Upsetting the Apple Cart

I gave my supervisor notice that I accepted a new position and will start March 15. I gave her almost 3 weeks of lead time. I am in the process of training a replacement. And I am SOOO glad to be getting out!

The company I work for definetely has some plusses, like a fairly laid back company cluture. On the flip side, this is also a serious drawback. Some people spend time surfing the web or reading. As a part-time employee in one of the busiest departments, I usually will just notice this as I walk by. Also, there are some very negative co-workers. I don't work with them directly, but as a highly sensitive person, I still feel the effects of their negativity. I'll mention "office politics" and that says enough. On weeks when I have worked full time, I am very emotionally exhausted at the end of the week. So, I have been covertly (during my non-work hours) seeking a new position, which will start soon.

It seems that once I gave my notice and this became public knowledge in the office, the whole work environment became even more unbearable! I've heard of employees becoming petty, and the toxic nature just seems to bubble more frequently to the surface.

I wondered if it was just in my mind--thinking tha because soon I won't have to tolerate this crazy environment for much longer, that my perception has changed. But I think I've come to see it a new way.

I'm upsetting the apple cart.

There has been really low (as in NO) turnover in this company. I read HR blogs and know that low turnover can say a few things about this company. And I'll say them. It screams "We've got great benefits!" It also says (between the lines) "We're nice and we hate to let people go, even under-performers and people who suck at their job."

I'm all to keenly aware of this after almost two years. I am probably the first person to have chosen to move on from this company. But I know I can do more, make more, contribute more and in more meaningful ways to me (and commute less!) and not have to suffer the energetic drain from this environment any longer.

So perhaps, by taking this unprecedented action, by upsetting the apple cart and moving forward with my life, it's causing the others around me to think and reflect a bit more on their own lives and positions. Maybe they are sick of working here and feel stuck too. Maybe they are beginning to think--'there's more for me out somewehere else." I truly hope so. There are some really awesome employees there, that get treated like trash.

I've got one more week to train, then pass the baton and move on. And let me say, that despite all the chaos and crazy of the last few weeks, I have not burt my bridges. My supervisor told me that if things don't work out at my new place, she would welcome me back with open arms. She also expressed her appreciation of me training my replacement.

Those are great words to hear. I truly HAVE appreciated working there and learned a lot of things. But it's time for me to move on and learn new things.