Employee Resigned but Not Relieved: How to Address Irregular Attendance?

Person who has resigned but not yet relieved from his services is being irregular to the company. What is the appropriate letter to give him?

Dear Lavanya,

Recently, there was a similar post. Please click the following link to read my views: https://www.citehr.com/215466-employ...tml#post969278

Thanks,

Dinesh V Divekar

Hi Lavanya,

You should immediately issue him charges, stipulating charges such as a) indiscipline, b) negligence, c) recklessness, and ask him for an explanation within 48 hours from the date of receipt of the charge sheet for his irregularities during his notice period. This period is crucial for the management, where he has to hand over his total responsibilities to a newly appointed employee in his place of work.

Wait for his explanation, and if he fails to do so, teach him a lesson by issuing him a legal notice stating why the management should not take action against him.

If he fails to submit his explanation even then, stop issuing him a leaving letter and experience certificate and also withhold his full and final payment.

You should also advertise in leading newspapers citing his irregularities so that other employers would come to know about his character and conduct. If you know his new employer, write a letter to them stating the above charges.

An employee can resign and leave his present service, but he ought to move with a smiling face, give no trouble to the employer, and behave morally. We do not know what tomorrow holds; we may have to seek help from the same employer someday. This is life; hence, we should leave the service without causing any harm to the employer.

Mohan Rao
Manager HR

Dear Mohan Rao,

There might be a legitimate reason why an employee is irregular to the office. In my case, I had resigned, and now I am in a situation where I have strained my back because of a freak accident. The doctor has advised me to take up complete and continuous pelvic traction. However, since I have duties to complete before I get released, I requested the doctor for an alternative. He suggested heatwave, exercise, and wearing the back support belt.

I requested the HR to release me in 40/45 days so that I can start with the treatment to be fit once again. My senior manager is fine to release me, but the HR says no matter what happens to me, I would need to come to the office. My back pains every time I sit in one place. It is sometimes even irritating. I am just lost as no one is willing to help me just because I have put in my papers.

Hello,

You may first ask him why he is irregular. There is a tendency for people to not be serious once they have put in their papers, because of the thought that they are going to quit anyway, so why would they be so regular about work.

Hold all your rights as an HR (if you are an HR) and question him about why he has not been able to maintain the company standards. Clearly tell the person that until he has served his notice period properly, he is still an employee of the company and is responsible for meeting what is expected of him.

Also, hint to him that today he may be leaving and joining another company, but there are chances that in the future he may have a better opportunity with the current company - or even have the chance of meeting his current seniors in another organization if he prefers to join them. He should not leave an impression that he is irresponsible.

Be stern in your reply. If you issue a charge sheet and take severe disciplinary action, he might make other people think that "This is how the company treats people who want to leave."

Well, I would suggest that no matter what the expectations of the HR are from the employee who is leaving, the fact remains that all of us lose our interest once we tender a resignation. Issuing a memorandum and asking for an explanation will leave a very bad impression on the employee who is already leaving. The role of HR is not that of personnel police; rather, HR is moving towards the role of a strategic partner.

We, as professionals, should try to influence management to formulate a policy of resignation with a notice period of not more than one month. Additionally, such an employee should be asked for the reason for irregularity, and final settlement should be made with the consent of the supervisor immediately. It is better to cut the losses because the notice period serves no good; instead, employees mostly use company resources for their personal benefit. I hope you understand my point.

Hi Asha Mathew,

If the employee who had tendered his resignation with one month notice, this one-month notice period is very crucial to the employer's management. They have to replace a new employee in his place and get him trained by the leaving employee. The new employee takes some time to settle himself at a new place of work.

Moreover, an employee who has tendered his resignation and is irregularly attending to his duties without informing the management of the reasons for his irregular attendance stands as a defaulter according to the rules of any organization. Such an employee who plays games with the employer must be punished severely. These punishments should serve as an example to the other employees working in the same organization, reminding them to take care when submitting their resignation and to behave well during their notice periods.

Employees are not children to be taught minimum behavioral science; they are educated and grown-up to a sufficient stage that they must not cause any trouble to the employer when leaving the job.

Mohan Rao Manager HR

Dear Mohan Rao,

It's understood and not necessary to reiterate why a person should stay there during his notice period. It's a "known" factor. My point is - the person is already not interested in the job; on top of that, if you issue a charge sheet, ask for an explanation, etc., he would rather leave and never return.

And never ever assume that people know everything. Even if they know, it's important that HR first politely request to know the reason for such deviations, advise, and then go for stern warnings. Punishments are all fine, but at a stage when things go out of the way despite being warned, sometimes it's necessary to think, talk, and then use the stick!

Hi Lavnaya,

It is one of the common problems most of the companies may be facing. The moment an employee submits the resignation, he/she feels that they are now free from all the company restrictions and nobody will question them as they are leaving. This may not be the case with all the leaving employees, but a few are there who are careless and sometimes absconding. I have even seen people who work till the last moment of the last day, whatever may be the case, and sometimes support afterwards also. I feel dealing with the people who are irregular during the notice period needs counselling. Issuing a charge sheet, a show-cause notice, warning them, etc., are all things which one should be careful before practicing. The reason being it may spread bad word of mouth about the company stating various reasons which may not be true also.

My personal experience is that I have also come across such situations wherein I have personally contacted these people and counseled them to depart in a happy way. One of the important factors nowadays is employee reference check and employment verification. If you tell them about this, they will think thrice before acting funny. Even after trying all the things, if a person does not listen, then I feel instead of going into disciplinary measures, we can issue a termination notice to the person stating all the correspondence made with him.

Disciplinary actions are okay for the employees who are on the role with you and they are scared for their increments, promotions, job security, etc., but for a leaving employee, it has no value.

Hope this is in order.
Santosh

I am surprised by the response of fellow HR professionals.

Every member has given paragraphs of feedback for only a single line posting. Did any one of us ask or try to ask the entire issue? Why does everyone jump into conclusions and blame the employee straight away?

Did any one of us ask why that employee has come irregularly?

We all are human resource professionals, please.

Hi,

In my opinion, we should tolerate his irregular response during the notice period as he has already resigned. If the employee was responsible and worthy in every respect before resigning, and now there has been a change in activities, it may be due to frustration or irritation. Yes, you should try to understand the situation by meeting with him so that he can leave the present organization with respect. This approach may also lead to a positive change in his behavior during his remaining days. The key is to communicate effectively with the employee about the issue. I do not agree with taking any disciplinary action against him. Furthermore, we should not provide negative feedback to his next employer where he is going to join.

Best Regards,

Bimlesh K. Bibhakar

Dear Mohan,

If you people are HR, it's not that you're the boss of the company. Employees are not bonded laborers, mind it. Change your attitude towards employees. I don't know which company has hired a centric person like you.

A lot of companies treat employees so cheaply after putting up papers. I don't know why. Rather, you should understand why he is leaving and take action against it.

Okay, if you spoil his/her career and make him unemployed, do you think he is going to sit quietly? No!! He will search for you and smash you like anything.

BEWARE, dude. Don't think you're the boss.

Test_accost, it is a real irony how HRs of a company think they can manipulate their employees.

All that we care about is a relieving letter and an experience certificate when we leave the organization. But these are the letters that are still held by most HRs as a threat to all employees.

A person who has tendered his resignation is having a typical mentality at that moment. It is but obvious that his services to the organization will be irregular. There must be various reasons behind his/her act of giving resignation.

The employee, after tendering his resignation with a due notice period, has some legitimate rights which he can exercise. He can avail leave at his credit. He must not be compelled to tender resignation. Management, in this case, may go for a suitable replacement for him/her. Disputes, if any, between the employee and employer should be immediately resolved by holding a healthy discussion. Always try to employ persons having multitasking abilities.

Prof. Madhav