The Art of the Successful Notice Period Negotiation!

You’ve landed your dream job or made a smooth transition, but now they want you to start right away. You may be wondering how to approach the discussion of your notice period.

It’s normal to be nervous about the future. What is a resignation letter with a notice period? What are the different forms of notice period negotiation? And last, we present a sample resignation email with a notice period.

For the sake of clarity, let’s go back to the beginning.

How long should I give before I resign?

Giving proper notice of your resignation allows the company time to identify a suitable replacement before you officially leave your position. Depending on your position and salary, the standard notice period is anything from one to three months.

On the other hand, there are times when employees need to request a shorter notice period, such as when they move to a different place or have a family emergency. It’s called “giving little or no notice” when you decide to leave your job.

In any case, a 2-week minimum resignation notice is required.

Multiple varieties of notice period bargaining

Here we’ll discuss some of the negotiating chips you can use to get the shorter notice you need. At some point during the onboarding process, all companies provide their new hires with a copy of the company’s policy manual.

When having such a conversation with your manager and human resources, you can either go to the manual or ask them for clarification. There are two common methods of settling on a mutually agreeable notice period: buying out and garden leave.

Buy out

The most common strategy for minimising your notice term when resigning is to offer a buyout in exchange for a shorter notice period. Employers sometimes do this to avoid having to deal with a disgruntled worker after their notice period has ended.

For the purpose of freeing oneself from the relieving procedures, an employee may submit a buyout notice to the employing organisation.

However, in certain situations, businesses may agree to a bond agreement where the worker pays an amount in exchange for an early termination.

A word of advice: get such talks down on paper so there’s no room for misunderstanding.

Garden leave

Garden leave is a term used to describe situations where the employee and employer come to an agreement on the notice period. When an employee resigns with notice, their employer may immediately relieve them of their duties while continuing counting them as an employee on the payroll.

Especially if you are leaving for a competitor, your former employer may choose this option to protect their intellectual property and prevent you from taking private information with you.

Here are 6 suggestions for composing a resignation letter.

Let’s go through some guidelines for writing a resignation letter that includes a notice period now that we’ve discussed the two different ways that notice periods can be negotiated.

Speak with your Manager

If you need to shorten your notice period, the first step is to talk to your manager and human resources.

To ensure that your resignation does not cause any unnecessary disruption at work, you may wish to bring this up when you inform your boss of your decision to leave.

If you want to depart on good terms, it’s only polite to clarify any potential issues that might arise from submitting your notice period.

Follow the proper format

Once you and your employer have reached an agreement on your notice period, the following step is to write the appropriate letter. A formal letter is the proper format for requesting a shorter notice period for resignation.

Make use of the suitable format and separate your thoughts into paragraphs to provide an easy read and maintain your professionalism from beginning to end. The following is what should be included in a resignation letter with a specified notice period:

• Full name + Title of Recipient
• Address
• Information to Reach You By
• Time of letter submission

Write a clear Subject line, including the names of your HR and Manager, and specify the final day you will work if you are sending a resignation email with a notice period.

Make sure to specify which position you are leaving.

The nature of the position you are leaving should also be emphasised in your resignation letter.

Because they will need to locate your replacement as soon as possible to keep things running smoothly, it is crucial that you submit a resignation email that includes a notice period.

Provide at least two weeks’ notice before filing your resignation, especially if you are serving a shorter notice period.

Provide an explanation of the notice negotiation process.

If you are resigning with a reduced notice period, the company needs to know why, so they know you are being honest.

It’s reasonable to request a shorter notice period if, for instance, you need time to get settled in your new city before starting your new work.

Always remember to express appreciation.

In the same way you would in any other professional communication, you should express your appreciation to your Manager and team for the chances and knowledge you gained during your time with the company by including a word or two in your resignation letter with notice period.

Sign your name at the end.

Whether you’re submitting a resignation letter or email, be sure to sign off with your name and a digital signature at the end.

Conclusion

As a result, the following is the only distinction between a resignation letter with a notice period and a resignation email with a notice period:

• Manager and Human Resources can both be copied on an email. Whereas, when giving notice, you should draught two letters—one each to the Manager and HR—that contain the identical information.
• Include the following information in your resignation letter with notice period: your name, address, and contact information; the name, job title, company name, and company address of the addressee; if sending the letter via email, indicate that a copy should be sent to the HR department and the manager.

To leave your organisation on a good note, you should know and observe the Dos and Don’ts of the serving notice period, in addition to getting the format and content of your resignation letter right.

All the Best!