It was quick, relatively painless and over in no time. Kind of like having a tooth pulled. I finally quit my job at Home Depot.
After being raked over the coals, AGAIN, on Thursday, I went home and had a serious sit-down with Andy. We're in a good spot financially, we actually have savings that we can dip into if we need to, and I still have a paycheque coming, plus my holiday pay that they are paying out to me. So I sat at the computer on Thursday night, wrote out my resignation letter, and then tossed and turned all night until it was time to go to work on Friday.
Since Friday was the day before my holidays, that was the ideal time. I finally caught our HR manager around 10am, and gave him my letter. I didn't tell Bob directly, even though I owed him that, because he was the major part of the problem. People want to be respected at work, and have respect for their superiors, and Bob just doesn't care about anyone or anything. Our HR asked me what I saw during my exit interviews as things to improve -- Communication has to be the big one. Involve the team in helping to come to those big decisions, let them have some buy in - then the changes you want to make will happen smoother. There has to be respect, and professionalism. When you openly favor one associate or one DS or one ASM over others, you're not doing those people or your team any favors.
Our HR was actually quite sympathetic when I said I was leaving, he told me he wouldn't want to have walked in my shoes for the last 2 years. I was proud of myself for staying non-emotional and professional, and had every intention of taking my week off and coming back for a week to finish out, but after our HR talked to the District Manager, he came back to me and said they would pay me out. And the best part ?? HE told Bob, not me. That was one conversation I didn't want to have. I didn't speak to Bob all day Friday, it was the best day I've had in a long time.
I was ok with that, but there's a lot of stuff I didn't get to finish, and a LOT of people I didn't get to say goodbye to. I've had some phone calls already, I made some great friends in my 9+ years at the Depot, friends I know I will keep for years to come.
So goodbye Home Depot. I'm not going to miss you, but I will miss the people still within your walls. Take care of them !! I already have some interviews lined up, with regular working hours and weekends off. I'll let you know what happens, when it does. :-)
