Which day of the week should I tell my boss I’m quitting?

When is a good time to tender my resignation?

The best day of the week to tender your resignation is generally considered to be Friday, says Mr David Blasco, country director at recruitment firm Randstad Singapore.

“This gives both the employee and the employer time to process the news.”

“While the employer can use the weekend to plan, you can take the time to decompress and reflect on your next steps.”

Another school of thought proposes resigning on Monday or at some other point early in the week, says Ms Linda Teo, country manager at ManpowerGroup Singapore.

Doing so gives managers and teammates the rest of the week to process the resignation, redistribute the workload, and start searching for a replacement.

Either way, the underlying idea behind both approaches is to minimise disruption caused by the resignation and allow the departing individual to leave on a good note, adds Ms Teo.

Timing a resignation sensitively can significantly benefit your co-workers and managers, says Mr Blasco.

“Resigning during a busy period, like when preparing for financial year-end reports or in the last leg of a major project, can be disruptive as having enough manpower resources is important.”

Resigning after a busy period also helps employees to better portray themselves in interviews for the next job, if they have not secured one yet.

This is because employees can share more about seeing through a major project in its entirety, and take more credit for good outcomes, in interviews for the next role.

Mr Blasco adds: “In terms of the timing of the day, resigning at the end of the workday can provide a cooling-off period overnight, which can help reduce immediate emotional reactions.”

He notes that proper timing also helps managers ensure that critical knowledge and responsibilities are transferred properly.

“Not only does this allow for a smoother handover, but it also helps keep your team morale up during your transition.”

Conversely, resigning just before a major project deadline or during peak business periods can be particularly disruptive.

“This can cause excessive workload for remaining staff as well as poor morale and motivation,” says Mr Blasco.

“A badly timed departure can cause colleagues to feel distressed, threatening their sense of relatedness, competence and autonomy at work.”

Another aspect of making departures constructive and painless is a well-executed transition plan.

Departing employees should document work processes and may need to be prepared to train their replacement to maintain continuity and keep team productivity up, says Ms Teo.

“Timing a resignation properly also allows managers to communicate the change to other stakeholders and clients, ensuring that everyone is informed and prepared for the transition.

“For the departing individual, resigning at an appropriate time demonstrates professionalism and respect for co-workers and managers. It shows that the individual is considerate of their needs and the overall functioning of the team.”

She adds that such thoughtfulness can help maintain positive relationships, which is beneficial for future networking and references, and enhance one’s professional reputation.

Good timing reduces the emotional impact on colleagues and managers, which also benefits departing employees.

“By avoiding peak stress periods and selecting a time when managers can give the resignation their full attention, the conversation becomes more constructive and less emotionally charged,” Ms Teo notes.

However, if you are working in a toxic environment or experiencing a lot of tension with your colleagues, it is best for you to prioritise your mental well-being and tender your resignation at the time that works best for you, Mr Blasco says.

This article was originally published in The Straits Times.