How do I quit my job when I'm effectively irreplacable?
September 5, 2013 8:56 AM Subscribe
I'm an executive and engineer at a small creative company. For a variety of reasons, I must find new employment. Given our region, the company will not be able to replace me, and several other people will lose their jobs when it folds. That dilemma has already kept me here far longer than is healthy. Nonetheless, I want to do this as gracefully and ethically as possible so that they have the greatest chance to find new employment. How?
Region? Where are you, Antarctica? Charles de Gaulle is often quoted: "The cemeteries are filled with indispensable men"
Just give notice and leave, and they will replace you. If they can't, it isn't your fault, it's theirs.
posted by thelonius at 9:03 AM on September 5, 2013 [34 favorites]
Just give notice and leave, and they will replace you. If they can't, it isn't your fault, it's theirs.
posted by thelonius at 9:03 AM on September 5, 2013 [34 favorites]
Given our region, the company will not be able to replace me, and several other people will lose their jobs when it folds.
#1 - you come first. Your concern for the company and other employees is admirable, but you need to make the right decision for yourself and your life.
#2 - why not see if you can facilitate finding a new you? I can't imagine that other bright executives with engineering experience wouldn't be willing to move to an undesirable region for the right remuneration, can you help them with their hunt? Or, if they can't pay enough to convince someone to move, is there local talent you could grow, or help going to graduate school to work on engineering? Could your job be done by someone virtually, or at least part-time virtually so they wouldn't have to live in the region?
However - ultimately, it comes down to what is best for your life. Make the right choices, give them as much notice as possible (unlike normal jobs, I suspect give your position they may appreciate 6 or 8 months notice, as family doctors in rural practices give), and support them through the aftermath. If the company does indeed close, provide glowing letters of reference and try to help those displaced to connect with new employment.
posted by arnicae at 9:05 AM on September 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
#1 - you come first. Your concern for the company and other employees is admirable, but you need to make the right decision for yourself and your life.
#2 - why not see if you can facilitate finding a new you? I can't imagine that other bright executives with engineering experience wouldn't be willing to move to an undesirable region for the right remuneration, can you help them with their hunt? Or, if they can't pay enough to convince someone to move, is there local talent you could grow, or help going to graduate school to work on engineering? Could your job be done by someone virtually, or at least part-time virtually so they wouldn't have to live in the region?
However - ultimately, it comes down to what is best for your life. Make the right choices, give them as much notice as possible (unlike normal jobs, I suspect give your position they may appreciate 6 or 8 months notice, as family doctors in rural practices give), and support them through the aftermath. If the company does indeed close, provide glowing letters of reference and try to help those displaced to connect with new employment.
posted by arnicae at 9:05 AM on September 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
Nobody in this market is irreplaceable.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 9:05 AM on September 5, 2013 [10 favorites]
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 9:05 AM on September 5, 2013 [10 favorites]
Document your work so that others can pick up where you left off, and give plenty of advance notice (maybe 3 or 4 weeks).
Recall that slavery is a job you can't quit.
posted by oceanjesse at 9:05 AM on September 5, 2013 [4 favorites]
Recall that slavery is a job you can't quit.
posted by oceanjesse at 9:05 AM on September 5, 2013 [4 favorites]
Assuming, for the moment, that there are no legal or contractual obligations that would limit your ability to leave, just give them a reasonable enough amount of time to mount a search. If there really are no local candidates for the job, they'll obviously need time for a broader search--and I am certain that there is someone, somewhere who wants a job with that level of job security. Imagine--being the only engineer in the area who could do this job! You could build a life around that.
If they can't get their act together to replace you, that's their problem. Honestly. You can't live your life around whether your employer can find someone else to do your job.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 9:05 AM on September 5, 2013 [2 favorites]
If they can't get their act together to replace you, that's their problem. Honestly. You can't live your life around whether your employer can find someone else to do your job.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 9:05 AM on September 5, 2013 [2 favorites]
You are not responsible for the other employees of the company. If the company has set itself up so that the loss of one worker would destroy it, then it has been poorly managed and it is not your responsibility.
posted by Ironmouth at 9:10 AM on September 5, 2013 [7 favorites]
posted by Ironmouth at 9:10 AM on September 5, 2013 [7 favorites]
I don't think it's possible that you are literally irreplaceable, unless you're one of 6 people in the world who understand string theory or something.
That said, I do know one person who just gave one year notice at his job.
posted by miyabo at 9:16 AM on September 5, 2013 [3 favorites]
That said, I do know one person who just gave one year notice at his job.
posted by miyabo at 9:16 AM on September 5, 2013 [3 favorites]
I worked on a very small team where there were many month lead times in hiring due to the special and rare skills needed to do the work, with a lot of "how would we ever replace you" comments...
I gave 2 months.
They replaced me.
The new guy was probably better than me.
Give them a couple months if you are truly tough to replace.
Bare in mind someplaces give you a 2 week severance and walk you to the door when you give notice.
posted by bottlebrushtree at 9:27 AM on September 5, 2013 [8 favorites]
I gave 2 months.
They replaced me.
The new guy was probably better than me.
Give them a couple months if you are truly tough to replace.
Bare in mind someplaces give you a 2 week severance and walk you to the door when you give notice.
posted by bottlebrushtree at 9:27 AM on September 5, 2013 [8 favorites]
Unless you are an owner of the company, Etrigan has the answer: put together a detailed handbook of what you do and how you do it, offer x months of notice, and then go --- even if they haven't replaced you at the end of that x months, leave anyway.
You go on vacation sometimes, don't you? And the company manages to lurch along while you're gone. Imagine if you dropped dead tonight: would it be your 'fault' somehow if the company had to fold afterwards? No.
posted by easily confused at 9:28 AM on September 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
You go on vacation sometimes, don't you? And the company manages to lurch along while you're gone. Imagine if you dropped dead tonight: would it be your 'fault' somehow if the company had to fold afterwards? No.
posted by easily confused at 9:28 AM on September 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
Given our region, the company will not be able to replace me
They've heard of telecommuting, right? Or (if you have managerial duties that require the role to be on-site) relo packages?
If you're a particularly odd-shaped peg, it may take two or more people to fill the hole you've been plugging, but they'll fill it one way or another. Unless you own the company, or own patents it depends on or something like that (in which case it's time to talk licensing deals), you are not nearly as irreplaceable as you think you are.
posted by ook at 9:41 AM on September 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
They've heard of telecommuting, right? Or (if you have managerial duties that require the role to be on-site) relo packages?
If you're a particularly odd-shaped peg, it may take two or more people to fill the hole you've been plugging, but they'll fill it one way or another. Unless you own the company, or own patents it depends on or something like that (in which case it's time to talk licensing deals), you are not nearly as irreplaceable as you think you are.
posted by ook at 9:41 AM on September 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
put together a detailed handbook of what you do and how you do it
This would not work in my job, though it may work in yours. Regardless, nobody is irreplaceable. You are not the only creative engineer in the world. If they offer enough money, qualified people will move to Detroit for good roles. Maybe they won't bring a duplicate of your strengths, but there is a chance they'll bring some new ones. It could be the end but it could also be a new chapter. I think your utter confidence that you know the outcome may be be misplaced.
posted by DarlingBri at 9:49 AM on September 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
This would not work in my job, though it may work in yours. Regardless, nobody is irreplaceable. You are not the only creative engineer in the world. If they offer enough money, qualified people will move to Detroit for good roles. Maybe they won't bring a duplicate of your strengths, but there is a chance they'll bring some new ones. It could be the end but it could also be a new chapter. I think your utter confidence that you know the outcome may be be misplaced.
posted by DarlingBri at 9:49 AM on September 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
If you are truly irreplaceable, then you are the company. If you can get a better offer elsewhere, then the company is being mismanaged.
If there are people at this company whom you would disappoint by leaving, whom you feel you have a good connection and who can improve your value to an endeavour, hire them away. Basically, if you're that valuable to the company, then what you're doing is firing the managers and, in joining another company, hiring new ones. That's totally reasonable, and it's also reasonable to keep the rest of the staff that you like working with along with you.
(If you have to wait for the old firm to crash and burn before you can drag 'em along, because of employment agreements or whatever, express to the ones you find valuable that you're interested in figuring out how to do that.)
posted by straw at 9:49 AM on September 5, 2013 [2 favorites]
If there are people at this company whom you would disappoint by leaving, whom you feel you have a good connection and who can improve your value to an endeavour, hire them away. Basically, if you're that valuable to the company, then what you're doing is firing the managers and, in joining another company, hiring new ones. That's totally reasonable, and it's also reasonable to keep the rest of the staff that you like working with along with you.
(If you have to wait for the old firm to crash and burn before you can drag 'em along, because of employment agreements or whatever, express to the ones you find valuable that you're interested in figuring out how to do that.)
posted by straw at 9:49 AM on September 5, 2013 [2 favorites]
They'd have no qualms letting you go if they felt it necessary. Leave the position and don't look back.
posted by Anima Mundi at 9:56 AM on September 5, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by Anima Mundi at 9:56 AM on September 5, 2013 [5 favorites]
There are definitely people who are VERY DIFFICULT to replace (I have an HR friend who had to backfill a position that had the requirement: "Has been to space." THAT guy was hard to replace) but no employee is irreplaceable.
Yes, it will feel like you are letting them down but this is really their fault, not yours. Give a long notice period but give a hard deadline. None of this, "I'll stay until you can find someone." Because then they will never find someone, if you say, "I'm leaving in three months." then they will either find someone or figure out how to do what you do. Or fold. But that is on them, not on you.
posted by magnetsphere at 9:57 AM on September 5, 2013 [7 favorites]
Yes, it will feel like you are letting them down but this is really their fault, not yours. Give a long notice period but give a hard deadline. None of this, "I'll stay until you can find someone." Because then they will never find someone, if you say, "I'm leaving in three months." then they will either find someone or figure out how to do what you do. Or fold. But that is on them, not on you.
posted by magnetsphere at 9:57 AM on September 5, 2013 [7 favorites]
Yeah, unless you're afraid they'll fire you and that will leave you in a bad financial position, talk to them and say "I need to leave the position. I'm willing to give you x months to mount a search for my replacement." In my experience, things actually get easier for you when they know you're leaving.
This makes things easier on them, as they have time to recruit nationally or internationally for your replacement. It also helps you leave on a positive note. If you give them 3 or 4 months, you may even have a little time with your replacement.
I know someone personally who worked in Antarctica, so it's always possible to replace someone, given enough time.
Good luck.
posted by cnc at 10:05 AM on September 5, 2013
This makes things easier on them, as they have time to recruit nationally or internationally for your replacement. It also helps you leave on a positive note. If you give them 3 or 4 months, you may even have a little time with your replacement.
I know someone personally who worked in Antarctica, so it's always possible to replace someone, given enough time.
Good luck.
posted by cnc at 10:05 AM on September 5, 2013
I feel like most answers here aren't addressing the question that I read: Anonymous is going to leave their job, and that will cause the company to fold. This certainly implies mismanagement, and may not be the actual end results, but that's not the question. The question is other colleagues are also going to be negatively affected by anonymous's actions, how can she minimize that?
Certainly you should make a good faith effort to allow the company to replace you, be that documentation or ride-alongs or Youtube videos explaining what you do. That is appropriate and professional behavior. As to the question of your colleagues: connect with them on whatever social network is available in your field (LinkedIn, for example) and provide endorsements to their profiles. Encourage those without profiles to create them. Make sure you have all of their contact information, and they have yours. If you are looking for a new position, you have likely been approached by headhunters (and if your field is like mine, will continue to be hounded by them for years) - keep a list of your colleagues and forward appropriate leads you receive to them. Provide appropriate notice of your departure so that projects on which you are indispensable are wound down gracefully and your colleagues aren't left holding the bag and end up looking bad. If your work has clients, brush up on your direct contacts at the client companies to make referrals for your soon-to-be-unemployed coworkers.
And, in the end and as other people have said above, recognize that you're not ultimately responsible for the gainful employment of everyone else at the company. Being professional and transparent is the best you can do.
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 10:19 AM on September 5, 2013 [3 favorites]
Certainly you should make a good faith effort to allow the company to replace you, be that documentation or ride-alongs or Youtube videos explaining what you do. That is appropriate and professional behavior. As to the question of your colleagues: connect with them on whatever social network is available in your field (LinkedIn, for example) and provide endorsements to their profiles. Encourage those without profiles to create them. Make sure you have all of their contact information, and they have yours. If you are looking for a new position, you have likely been approached by headhunters (and if your field is like mine, will continue to be hounded by them for years) - keep a list of your colleagues and forward appropriate leads you receive to them. Provide appropriate notice of your departure so that projects on which you are indispensable are wound down gracefully and your colleagues aren't left holding the bag and end up looking bad. If your work has clients, brush up on your direct contacts at the client companies to make referrals for your soon-to-be-unemployed coworkers.
And, in the end and as other people have said above, recognize that you're not ultimately responsible for the gainful employment of everyone else at the company. Being professional and transparent is the best you can do.
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 10:19 AM on September 5, 2013 [3 favorites]
OP is being very clear about the company shutting down after he leaves so let's all presume that he knows his situation and is telling the truth, shall we? It is not unfathomable for a technical person to be irreplaceable; I work for an engineering firm where there are several people without whom entire product lines would die.
OP, don't think of yourself as an employee leaving but rather as a small business owner making a very hard decision to shut down a business that employs people in a low-employment region. Perhaps post another question as just that - that way, people won't question the veracity of your statements and just answer your question?
Hacker News is one place where you'll find a lot of people who had to shut down their startups and let people go. I think you will have some great answers there. (Memail me if you don't have an account, I'll be happy to post the question for you).
posted by rada at 10:24 AM on September 5, 2013 [7 favorites]
OP, don't think of yourself as an employee leaving but rather as a small business owner making a very hard decision to shut down a business that employs people in a low-employment region. Perhaps post another question as just that - that way, people won't question the veracity of your statements and just answer your question?
Hacker News is one place where you'll find a lot of people who had to shut down their startups and let people go. I think you will have some great answers there. (Memail me if you don't have an account, I'll be happy to post the question for you).
posted by rada at 10:24 AM on September 5, 2013 [7 favorites]
On the flipside of this dilemma, I have been watching a company perform a long and painful "Candidate Search" ever since March 2013, advertising in multiple newpapers and multiple websites all over the USA, with a job description that is insanely long and detailed, and every week it pops up in my Inbox yet again as still being an open job position.
If there is nobody in the USA so uniquely and specifically qualified for such an exacting high-level job position, they ought to consider hiring someone younger and/or less experienced, and training them !??
Some of these candidate searches can take two years, and thousands of people needing jobs get rejected.
posted by shipbreaker at 10:26 AM on September 5, 2013 [2 favorites]
If there is nobody in the USA so uniquely and specifically qualified for such an exacting high-level job position, they ought to consider hiring someone younger and/or less experienced, and training them !??
Some of these candidate searches can take two years, and thousands of people needing jobs get rejected.
posted by shipbreaker at 10:26 AM on September 5, 2013 [2 favorites]
If you're that irreplaceable, shouldn't you be able to restructure the job - if not the entire company - until it does work for you?
"I'm going to be reducing my hours to 30 flexible hours per week, no on-call time, working from home, and that home will be several states away. I'll fly into the office four times a year to touch base in person. Oh, and you have to fire that vice president who is mismanaging his department. No? Ok, then I have no other choice than to give my two month notice. Your call."
But if the only obstacle is the region, as you state, they very well could find someone and offer an attractive relocation package. I'm in Maine and a number of executives I've met are people who used to vacation here and decided to make a move from a larger city as they became more secure in their careers. If you mean the region is physically unpleasant, there are people for whom money is the ultimate motivator.
posted by mikepop at 10:47 AM on September 5, 2013 [3 favorites]
"I'm going to be reducing my hours to 30 flexible hours per week, no on-call time, working from home, and that home will be several states away. I'll fly into the office four times a year to touch base in person. Oh, and you have to fire that vice president who is mismanaging his department. No? Ok, then I have no other choice than to give my two month notice. Your call."
But if the only obstacle is the region, as you state, they very well could find someone and offer an attractive relocation package. I'm in Maine and a number of executives I've met are people who used to vacation here and decided to make a move from a larger city as they became more secure in their careers. If you mean the region is physically unpleasant, there are people for whom money is the ultimate motivator.
posted by mikepop at 10:47 AM on September 5, 2013 [3 favorites]
the graveyards are full of people who were indispensable at their jobs.
posted by bruce at 10:58 AM on September 5, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by bruce at 10:58 AM on September 5, 2013 [2 favorites]
Start a new agency and hire all the people that are good.
posted by thylacine at 11:21 AM on September 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by thylacine at 11:21 AM on September 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
Well, talk to them about it. Perhaps you're not as replaceable as you think. Maybe you are just as you say. I don't know. But if you are, then the company will be able to discuss things with you and make plans. At that point, it's not your responsibility.
posted by inturnaround at 12:06 PM on September 5, 2013
posted by inturnaround at 12:06 PM on September 5, 2013
Some options to help quell the fallout:
1) Find a few replacement options and resumes yourself.
2) Warn coworkers to find new jobs if you can't find a replacement.
3) Protocols and training booklets for a future replacement.
4) Look for outside contractors who can potentially take over some work remotely - many many jobs can be done remotely at least on a temporary basis.
I completely agree with the above statements of giving them proper time, but getting out of there for yourself when you have to. I completely understand the guilt associated with this.
I kind of faced this a bit ago. I just left my job and was the one doing about 75%+ of the work for the whole company - a small startup. I knew that in leaving I wouldn't have time to train a proper replacement, so I had to write up protocols, make sure client files were updated, and train an account manager who didn't really have expertise in my area. I personally didn't care as much about the business, as the business had some faults - which is why I left. I did however care for the person I was training and future employees because I didn't want to leave them in the dark or make it harder on them. (My boss also tried to get me to stay when he realized how much work I had been doing.)
Unfortunately my assumptions came true and after monitoring the projects I was working on, many of the aspects have been done completely incorrectly. However, it's not my problem. I did my best at training, and if he can't find a replacement it's not my fault.
You need to accept that this is not your problem. That's why I would suggest that if you give the X months notice of whatever, let your coworkers know so they can try to find something new, or rally together to find a replacement or temporary contractor. It sucks. I'm sorry. You can't stay somewhere like that though. I stayed months and months and months past when I should have. It took its toll on me emotionally and increased my stress so severely that it affected my life and my marriage. Don't do that to yourself for a company that can't hold its head above water without you.
posted by Crystalinne at 12:44 PM on September 5, 2013
1) Find a few replacement options and resumes yourself.
2) Warn coworkers to find new jobs if you can't find a replacement.
3) Protocols and training booklets for a future replacement.
4) Look for outside contractors who can potentially take over some work remotely - many many jobs can be done remotely at least on a temporary basis.
I completely agree with the above statements of giving them proper time, but getting out of there for yourself when you have to. I completely understand the guilt associated with this.
I kind of faced this a bit ago. I just left my job and was the one doing about 75%+ of the work for the whole company - a small startup. I knew that in leaving I wouldn't have time to train a proper replacement, so I had to write up protocols, make sure client files were updated, and train an account manager who didn't really have expertise in my area. I personally didn't care as much about the business, as the business had some faults - which is why I left. I did however care for the person I was training and future employees because I didn't want to leave them in the dark or make it harder on them. (My boss also tried to get me to stay when he realized how much work I had been doing.)
Unfortunately my assumptions came true and after monitoring the projects I was working on, many of the aspects have been done completely incorrectly. However, it's not my problem. I did my best at training, and if he can't find a replacement it's not my fault.
You need to accept that this is not your problem. That's why I would suggest that if you give the X months notice of whatever, let your coworkers know so they can try to find something new, or rally together to find a replacement or temporary contractor. It sucks. I'm sorry. You can't stay somewhere like that though. I stayed months and months and months past when I should have. It took its toll on me emotionally and increased my stress so severely that it affected my life and my marriage. Don't do that to yourself for a company that can't hold its head above water without you.
posted by Crystalinne at 12:44 PM on September 5, 2013
You're an employee and it's lovely to be concerned about the effects of your departure, but you have not been given that responsibility, and are likely not being paid nearly enough to take on that responsibility. If a company is dependent on 1 person, they should have "key employee" insurance.
Make sure you have an accurate job description, and back it up with details about what you really do. Make sure that your work is documented. You don't have to write a book on how to do engineering, but you should write notes on specific tasks and how they have been done, esp. the names and contact info. for people you work with outside the company. Think about what they'd need to know if you were in a coma for 6 months.
Write letters of reference for other staff, detailing their knowledge and strengths, and give them the letters when you leave, and the offer of a reference.
If your new employer is amenable, or if you'll be self-employed, offer your services to the company as a consultant.
posted by theora55 at 1:37 PM on September 5, 2013
Make sure you have an accurate job description, and back it up with details about what you really do. Make sure that your work is documented. You don't have to write a book on how to do engineering, but you should write notes on specific tasks and how they have been done, esp. the names and contact info. for people you work with outside the company. Think about what they'd need to know if you were in a coma for 6 months.
Write letters of reference for other staff, detailing their knowledge and strengths, and give them the letters when you leave, and the offer of a reference.
If your new employer is amenable, or if you'll be self-employed, offer your services to the company as a consultant.
posted by theora55 at 1:37 PM on September 5, 2013
Given our region, the company will not be able to replace me
ohh, i think you mean "Given our region, the company is too stubborn to pay someone a high enough premium to come here to replace me"
get a new job, tell them you're leaving, keep working until you leave.
few companies would do what you're doing if the roles were reversed "we want to hire someone else to do the job, but since it will be very hard for you to get a new job, just keep coming in and we'll pay you."
posted by cupcake1337 at 5:15 PM on September 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
ohh, i think you mean "Given our region, the company is too stubborn to pay someone a high enough premium to come here to replace me"
get a new job, tell them you're leaving, keep working until you leave.
few companies would do what you're doing if the roles were reversed "we want to hire someone else to do the job, but since it will be very hard for you to get a new job, just keep coming in and we'll pay you."
posted by cupcake1337 at 5:15 PM on September 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
I was irreplaceable too. So I helped facilitate someone getting hired, trained and mentored them for about 9 months, helped them be customer facing, praised them and the contributions they made externally, righted several projects, graciously passed myself over for a computer upgrade, organized my work to the best of my ability, broke it early to one of my peers so he would be in the know, started training him on a few systems that the new guy wouldn't be able to handle, and then gave my boss 4 weeks notice. It was fun, it was jovial, I will miss my boss and my coworkers; however, I am suddenly able to double my sleep to 6 hours a night for the first time in five years...
posted by Nanukthedog at 5:30 PM on September 5, 2013
posted by Nanukthedog at 5:30 PM on September 5, 2013
Assuming you are right, you're irreplaceable and that leaving the company will cause it to fold: Companies fold for all kinds of reasons. Hopefully your colleagues are savvy enough to know that if you're that good, you can be a valuable resource to them outside your current company, at least as much as in it. Tell the people that you would want to work with again that you'll be happy to provide references and/or appropriate intros if they want.
posted by fingersandtoes at 7:10 PM on September 5, 2013
posted by fingersandtoes at 7:10 PM on September 5, 2013
It's always difficult when key executives leave. Smart companies have a succession plan to replace key staff. It's especially tough to manage in small companies, but there needs to be a business continuity plan.
Start farming out your work as growth assignments for staff. Document your work. Then find another job and leave. If you are genuinely irreplaceable then the company was on shaky ground all along.
posted by 26.2 at 8:37 PM on September 5, 2013
Start farming out your work as growth assignments for staff. Document your work. Then find another job and leave. If you are genuinely irreplaceable then the company was on shaky ground all along.
posted by 26.2 at 8:37 PM on September 5, 2013
My mom left a job where she was perhaps not indispensable, but very very needed.
She gave her notice and made herself available for a finite amount of time after that as a consultant, with a premium consulting fee, for whatever above and beyond help that the company determined necessary.
Your time is important.
posted by rubster at 11:54 AM on September 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
She gave her notice and made herself available for a finite amount of time after that as a consultant, with a premium consulting fee, for whatever above and beyond help that the company determined necessary.
Your time is important.
posted by rubster at 11:54 AM on September 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
Maybe set up a contract to consult or moonlight.
Maybe start a new company and invite the people you are worried about to join you.
posted by jander03 at 10:26 PM on September 9, 2013
Maybe start a new company and invite the people you are worried about to join you.
posted by jander03 at 10:26 PM on September 9, 2013
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That's all you need to say. A good company will understand that no one can be irreplaceable; by allowing yourself (and other people) to believe that you are irreplaceable, you are allowing it to be a bad company. There is nothing morally wrong with a company failing, and you are not being unethical in placing your needs at a similar level as other people's. They will find other jobs.
posted by Etrigan at 9:03 AM on September 5, 2013 [24 favorites]