Resignations can be awkward and it doesn’t get any easier in remote jobs. It all depends on how both parties handle the situation. With so much work being done remotely these days, some people may assume they can avoid having necessary conversations to resolve the matter. After all, if your employers haven’t met you face to face, you can leave however and whenever you want, can’t you? 

On the other hand, just because a working environment for remote employment doesn’t include physical presence doesn’t mean that professionalism and courtesy aren’t expected of you. And there is a lot to lose should you choose otherwise. Your reputation, potential recommendations by your former employers, and future opportunities – may all suffer if you don’t handle the situation professionally.

Understandably, resigning isn’t always easy, but there is a right way to do it. But, what is the right way? Let’s try and explain how one might leave their current employment without burning any bridges behind them and leaving a wrong impression. 

1 Write an appropriate resignation letter

An appropriate resignation letter has to be professional and accurate. It contains a formal greeting, your pronouncement that you are planning to quit, and the exact date of your official resignation.

The reason for your leaving the company will certainly come up in the interview later. It’s not your professional obligation to provide your employer with the reason for quitting. Whether or not you will inform them of your reasons is up to you. However, it may be challenging to determine which path to take. 

2 Providing the reasons for quitting… or not

That depends on several factors – the reason you’re leaving, the employer, and the relationship that you and your employer had built up to that point. Let’s start at the end. Your relationship with the employer is a big part of your decision about providing the reasons for resigning. If the relationship was positive and fair on both sides, that should be reason enough for you to be transparent and honest.

If your employer could not have affected your leaving the remote job, it would help them clarify things and let them know why you’re leaving. Any misunderstanding will be avoided by letting them know that they didn’t do anything wrong. However, if something was bothering you at the workplace and you feel like your relationship with the employer had been fair, you should be honest and polite. Let them know what they can change for the future to avoid similar outcomes.

If you don’t feel like your relationship is at that level or don’t believe that your employer will appreciate your well-intended advice, you aren’t obligated to talk about why you wish to leave. In any case, remember always to keep things polite and professional.

3 Give advance notice to your remote jobs employer

Legally, you’re not obligated to do so in most cases. In the U.S., for almost any employment, both the employer and the worker can terminate the contract at any moment. So, legally, there wouldn’t be any consequences except in some extreme situations. 

However, the law and common courtesy aren’t the same. The courteous period for giving advance notice is two weeks. This advance notification will allow your former employer to search for a viable replacement and not have efficiency at the workplace suffer because of your sudden quitting. If you manage to provide the advance notice even earlier, they will appreciate your thoughtfulness.

In many cases, these gestures make the difference in the impression you leave your former employers and colleagues with. Some may not consider this important, but they would be making a mistake. Always remember, you may be leaving the company, but that doesn’t mean you won’t meet some of your former employers and colleagues somewhere else. Also, you don’t want your reputation tarnished. People in similar fields communicate on these matters, and a bad word can cost you dearly. 

4 Leave with dignity

With social media, forums, blogs, and different digital media, remote work is prone to bad-mouthing and slander. Don’t fall for that. Whatever bad experience you’ve had, there is a way to communicate it. Don’t spam insults or express outrage publicly on social media.

You can sue your employers if they have caused you any harm. You can explain to the HR department what you find unfair or offensive in a professional manner. Stamping it on your social media profile will do no harm to them. But it can harm your future job opportunities and make you look bad. 

Final thoughts for remote jobs resignation

The best way to go about things is to be respectful and professional. Then, future employers who appreciate what you bring to the table will come along, and they will recognize this quality.