Employee retention a top priority and what if it doesn’t work: Time to look at an ideal notice period

Abstract

BACKGROUND: With Big Resignations on and the job hopping trend difficult to stop, HR needs to arrive at a less frustrating and more relevant approach that can curtail employee turnover in the first place and arrive at a mutually beneficial approach for both parties in case they decide to depart. The turnover intentions of employees are an outcome of uncertainty at work, toxic work culture, lack of appropriate work-life balance, stagnation in career, lack of mental well-being or improper monetary compensation. It also is influenced by the work experience of employees within the organization and trust at the workplace. When an employee decides to quit, he is already mentally gone, here it becomes even more critical to ensure that they stay relatively engaged during the transition so as to ensure effective knowledge transfer. Within the given context, what should be the duration of a notice period? How can organizations ensure a win- win approach for both employer and employee so as to ensure effective knowledge transfer? The paper is an attempt towards exploring this aspect further so as to arrive at a mutually beneficial approach both from the employer and employee perspective. OBJECTIVE: With an objective to review the ‘process and mindset’ which are often counterproductive when an employee responds to dissatisfaction at work, the paper aims to look at the ideal duration of a notice period and the context in which it works best. METHODOLOGY: Based on a mini thematic review and using a qualitative approach, the paper explores the current trends, challenges and implications of big resignations to HR as well the problems associated with the different duration of a notice period. An empirical attestation of the study can further validate the feasibility of a notice period that varies across jobs, organizations, industry and levels. It can further be validated empirically the impact of “open discussions about career transitions and job opportunities as less taboo” at workplace on employee engagement of people while on notice period as well employee retention in organizations. RESULTS: Employees need to be engaged even during their notice period, which may be possible only by ensuring a culture that promotes honest and open dialogues between employer and employee without any fear of reprisal when they are vocal about being unhappy in their jobs. An ideal notice need not be a ninety days, two months or two weeks period but has to vary across jobs, organizations and industry depending on the experience; job role; seniority; technicality; industry; availability of a person ready to take charge; or even period of employment of the leaving employee with the organization. The notice period works best i.e. ensures effective knowledge transfer within a workplace setting where job prospects or career transitions are considered less taboo and where the different reactions to dissatisfaction at work (EVLN) are handled through a ‘culture of open communication’, problem solving through ‘Happy, Present, Engaged’ conversations, “Training towards receiving & giving feedback and a ‘smooth transition’ in case the employee decides to quit.