We have discussed how to avoid and how to survive a toxic work environment. However, we also know that this does not always work and sometimes, the prime cut of beef we ordered turns out to be a shit sandwich.
Most advice tends to be to find a better job, which, essentially is the vibe of this entire blog! Also, most career advice sites will tell you two things: (1) don’t burn your bridges and (2) always give at least 2 weeks notice – 3-4 weeks if you are in a key managerial position.
That is all well and good, but there are of course some situations where you can quit on the spot. If you are in a situation where you are being harassed, singled out, or outright discriminated against, then I think the proverbial mic drop is in order. Yeah, the general advice is that it will hurt your reputation blah blah blah, but in reality, in a year or so, who is going to give a rat’s left nut if you left right away or in two weeks? Also, if the business treats its people shittily or discriminates or is hostile, the same word of mouth that you worry about getting around about you is going to get around about this employer.
It is not good form to leave someone high and dry, but at the same time, the organization is not going to be wasting its time worry about you and your career options in the future either. So maybe you won’t have a good reference from a place that wouldn’t have given you a good reference anyway. If they wanted you to stay and help them out they probably should have treated you better in the first place.
Most states are also at-will employers in the US, so you can be fired for any reason at any time. Employers do not give a 2 + week notice, and in reality, in a hostile work environment, you have been living in fear of getting fired anyway. If you are giving notice it is probably because you found a job before they found a replacement and could fire you.
So those are the reasons to just stick the proverbial middle finger in the air and walk out the door. So why not give your 2, 3 or 4 week notice and finish out your sentence and squeeze yourself out of the shit pipe like it’s the Shawshank Redemption?
In the time that you have worked in your position, you may have grown to care about your fellow co-workers and subordinates. If you just up and quit, you are about to make all of them hate you…a lot. That steamy pile you are leaving behind could very well burn you some bridges with your peers.
So you could make a dramatic “fuck you” exit to your employer, but it may still be a dick move with what you leave behind. Yes, on an emotional level, it is very pleasing, but I would advise thinking of the people who are going to have to clean up the mess.
In which case, if they are all jerks, then exit stage right, right away!
