Notice period : A double edged sword

Recently we have seen a trend towards longer notice periods. In particular, in the IT industry, the norm has become 3 months. But I am not convinced that this is always a good thing.

On one hand, I can understand high-level expertise can be hard to find and it normally can take three months to find a suitable replacement. Yes, there is also the question of hand over and knowledge transfer but in my experience, if handover cannot be completed in one month then there is some bigger issue, like too much of dependency being created on a single resource. Also, I feel the effort a resigned employee puts into their handover period is more likely to be related to other dynamics than just time.

On the other hand, I have seen many challenges of long notice periods which could affect not only the working relationship but also the business concerned.

Once an employee has made a decision to leave they tend to emotionally disconnect. (There is research data which proves there are certain behavioural changes that happen in employee during the process of him/her finding an alternative job.) This disconnect often reflects in their work and interactions with clients and colleagues. Instead of just causing a disruption in workflow it can also cause a decline in morale which could in some instances instigate a mass exodus in the team, especially if the person leaving has a fair amount of influence or is looked up to by colleagues. This could be far more damaging to the organization than losing the expertise of just that one person.

Sometimes, despite how valuable a person is in the role they fulfil, it may be in the organization’s best interests to get them out as soon as possible, rather than let them stay on. This is particularly important when there is a chance the employee could take client accounts with them to a competitor or be looking at starting up their own enterprise

What can we conclude

Notice Period can be a double-edged sword, good for some, and in certain situations less useful or even a hindrance in others. I think it is better to have a flexible policy based on “situation” rather than have a blanket clause for everyone. Should the organization decide that longer notice period is essential then it must be done with close engagement with the employee. Any employer insisting that the outgoing employee rigidly continues his routine throughout the notice period is likely to have to deal with a counterproductive reaction

Finally, it is better companies build an organisation that is more resilient to personnel changes so that the notice period becomes mostly irrelevant.