Is it ok to send your resignation notice over email?

Is it ok to send your resignation notice over email?

I may be getting a job offer this week, which is great! But, I'm not sure what the best way to notify my manager. I plan to give 2 weeks.

I know normally, you would schedule a meeting to tell them. Except, I'm not comfortable doing that. I rarely see my manager in the office, and calling him my manager is a bit of a stretch. I rarely talk with him. Quite honestly, if I left today, the business would be completely unaffected. These things, paired with the fact that I will likely never work with any of these individuals ever again, pushes me towards taking the easy route of resigning over email.

Would I be ok to go this route?

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28 Comments

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  1. Michele Darley

    Send an email and tell your manager you'd be happy to set up a call to discuss transitioning your work.

  2. Anonymous

    I think you've already made that decision. Make sure to copy HR on the communication.

  3. Anonymous

    Best practice would be to send in writing in an email anyways. They typically should be wanting it that way. Also, suggest you are open to an exit interview that may include a transitional discussion for where the work will get redirected to as well. You may then offer to partner with that person to bring them up to speed. Good luck on your new venture!

  4. Anonymous

    I know your reasons, but unless your boss is unavailable (like on vacation or whatever), I would think at least the courtesy of a phone call then follow up with an email.

  5. Anonymous

    I would courtesy call him and then follow up with an Email or snail mail (or hand carry and cc to HR) your resignation letter.

  6. Anonymous

    At my last job, I wrote a formal resignation letter and waited for the Director to come in (my direct manager was off that day). I gave him the letter, let him read it, and ask questions if he needed to, and then I sent it by email to the ED, my manager, and the office manager who handles payroll (a small nonprofit, so she was technically HR). In today's world of hybrid and hard-to-reach bosses, you may want to email it, but as soon as (or even before you do, make sure you call him and let him know that you are resigning and the letter is in his email. If he doesn't answer, leave him a voicemail. Copy his manager and HR.

  7. Anonymous

    I suggest that you call and then follow up with email. I don’t know your circumstance, but that would be the courteous thing to do. If you can’t call, then email and offer up a call as well as offer doing an exit interview.

  8. ANDREA RAGGAMBI

    Sounds like you’re convincing yourself to go this route.

    It’s not unheard of but put yourself in your managers shoes and see if you feel differently. It may not burn a bridge but the more gracefully we can exit our work situations, the more integrity and credibility we can also build. Some industries are small and people talk. If it really wouldn’t matter to you either way perhaps there’s no real downside to just sending an email. It does need to be documented. I’m guessing you’re asking because you feel like you ‘should’ do this and so maybe you’re feeling guilt around it. Act in accordance with your values and what your ‘best self’ would do, not what you think you’re supposed to do.

  9. Anonymous

    No, you should do this in person.

  10. Anonymous

    Don’t burn bridges on the way out, call your manager and make an appointment even if it is through a virtual call. It is the uncomfortableness that makes us stronger. Good luck

  11. Alexandra

    You should do both. Have a call/meeting and then follow up with an email to put everything in writing. It's super important to have written evidence of your resignation. You may also want to check your employment contract, as you may be required to submit a formal, written resignation letter.

    Good luck and on to better things!

  12. Anonymous

    But, you may need them for references and you should behave they way you would have expected to be treated if it were the right place for you. Rise above and be respectful of the fact that they were still your employer and move on with grace. Meet with him, if he asks you why you are leaving keep it simple, I was approached about a career enhancing role at another company. End of story. Wish them the best and then put it in writing too. Ask him what he needs from you to turn over your work to others and leave professionally. Good luck in your new job.

  13. Anonymous

    Be professional. Set up a call. Keep it short and sweet-no details needed. Then follow up with an email-short and sweet-no details needed-"Per our conversation, please accept this email as confirmation of my resignation. My last day is xxxxxx. Thank you for the opportunity".

  14. Maegan, Nike Sales Rep & Career Coach

    I would call them and let them know. Despite what you've said, This is more of an exercise for you speaking up for yourself. I had a similar situation in my first job and I am so glad I called and put my 2 weeks in, even though I was uncomfortable and dreaded the conversation.. it helped me build the skill of advocating for myself.

  15. Anonymous

    You should follow up a resignation in writing 100% of times, but it is up to you how to announce it.

  16. Chrishogg

    I don't know the details, so react to this accordingly.

    If you live in at "at will" state, and you are not working under an employment contract that addresses this, it is my understanding that you (we) are not required to give "two week's notice" and in fact no notice at all, other than to clearly inform your manager and/or HR that you are quitting.

    About the timing. You would be wise to not tell your employer you are leaving until you have a written job offer in-hand from your new employer.

    About the timing (2). You may turn in your two week notice on a Monday morning at 9:30 am and (again assuming "at will") your employer might say, "Okay, but you are now officially no longer an employee here. Frederica will walk you to the door, and we will mail your personal belongings to you." So plan accordingly.

    And do leave on the best possible terms you can, because, as another has said here, your current employer can be a friend or foe as you go forward.

  17. Anonymous

    I had a similar situation a couple years ago when I left my last job. My supervisor pretty consistently worked from home, so I had to get her on the phone to tell her.

    I think it’s OK to break the news that way, but if you and your supervisor are physically in the same space, it really is better to have the conversation face-to-face. Push through the discomfort, and find a way to meet with them in person to tell them. Not only is it good business etiquette, it’s less likely to lead to burned bridges. Good luck!

  18. Goalsetter498760

    I sent an email and copied HR when I was in a similar situation. My manager was in the office one day a week if that - and I needed to give my notice on a Monday to make sure it was a full 2 weeks, per the company policy on getting vacation hours paid.

    Unfortunately my timing was even worse because my manager was on vacation at the time I gave notice, but I wasn't going to not give notice. I also wasn't going to not take a much better job.

    So email it was. That company also had issues with unscrupulous HR people so getting it in writing so I could prove I gave 2 weeks to get my pittance of vacation hours paid back was also very much in my best interest.

  19. Jennifer Wuollet

    So when I resign from places, I usually hand over a letter and ask them to sign and date it, it has come in handy once when I got sued by a company. I would ask for a response and or make sure you get a Read Receipt from it so you have proof that they saw your email and when they saw your email.

  20. Felicia Qhamata

    I agree with Jennifer, if you send an email get a read receipt and a delivery receipt. That way even if they overlook it you can still show that it went to them successfully.

  21. Anonymous

    I would recommend having the conversation and then sending the follow up on writing it provide a letter, not because you have to, simply because it’s just the professional thing to do. It’s really up to you, but for me it’s about professional integrity for myself whether the company or manager deserves it or not.

  22. Keitsitse Losaba

    I recently also resigned. My contract said 4 weeks’.

    i printed out a hard copy and signed and dated it. When I went to HR manager he wasn’t there. I then scanned it in and sent an email indicating I had come to his office and I had attached it. I also as force of habit have delivery and read receipts.

    it isn’t unprofessional. I had already signed my new job offer a week prior; so I was ticking my boxes.

  23. Kathy Leski

    I would write up your resignation, tell your mgr through a teleconference or via phone and follow up with the formal letter. It should be an attached doc vs in the body of the email. You never want to burn a bridge, I believe sending via email shows lack of respect to your mgr.

  24. Farah Bajwa

    When I was a people manager, my engineer emailed me his resignation. It made it easier honestly to forward to the appropriate people to process. I'd say if you have a long established relationship with your manager, its a nice thing to give them an informal heads up before you turn in the official

  25. Anonymous

    Like a number of people have commented, regardless of the situation at work, you never know who might make a re-appearance in your professional life later on--whether as a partnering company associate, client, a call center rep helping you troubleshoot your cell phone, or your local home contractor or handyperson later on down the road (or neighbor--yikes!)--you never know! It's definitely in your best interest to leave per company protocol, and respectfully, even if you feel like nobody cares or has reciprocated respect to you--it's better to be the better person!

    There should be information in your contract or in the company policy about how to inform and submit for resignation. If not, either your supervisor or someone in HR should know. Regardless of work protocol, you should ALWAYS submit something in writing, specifying the end date, and submit that document to the appropriate individual(s). Like others have mentioned, it's good to have someway to verify you sent your resignation to them, whether by email receipt and/or a copy of the document or letter submitted (so you know what you stated to them in case they question you, and for generally CYA-ing).

    Whether or not you have a meeting with, phone call, or only email your manager is typically a matter of the specific work culture where you work--unless, of course, it is specified in your work contract or work policy on doing something as specific as, e.g. meeting with your manager. I've actually never scheduled a meeting (nor was required to), though I did have one instance of my supervisor scheduling a meeting with me upon my informing him of my resignation. He did the meeting to go over paperwork I needed to submit--and, also, for him to see if there was a way he could keep me :-) (He was a good supervisor and employer, though!)

    I will note that a lot of my past jobs were face-to-face customer-oriented jobs so it was largely informal notifying the supervisor/management since I would see them nearly everyday and so had rapport with them. However, I would always fill out either official paperwork or email a notice of my resignation after my informal notice.

    I did have ONE type of employ involving a more virtual touch with management (I never once saw their faces!). In that instance, and because of the time sensitivity involved with a resignation at that particular workplace (and the particular work instance I had), I called, informed that an email would follow, then sent the email, referencing that it was a follow-up to our phone conversation (since I did have one with them upon calling) regarding my official resignation, and the end date of employ. If I hadn't reached them, I would have simply left a VM mentioning the same details and followed up with an email. However, calling, then follow-up emails were kind of typical at that job since calling got things on the radar then emails helped when needing to reference information (and also for CYA).

    Also, unless you have something indicating in writing (either by email or paper) that you are officially hired at the other job, it would be a great idea to wait on submitting the resignation. The last thing you need on your plate is to submit the resignation than find out you weren't hired at the other job.

    I hope that helps!

  26. Anonymous

    No, an electronic notice is rude and you would be poorly perceived.

  27. Anonymous

    Email is perfectly acceptable by all accounts and is considered “in writing” which is required by most HR departments to process the paperwork on their side.

    Email is only rude if your tone is rude in it.

  28. Anonymous

    I think if you can possibly call him and see him that would be better. I think he would have more respect for you, than shooting off an email. I am sure you have a telephone number for him. You never know if you will work with these individuals again. No one knows the future. It is always best to give the right impression, because you don't know who you might run into on your way up or if you may need this manager again in the future for something. I know it is uncomfortable calling him, these things are never easy, but if you do it, it is another notch in your belt. The easy route is not always the best way. Give him a call and ask him if he is going to be in the office within the next couple of days. If not, tell him you are sorry you missed him, but you wanted to personally tell him that you were giving your 2 weeks, or put it in writing for him to pick up if you cannot tell him. Good luck.

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