Don’t let the the door hit ya on the way out.
I left a job some years ago where I was on great terms with everyone except one guy. 3 o’clock rolled around and it was time to go and I said goodbye to everyone, got some hugs, exchanged info, and this guy was just kid of milling around at the end of the line looking smug and trying not to make eye contact. When I was done with everyone else I walked up to him, shook his hand firmly and put my other hand on his shoulder, looked him right in the eye, and said (with a warm smile in a cordial tone) “I never liked you.” He was so stunned he didn’t say a word, everyone else laughed, and I left on a really high note. It was great. Don’t like him (or her) do that to you!
“Thank God, I thought you’d never leave.”
Here’s a tip for you. Next time, before you present yourself as a douchebag because you behaved inappropriately in a professional environment, you should first present evidence that the other guy was a bigger douchebag than you.
Also, I bet all of your ex-coworkers tell the tale, to this day, about your awesomeness, because of your last day, and how awesome you were when you behaved like a dick. It was cool, because they all laughed. Because you’re awesome.
Others have answered the OP correctly. It can be either avoiding the confrontation or wishing good luck as a perfunctory duty. Don’t be a douchebag, even if you think it might get laughs. Especially if you think it might get laughs.
Beautiful. 
Yeah, I was thinking something like “Things will be different around here without you.” Which may be true but not in the way it would normally be taken. 
That’s the exact quote I was going to post! Only I was wondering how to type the accent. 
(I love that delivery.)
I agree that a perfunctory farewell with no frills is the way to go. I am in a similar situation, and if my coworker ever leaves, I will say my goodbye in as few words as possible. And then, at the end of the day when I walk out the door,I will do a happy dance all the way to my car.
Now is no time to reference or acknowledge the difficulties between you, leave that aside.
‘Just want you to know, we really appreciate the full notice and great job you did with training X. I sincerely wish you nothing but good fortune in future!’
Shake their hand and walk away. You’ll feel awesome for taking the high road and resolving a difficult relationship. They will feel great because you’ve acknowledge something that reflects their professionalism, and because you’ve helped to resolve a difficult relationship before the opportunity, to do so, is gone forever.
Win Win!
I would try and find somthing positive about the work relationship you had if possible and make a brief comment on that. If their was nothing positive a simple good luck and handshake. I recently retired and wanted to tell a bunch of them to go get fucked but I gave a brief and vague speech and walked away. Kicking my heels as I approached my car.
‘You did a good job not strangling any kittens in the office. We all appreciate your efforts.’
Just remember, it’s a small world. You may end up working together again in the future. You may get a job where they are going at some point. People have very long memories. So, no need to leave a trail of douche-piss.
Keep it on the up-and-up.
I know someone who didn’t follow this advice when he left one job, and shortly afterwards wound up working again, at a different job, with the same people he’d been rude to. :smack:
Thanks for the tip!
In the future I’ll have to remember to post cites for my own anecdotes (in IMHO even) and either hide from people I don’t like or be disingenuous with them. Clearly I have burned my bridges WRT ever working in retail again. You have truly saved me from myself. :rolleyes:
The evil, nasty, snarky part of me (I think it’s my left elbow) suggests that you say some sort of variant on the classic blessing for the Czar from Fiddle on the Roof (May God Bless and Keep the Czar . . . far, far away from here.)
The pragmatic part recommends saying either nothing (if you can avoid the departing person without making it obvious), saying polite nothings (Best wishes to you and your new company) or polite somethings (Thank you for making this transition as smooth as possible).
After all, it’s a small world, and sometimes people we thought we left behind forever turn up again–too often in positions of power.
And if your co-workers haven’t realized you hate this person, this is not the time to tell them.
There was one person I hated at work that everyone else got along with. Ignoring the stuff would have made me look bad, even though she was the awful person.
So I took a personal day or called out sick, something to that effect. Didn’t have to pretend to be nice when I wasn’t there.
I knew I couldn’t spend the whole day keeping my mouth shut or eyes from rolling.
Why pretend to be nice? “Nice of you to finally fuck off” is something I long to say to some people at work
“Propser and be hanged to ye.”
Whatever this person’s name is, get it slightly wrong.
Like, if it’s Darren, look him nonchalantly in the eye, very limply shaking his hand and say, “good luck to you, Darryl.” Then walk over to the coffee pot with out looking back.
I had a boss who I originally got along with, then things went rather bad. I walked out of her office rather than start to cry. She ran down the hallway screaming at me, hauled me into HR She got an 18 month flag put on my personel file. I am neither insubordinate nor rude, but as a nurse I didn’t want to do a procedure that was not authorized yet in-facility, despite her verbal that it was ok.
I was off work on compensation for a fractured wrist when she was fired. A co worker phoned me gleefully with the news. It was just before Christmas and this boss of mine was a single parent with four children under the age of 12. I phoned my boss, left a message that I was sorry to hear about her circumstances and I wished her the best of luck and a Merry Christmas. I never heard from her again.
Two years later we were in orientation together for another job. She remembered my phone call, thanked me for it, apologized for never responding, and seemed kindly enough. However, I think I was completely torpedoed in that job, most likely by her. People I know who still worked at that facility said she was a walking disaster area. It didn’t matter, that was a casual “extra money” job, but two months later I got a management position and didn’t have to deal with boss lady ever again. (Especially now since I moved out of province)