A bit of information: I know it's common at my workplace to renew contracts 1 day before their end (when the interested employee goes and asks for it). However, I usually think that if something is not on paper and signed, it doesn't exist. So, come 2 weeks to contract end, and no proposal for a new one, I began a search for a new job.
While I really like my current workplace and my immediate coworkers and manager, I don't really like the way the company is run as a whole. Since I received offers that translate to straight location and salary increase, I'm basically almost sure I'll leave.
My question is, if no action is taken by my employer, is it ok and not unprofessional to just show up on the last day, work as usual and at the end of it just shake hands with everyone, wish them all the best in the future and just go home?
EDIT: To answer the most common concerns in the answers/comments section:
- Yes, I have informed my manager that no offer to extend the contract will make me search for new opportunities elsewhere
- Yes, I have offered to train another employee, since my position is unique to the company - the request was met with refusal
- Yes, I have taken steps to keep my work documented and set a straight path for someone to continue it
- No, I don't personally feel I owe something to my employer besides what is written in the contract - I do something for X money for Y time producing Z results. I got my X money, I worked for Y time, I delivered Z (and much more) results. This is a business, not a family matter.
EDIT 2:
If anyone is curious of how this all went down in the end, here's a short recap:
- With another offer in hand I approached my manager and officially told him I am not renewing my contract
- 10 minutes later I was sitting in my boss office, of course everyone was acting surprised, the offer was ready for quite some time and such (funny this is the first time I, the most interested party, heard about it)
- the standard questions of "what it would take for you to stay" and such were asked
- I showed them the offers I had, and just asked if they can match that
- Many words followed, but for me it all amounted to "no, we can't"
- So I restated, this time in front of everyone concerned, that I will not be renewing my contract (with no mention of why, I don't think saying your goodbyes is a good time to rub some salt), I thanked them for our time together, scheduled the remaining days of my contract to close any and all issues there might be, and I'm planning to go with the "bring a cake or some sweets, shake hands, wish everybody the best and start elsewhere" plan on the last day of my work