Will this work?
Work in a very toxic team. Planning on quitting at the 1-year mark for many reasons. The main reason is my VP is abusive in a lot of ways. There have been several people under him/her that have quit in the past 10 months. The firm is aware of their abuse to juniors and it is a known issue. I want to be the last straw that breaks the camels back… Want to go into my exit interview and say I loved all my work, the people and firm but it was impossible to work with this VP. At what point do they fire this person?
TLDR: My $0.02 is that it is hard to know if your feedback will be the straw that breaks the camel's back, but that it will be noted and taken seriously.
For a number of reasons (e.g., nepotism, strong MD relationships, great work product, tenure, 'go-to' VP for multiple MDs) the VP may or may not face any repercussions, especially given the fact that many who worked for him have already left. Now, if all of these former employees left similar feedback, the VP may be deemed to big a risk or not worth the trouble of retaining, but either way, I am not going to be able to provide a perspective on how this plays out.
What I will say is that I suspect your feedback will be taken seriously and that you absolutely should provide it upon your exit interview. I am changing a few factors to remain anonymous, but when I left a prior role I gave similar feedback. In short, worked with an amazing team of rockstars, but ultimately ended up staffed with someone who was abusive and extremely condescending every second of every day, and I let the firm know that had it not been for working with person X, I would have stayed. I know for a fact that my feedback barred this individual from working directly with other juniors for an extended period of time and this was not something taken lightly. With that said, person X was not at the VP level, and this outcome came to fruition because this bank took such feedback extremely seriously. I cannot opine on how your bank will respond given that it is really contingent upon culture and the specific deal team.
Many years later in my career, I remain glad I provided the feedback. The one piece of advice I can offer is if you do wish to flag this individual's actions in your exit interview, do it objectively, without emotion. I realize how tough this is, but try your best to stick to the facts, describing the situations you found yourself in and the treatment you endured from this VP. If you get emotional or start providing your opinions, suddenly you lose all credibility.
Best of luck OP, hope you get out or the situation improves soon.
Based on the WSO threads discussing similar situations, here's what you need to know about handling your exit in a toxic work environment:
Professionalism in Exit Interview: It's crucial to maintain professionalism during your exit interview. Expressing that you enjoyed the work and appreciated the firm while highlighting the specific challenges with the VP can be effective. This approach keeps the conversation constructive and focuses on the issue rather than personal grievances.
Documentation and Specific Examples: If you aim to impact the firm's decision regarding the VP, provide specific examples of the abusive behavior. Documentation or instances where this behavior affected your work or the work environment can strengthen your case.
Understanding Firm's Stance: Realize that the decision to fire or retain an employee, especially at a VP level, involves multiple factors including their overall contribution to the firm, past performance, and the firm's policies on handling toxic behavior. Your feedback might add to existing concerns, but it may not immediately result in dismissal.
Focus on Your Next Steps: While you can hope your feedback contributes to a positive change, focus on your next career move. Ensure you leave on good terms, as references and professional networks remain valuable.
Remember, while you can contribute to highlighting issues, the decision and actions regarding the VP are ultimately up to the firm's management and HR policies.
Sources: Bad team culture: A vent, Quitting IB in 2023 - Burnout, Quitting time - views on how to leave your job, Strategy& Ex Employee - Q&A, VP Lying
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