I started at a company after they went remote during the pandemic. They mailed me a laptop and some basic gear when I started.<p>I'm ready to quit and move on, but I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with this equipment.<p>I figure I need to mail it back but what is the best approach to this? The laptop is a MacBook so not exactly a cheap piece of hardware and I want to make sure it doesn't "get lost" or damaged on the return trip.<p>What has been your process when leaving a remote job?
IT/HR will have a procedure and give you instructions.<p>Best case someone will pick everything up. Or you'll have to arrange shipping yourself. In any case they'll need to pay for it, and as long as you packed reasonably/followed instructions it's their problem if something is damaged or lost in transit.
How they get their laptop back is their problem. Just ask them.<p>But to answer the topic question, it seems that a recently-made-popular strategy is start on the newer job and keep the older one in low-priority mode until you get fired for low performance. Apparently it might take years depending on how the environment allows you to coast. But I wouldn't do that, and this may be illegal to do depending on your specific situation, jurisdiction and contracts.
I know there a few companies that have popped up to handle this exact issue, one of them being <a href="https://helloretriever.com" rel="nofollow">https://helloretriever.com</a>. From what I know they handle sending you the prepaid box and shipping it back to your employer.<p>At the end of the day though its the company's issue so let them take the lead on it.
Back when we were in lockdown, I passed it to a HR representative who was in my area. In some past jobs, they let me keep the device even though I offered to buy it from them. It depends on the policy.