow, then they would almost certainly do that. They haven't taken any steps towards keeping you, which in itself is a lack of risk mitigation.

As others have said, make sure you have your firm accepted offer in writing prior to giving notice.

Improve this answer
6

It's a two-way street. Companies are looking out for themselves and you should do the same. The promises they made we're not kept and it is not your responsibility for the state of things before you leave. Ultimately management should have ensured more than one person could fill your shoes when you leave. Unless you have shares in the company you should give zero craps about how things are left. look out for number one because I can guarantee you your employer will do the same. When times get rough and they look at numbers they won't care if you have a kid at home that's sick and it's the holidays and it's cold out.

Improve this answer
6

Having no replacement is your company's problem, not yours. No reason to feel guilty about it. Even more so if the job is stressful and you don't get things you expected to get.

Imagine you died. From a business point of view (except for the drama) this is the same as quitting, only without notice. Would you still feel guilty from beyond the grave that you can't work for them anymore? If a business can't replace an employee, it's poorly managed, even more so if the employee serves their notice period.

Improve this answer
5

if I leave there is no replacement; how to address this?

You are already addressing it by putting in a two-week's notice, giving the company time to look for a solution.

How should I tell my boss?

As it may be hard to control one's feelings, there are certain points you can include that can help you with the conversation. 1. Thank them for the opportunities they have thus far provided. 2. Acknowledge that "change" will be challenging for both yourself and the company. 3. Offer reassurances that you will work with them in the next 2 weeks and try to make the transition process as seamless as possible.

Keep in mind that your role in the company is that of a "technician," there are other people who's roles are for recruitment, management etc. These are people who are paid to deal with situations such as this. Make sure you recognize this, as it is not your responsibility to feel guilty on how successful, or not, they are at their own roles.

Improve this answer

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .