An honest resignation letter—your guide to know when it’s time to leave your job

Dear Hiring Manager, 

I would like to request you to accept this letter as a formal resignation of my role for this company. My last day with the organisation would be the 9th of January (read: I want to leave now). I was recently offered the opportunity to have a work-life balance and grow holistically, and after careful consideration, I have decided to pursue this new path in my career. 

I would like to share my reasoning for this decision and request you to bear with me through the next couple of paragraphs which are an honest depiction of my experience. 

Feeling burnt-out and approaching work with dread and exhaustion 

Working long hours and on weekends, and a steadily increasing workload has taken a toll on my physical and mental health. Constantly working without much relief eventually lead to my arriving at office with little excitement and enthusiasm towards work that I am absolutely passionate about. The increased stress levels induced by endless meetings and unrealistic deadlines has also led to a change in my approach and way of working—with less composure and more dread and a sheer unwillingness to put my best foot out there. In what is an increasingly popular trend, research shows a large number (nearly 16%) of employees across various sectors including IT engage in quiet quitting owing to burnout and more in India itself. I'm not here to be a part of that 16% for sure. 

I feel like I’m no longer growing 
When I first started working here, it was with the goal to grow not only as a professional in the field, but also as a team player and an individual. However, what I have realised in the past few months is that my growth has been inhibited by unhealthy competition, manipulation and blatant power dynamics. Despite attempting to constantly seek new ways to learn and adapt, I find myself in a stagnant position, however, I believe the environment is no longer enabling me to grow to my full potential and I would be able to fulfil my goals in a more conducive environment. 

Problematic leadership style 
A few years ago, a Gallup poll found that nearly 82% of managers and executives are seen as lacking in leadership skills by their employees. While I understand that every leader, boss or supervisor may have their own style of working (evidently, lacking) and would expect juniors, colleagues and other team members to follow their ways, I am a firm believer that communication must be both ways. It is important for both parties to discuss and understand different points of view and work together towards improvements and plausible solutions. I believe giving constructive feedback instead of shouting or using slurs and taking accountability for the team instead of playing a blame game, are important ways to show that an employee is valued and cared for.

Insufficient pay

Low pay has been a reason for a large majority of the workforce (nearly 63%) ...+ one more person now. It is universally known that insufficient pay can lead to a considerable reduction in job satisfaction. I believe that the compensation I have been receiving does not justify the quantity and quality of the projects that I have been a part of and worked towards. Along with this, the pay is also lesser than the industry standard. Given that I am striving for greater financial stability at this point in my career, I see no other alternative but to resign. 

I feel undervalued 
In an environment that refuses to acknowledge or appreciate an employee’s work and effort, it takes little to feel demotivated and discouraged. This is not to take away from the guidance I have received, but an occasional pat-on-the-back, a few kind words, a ‘thank you for your contribution’ and a little bout of encouragement can do wonders to boost an employee’s morale. For as long as I have worked here, no such acknowledgment has come my way (unless I missed the memo). 

I’m learning…coping mechanisms more than skills 

Due to the aforementioned reasons of an unhealthy working environment, underperforming leaders, and burnout, I find myself learning how to navigate my way through unnecessary challenges instead of improving and developing skills that will help build my profile and enable me to advance in my career. Despite having multiple conversations about this with those in positions of authority, I see no change in the work culture and do not see any reason to continue over here. 

I was inspired by my deep-dive into Google that gave me a bunch of reasons to resign

When I began scrolling through the infinite pages on the internet about ‘how to know when it’s time to quit your job,’ the search itself became reason enough for me to introspect, reassess and evaluate my work, job satisfaction, happiness, and health. And if this wasn't inspiration enough, I came across a picture of a resignation letter shared by industrialist Harsh Goenka that he received from one of his employees, which stated ,'I resign. Maza nahi aa raha hain (I'm not enjoying the work).' No explanation necessary. And if a Goldman Sachs executive can tell the world that the bank is 'toxic and destructive....' well then, so can I. If I’m going to spend a third of my life in my workplace, this is me choosing better for myself (and my sanity), as well as the people around me. 

It has been a pleasure working with you. (Not) 

Warm regards,

A tired employee