Employee etiquette on leaving a job or company

Hi everyone,

Am new here and have just had the good fortune to find this site before I leave. I will be leaving my work after 5 years here next month. I have become close to some of my colleagues and they are rather upset about me leaving and have started with the present giving etc...my boss also mentioned when I told him of my plans to leave that we would have a big party...my question arises because i´m just not sure how these things work here. When other people at work have had round birthdays, retirement etc they have arranged caterers or have prepared food themselves for a large number of people. Frankly, I´m becoming embarrassed with the kindness and warmth of my colleagues, and feel I should be giving something back...but don´t want to put my foot in things...so, what happens when you leave your workplace? - are you responsible for hosting the party and/or giving gifts to your colleagues??

Giving gifts to your colleagues... Ok I've went along with the 'buying beer for everyone at your birthday', 'buying beer for everyone at a BBQ you're hosting', etc, etc here in Germany, but this is going one step too far! You're the one leaving!!!

I would give them thank you cards for the gifts they give you. If you have very close friends at work I would give a small gift as a token for them being there for you. I wouldn't feel compelled to do anything more than this. But if you do you may want to ask your close friend to go to dinner prior to leaving.

It´s just I´ve never got the whole birthday thing - like when it´s your birthday you are supposed to invite the other people - I´m more used to when it´s your birthday everyone else makes it your special day, brings you cake etc. So, I´m just not sure what happens upon leaving, who the onus falls to. Personally I would prefer to leave with no fuss, but on the otherhand I know that deep down the Germans are quite sentimental (more than I realised) and my colleagues are genuinely sad that I´m leaving and would probably be upset not to have the chance to express this...so you guys think I should just leave them to plan whatever they want to plan. Does anyone have actual personal experience of this??

Just ask one of your colleagues. They are the only ones who will know the way it works at your company for sure. Not us here.

Problem is that I will be the first to leave the group - so there is no precedent - I joined the group from the beginning and as the other members of the group come from different places, there is unlikely to be a consensus - I´m just curious about other peoples experiences with leaving parties etc.

In my experience, if you have been at a company for a while and are on good terms with colleagues (as you obviously are) then you should throw some kind of leaving "do". It doesn't have to be huge, with caterers or anything, but certainly some Sekt/beer/wine/juice and finger food, cake etc...which you could mae or buy at a bakery and bring to work the day you leave. I wouldn't give gifts back unless there's someone you really want to give a gift to.

Normally you would host a little get-together - either do it in the office (at, say, 4pm on or near the day you're leaving) and provide Sekt, juice, finger food etc. What you provide depends on the people you work with and what you reckon would go down best.
Or if it's a smaller group or if you're feeling flush then you could invite them out for drinks (in e.g. a beergarden).

It's up to you what you do, but it would probably be considered a bit off if you didn't do at least something.
Although they might forgive you if you've managed to cultivate the "eccentric foreigner" image during your time there.

I've seen quite a few colleagues come and go, and usually WE are the ones giving the gifts. If they decide to hold something like Kaffee and Kuchen, then THEY bring the cake and refreshments.

Anybody in my industry is expected to throw a leaving party, be it buying a crate of beer or a couple of rounds down at the local pub, presents either way are not expected.

A few bottles of fizzy, some JUICE (v importnant for ettiquette) some crisps and a cake, better if homemade.
3PM Friday is a good time.

Agree with bringing bubbly, juice and nibbles. but the one who's leaving should get a prezzie from the colleagues. - All this only applies only if you are leaving on a good note and you're not sacked...

When I left my post of 15 years my co-workers gave me a gift certificate for the Body Shop and I brought home-made cake and a bottle of the bubbly. We were a very close team and they were fine with the party the way it was.

Thanks everyone for sharing...

Where I work the standard leaving do is Kaffee und Kuchen in either your office or a conference room. The cake is usually of a very good standard either home made or bought. No alcohol (site rules). Definately a much higher quality catering than any of the leaving events I've been to in the UK. Also leaving presents have been very generous (again compared to the UK).

Another popular event for new starters or transfers away is a Würst & Brötchen lunch (sometimes including the dreaded Mett) with juice and alcohol free beer (Jever Fun - well it might be someones idea of fun).

This in a department of about 60 people and the turn out is usually high.

Afternoon All,

I am an intern for the summer at the Siemens Archive here in München and was wondering if there are any social norms when leaving a job. The stint isn't that long (only 2.5 months) and I didn't establish tremendously deep relationships w/ my Kollegen. Naturally I still would like to thank my boss who brought me on in some way; is a bottle of wine or a card enough? We get along well but it isn't as if we are long time co-workers.

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Umtrunk? e.g. a glass of Prosecco

You can have an "Ausstand". Exactly as br suggests -- a round of prosecco for everyone, send a calendar appt to everyone in the office or just your workgroup. Or muffins, or Brezen or something -- have it at 4 pm and alcohol is fine. If you have it earlier then you shouldn't have alcohol. Just like celebrating your birthday at work.

id definitely describe it as more of a "thank you for having me" thing than a "im leaving and want your attention" thing

Yeah, any jobs I've been in here, even the Praktikanten held little goodbye things, coupla bottles of Prosecco and fingery food are the norm. Normally someone would ask you if you're organising something.

So, as the title implies...

I am leaving the office in 2 weeks, and as an intern, I moved around several different departments, rotating about every 2 weeks or so. I have several questions, as this is my first time working overseas, and in Germany for that matter!

When one leaves a company, is it customary to bring a gift, or food as a show of thanks, or will just a simple thank you and a handshake do? Also, as far as references go, is it polite to ask to use someone as a reference? Since I worked under several different departments, should I just go ahead and ask my coordinator or each department?

Maybe I am making too big a fuss about this, but I know it´s a different culture, I am just not too keen on the business side. Thanks!

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A few bottles on Sekt and then invite all depts around for a drink on your leaving day. No gift needed.

For the reference (Zwischenzeugnis) it normally comes from HR, ask your co-ordinator to request it.

oder schon, etwa Gift, es kommt darauf an...

I'd agree take in a few bottles of sekt and maybe some cake/rolls/something for them to stuff their faces with for a while. That is normal for here.

Is it necessary for me to do that, even if I am only an intern with them for 2 weeks?

Isn't Gift 'poison'?

Which was it you were only there 2 weeks or there for longer as this suggests?


If only there 2 weeks then a thank you would be sufficient, however if you have been there longer, i would invite everyone that you have worked with, regardless of how short the period was. A case of sekt is not going to break the bank.

Its with the state parliament, different departments of the administration and then with a political party

I certainly wouldn't consider it necessary. It also depends on the office size. If it's a big office it could for an intern of two weeks even appear a bit presumptuous to invite everyone for a glass of sekt. Also I would say there is no standard etiquette in this case but different offices have different "traditions". If you decide to do the sekt thing: This is ideally something for Friday afternoon, not for the middle of a work day during the week.

Thanks for all your suggestions..

Everyone is on Urlaub...I guess a handshake or an email will do (for those on Urlaub)