Stuck Between Two Jobs: How Can I Smoothly Transition from Company A to Company B?

Dilemma Between Company A and Company B

I was indecisive between Company A and Company B, and in this indecisiveness, I joined Company A and also refused Company B. On the first day, I was directly introduced to the team where I logged in (induction was going to happen next week). On the first day, I realized this company is not for me as it was very far from where I lived. I wanted to discontinue working, so I dropped an apologetic email to HR and the hiring manager stating that the travel time was too much. The angry HR called me, asking me to quit officially and serve a 15-day notice period. However, I begged Company B to let me join them next week. I am in a situation where I do not want to abscond, do not want to serve notice, and I want to join Company B without fail or issues on time. Please note that I cannot delay joining Company B any further. Please advise on what should be done. Is this messier than HR is making it out to be? I understand that this is a lesson for me, but I want to do as much damage control as possible.

Additional Information

Other facts: As no induction happened, the company does not have my bank details or my PF GF forms. The employment/offer letter did mention a 15-day notice period while on probation. However, while accepting the offer, the date mentioned as the employment commencement was of a later date, which they changed later. They did not issue me any access card. I did log into the system and opened Outlook.

Don't get panicked. Just ignore company A and join Company B as soon as possible. If you receive a call from company A's HR team, simply do not respond. Eventually, they will stop calling you. This kind of situation often occurs in our lives when choosing the right company. I would like to inform all HR colleagues that if somebody comes seeking help, please assist them or refrain from giving negative feedback. After all, we are all employees. We should not abandon our colleagues under any circumstances. Hopefully, the right person will understand.

Dear Mr. Suresh A, you are suggesting leaving company A in a lurch or ditching them. What you have suggested is unethical. In a public forum, we should give ethical advice. What one does in their personal life is that person's personal matter.

Well, gentleman, there is a difference between negative feedback and unethical advice. If in your dictionary, promoting ethics is negative feedback, then God bless you. There is a difference between availing of opportunities and being opportunistic.

I do not know whether you are from HR or not; however, if you are from HR, then neither are you true to your profession nor to the fraternity.

Lastly, you have advised ditching someone for personal gain. You too can be at the receiving end, so be prepared if someone ditches you as well. Do not grumble at that time. Neither should you blame the other side for disregarding their values!

Dinesh Divekar

HR Perspective vs. Employee Perspective

When we look at the issue from the point of view of HR at Company A, the views of Dinesh are perfect. However, when we consider it from an employee's perspective, which is also necessary because we are here to resolve issues and find solutions for the employee's concerns, the advice given by Suresh cannot be ignored. It is true that recruiting an employee involves a lot of effort and time, but it is equally important to consider the high cost to the company if we lose an employee after, say, six months, either due to resignation or if we need to terminate the employee for any reason, including poor performance.

The Significance of Probation

The significance of probation is that it is a period during which both HR and the employee can decide whether this organization is suitable for them. If we compel the employee to stay and they do not contribute or are consistently late, it will become a problem for us. Then, it will be the same HR who recruited the employee who will have to terminate them. Since the employee has acknowledged that they could not make the right decision, we should allow them to leave, considering that if they leave just before their probation is about to expire, the loss will be greater.

Employment Contracts and Decisions

All employment contracts are valid but generally favor employees. Therefore, the decision is primarily up to the employee, not the employer. Yes, if the employer has suffered a loss due to this, they can claim reasonable compensation. In the absence of any quantifiable compensation, you can simply ignore it.

Regards, Madhu.T.K