Despite the tight employment market, reduced pay, and lack of employee perks, some people are taking the plunge voluntarily – at times to extreme measures when they decide they have had enough. Most people would advise that if you have a job, do anything to keep it. Even if you hate your boss, hate your job, or you have to work more than one job to stay out of the red. However, evidence that working under stressful and disrespectful conditions can cause crazy exit behavior is popping up in the news lately.
Take for instance the Jet Blue employee who released a diatribe against a rude passenger over the intercom as a flight was taxiing to the gate upon arrival at JFK, then grabbed a beer, released the emergency slide, and made his exit. TMZ has dedicated a whole page of information about Steven Slater and his antics, most in support of what he did. The FAA is not on the same page however. As of this posting, he has been released from jail on bond and is facing up to 7 years in federal prison if convicted of multiple charges. On the flip side, he has become a hero to flight attendants and disgruntled workers after someone created a page dedicated to him on Facebook.
Then there’s an anonymous girl, “Jenny”, who quit her job as a broker’s assistant in a series of pictures showing her reasons on a dry erase board. No evidence yet whether it is true, but it’s definitely creative and not beyond believable. I personally like the Mac IT designer who sent his boss an error message telling him how he felt, along with options for the employer to click on. Talk about utilizing your skills!
One thing disgruntled employees are doing is getting more strategic in their exit plans. While doing things to get fired (polishing off the company’s liquor stash or telling your boss where to stick it) in order to receive unemployment compensation may not me the smartest move, you would have a little bit of cushion while moving into the next phase of your life. You wouldn’t be using that employer/manager as a reference anyway, right?
In either case of quitting voluntarily or getting fired, it makes sense to have a plan for what follows. Will you sell all your stuff and move to an island resort and tend bar? Maybe start your own business competing with your former employer, working from home doing email over oatmeal with your Happy Bunny slippers on. Or try to witness a mob hit and go into the witness protection program. Even if you are happy in your job, it may not be that way tomorrow. Better get your next step plan formulated. Else, if your exit doesn’t involve changing your name and disappearing into another life, you could just wing it and slide off like Steven Slater did when you’ve had enough. You’ll figure it out from there.
