Ensuring Employees Serve Their 30-Day Notice: How Do You Handle Early Departures?

How can we ensure that the employees leaving the organization serve a 30-day notice period? Most of them take their salary and join new companies. Please share your suggestions.

If the employees are permanent employees, they should be given monetary benefits applicable only after serving a notice of 30 days, such as leave encashment. I have also come across a case where the company can make a provision of gratuity in the CTC of the employee and promise them the gratuity figure even without completing 5 years of service. The basic idea is to hold back their money to return on resignation. I hope my suggestions are of value to you.

Don't give the employee the relieving letter. Most new organizations would ask for the relieving letter from the candidate. Hold back the terminal benefits such as Provident Fund, Superannuation, and Gratuity (services may differ in your area). Please also ask your salary division to set up a mail ID where unit/branch heads can report non-attendance/resignations of staff so that they can immediately hold back the salary for the month. Nowadays, some organizations have corporate salary relationships with banks. In such instances, the candidate's account can also be blocked for the amount of salary.

Regards,
SHIR

We have to hold their hand when they submit resignation to their head. If he fails to serve the notice period, one month's salary can be deducted from his F&F.

Regards,
arunananth2007

Hello Deepa,

Coming to your query as herein;

How can we ensure that the employees leaving the organization serve a 30-day notice period?

Most of them take their salary and join new companies. Please pour your suggestions.

From the employer's standpoint, serving resignation is akin to the employee telling his boss that he/she is sacked! :-)

Besides the suggestions given by my colleagues on compensation front and to ensure that he/she serves the 30-day notice period, one needs to do the following; Of course, it is assumed that all efforts have been attempted to retain the employee.

* Make a structured plan for the exit and also list out the things he/she must do before leaving the organization. It is here most organizations fail to do so - to put it down in writing and give it to the would-be ex-employee.

* Also, depending upon the complexities/nature of the job handled in case the replacement is required from outside; then involve the person as a panel member for the interviews.

* Make the notice period as normal, just like any other time; at any time he/she should not feel that he is marking his time in the organization. A decidedly hard time is staring at the employee's face as coworkers' sympathies change for a soon-to-be-former employee.

* At the time of acceptance, make very clear the terms for compensation like leave encashment, bonus payout if applicable, etc. All the dues should be clear to the person if he/she completes his notice period.

* If he/she was scheduled to attend the training program - please don't change the same.

Make the phase very smooth and transparent, as don't forget other employees would be watching the situation to see how you are dealing with them.

Hope this helps...

Best Regards,

Rajat Joshi

How about if we have them sign an agreement at the time of joining stating that it is mandatory to provide a 30-day notice before leaving?

Hi Deepa,

Nowadays, signing an agreement at the time of joining is of no value since the terms and conditions mentioned in the agreement generally compensate for the liquidated damages that occur due to his/her leaving the organization. This is not legally approved. You cannot keep someone tied by signing an agreement in this manner. In some cases, the new employer who is hiring is ready to pay compensation and move on easily.

To overcome such situations, we must introduce a multi-skill/multitasking training method for staff. In case of such a situation, the trained staff can take over and manage the situation until a replacement is found.

Regards,
Mahesh K Prasad