Employee thought resignation would bring mental peace. But his 3-month notice period turns into an emotional drama

A professional recently shared his frustration on the subreddit Indian Workplace, describing how his workload has unexpectedly increased even after tendering his resignation. The employee, who held a mid-senior level role at a moderately large firm, expressed that despite officially quitting, he has been unable to disconnect from his responsibilities due to an extended three-month notice period.

During this period, his manager continued assigning fresh projects instead of preparing for his departure. The employee, who supervised a team of five, revealed that his subordinates were left uncertain about their future leadership once he exits. Attempts to seek clarity from the human resources department proved futile, as they too seemed unsure whether a replacement would be hired at all.

Despite the situation, his boss — who also serves as the company’s director — kept scheduling new meetings and assigning long-term projects with deadlines stretching far beyond the employee’s exit date. This, according to him, made it seem as though his manager refused to acknowledge his resignation.

He added that while he has mentally started to detach, he still finds it emotionally challenging to step back completely. Ideally, he wanted to use his remaining time to train his team and ensure a smooth transition rather than taking on new initiatives that would outlast his tenure. Unsure of how to manage the situation, he sought advice from the online community.

Redditors Offer Advice and Share Similar Stories

One commenter advised him to first get written acknowledgment of his resignation from his manager to avoid complications during the final exit process. They suggested that after receiving confirmation, he could formally ask who would take over his role and ensure that all project communications are documented to protect himself from potential disputes.

Another Reddit user shared a similar experience. They said that although the HR department had accepted their resignation, their manager behaved as if they might change their mind. When only a few weeks remained in their notice period, the manager attempted to convince them to stay, citing a strong working relationship. Upon refusal, they were asked to train a replacement and warned that their notice period could be prolonged if the new recruit failed to grasp the tasks. The user complied for a short time but eventually stopped assisting once their official last day had passed.