Typically IT organizations in India impose either a 1, 2 or 3 months notice period for employees who quit. Of late, many are reducing 3 month period to a more reasonable 2. While there are overheads for the organization in forcing an employee to stay for this duration after he/she has put in his papers, in general, companies mitigate the risks of a sudden knowledge loss due to attrition by utilizing this time for planning transition and a smooth handover. Generally, the new organization pressurizes its recruits to come on board as early as possible to fulfill their requirements. In both the cases, it is the individuals who are caught in a catch 22 situation and have to negotiate their way, either by serving the entire notice period or by paying the shortfall in notice from their own pockets. Without proper planning on the part of individuals, this can be really stressful and financially damaging.
Here are a few tips on how notice period issues can be better managed:
- Know your Company's Policy: Much before you plan on quitting or even attending any interviews, be aware of your company's notice period policy. During interviews and negotiations , make it clear to the HR of the recruiting company what is the current company's notice period .
- Plan your exit: Plan on leaving during a period when the project pressures are not high and no immediate deliverable is on the horizon. The chances of getting released will be relatively high. Be prepared on how you would want to take the discussion forward when your manager announces you will have to serve the notice period. Please ensure to maintain atleast a cordial and good working relations with your immediate manager for the next few days or weeks. He/She can make or break things for you and smoothen out your transition. So even if you have not shared a great rapport so far, keep it under the wraps and work out an amicable solution.
- Try for a waiver: As far as possible, serve a month's notice and negotiate a waiver against your accumulated vacation. Thereby, you don't have to pay any money either from your own pocket and neither does the new organization which you intend to join.
- Confirmation with HR well before the last date: It is a general practice for quitting employees to state "I would like to get relieved on xyz date". And even if this last date has been mutually agreed between you and your manager, do verify with the HR so that you don't end up paying money towards shortfall of notice period and under some mysterious rules which might be shown to you later. Make sure you get a confirmation by e-mail and let the HR do the calculation of your last date. From my own experience, there's always a difference between how you calculate 60days and how they do, though it's the same calendar.
- Negotiate Notice period with the new Company: In cases where you are being pressurised to join immediately at the new organization, discuss with the HR of your new company of how much you would have to pay if you were to join on the date requested. Most companies these days are ready to shell out to get resources on board as soon as possible. If there is a positive response, get this confirmation in an e-mail. Also , enquire in detail as to what documents they will need for reimbursement of this amount, such as a photocopy of the DD attested by the HR of your old company or an FFS (Full and Final Settlement) sheet etc.
Finally, remember to part on good terms with everyone at the existing organization. It’s a small world after all!
Categories: career, quitting, notice period