I’ve resigned and leave my job in two weeks. Part of the exit process involves me having an exit interview. While I can’t get out of this snake pit fast enough, I don’t want to burn any bridges on my way out the door, either. Do I need to participate, and if so, how honest should I be?
When you’re in a bad work situation, some adopt a scorched earth policy on the way out the door. But that gratification — while instant — is fleeting, and it’s a bad career move long-term. To the extent your experience and point of view can be instructive, you should share your views in a professional manner. Provide some insight that can be actionable. While some employees mistakenly believe it is a waste of time, I can attest that many employers who bother to have an exit interview process do so because they use the information to try and identify trends, problem areas and opportunities to improve the work environment. Without that feedback, the chance to address certain issues decreases. Think of it as paying it forward — as well as a forum to demonstrate the talent they are losing, because who knows? You may have an opportunity to return.
My employer has installed video cameras in the corridors, lobby areas, lunchrooms, etc., and also informed us they have the right to monitor our Internet activity. Is this an invasion of privacy?
Not unless they’ve installed cameras in the bathrooms. What you describe isn’t the same as the NSA monitoring your private activities on your private time. Work is not your private place. The company has the right to monitor your activity — and to set rules for how you conduct yourself on company time. With how security-conscious we’ve become (and for good reason), most employees welcome video security. And most employers assume some reasonable amount of personal usage of company equipment — checking a personal e-mail account during a lunch hour, for example. It’s when you access sites that are completely and obviously inappropriate you know you’ve crossed the line.