When exiting a company, it is standard to provide your supervisor with a letter of resignation. When you submit your letter with a reasonable notice period, you show respect by allowing your supervisor enough time to organize workflow and tasks prior to your departure. In this article, we discuss what a notice period is and how you can determine the appropriate length of time to give your resignation notice.
What is a notice period?
A notice period is the length of time you will continue working between delivering your resignation letter until your final day of work. Notice periods are typically two weeks or longer. However, you can determine the needed length of your notice period by considering variables like the state of your current projects and the schedule of your coworkers.
Why give a notice period?
Recruitment can be a lengthy process, particularly in specialized fields. Consider the length of your company’s hiring process when you decide the length of notice you will give. Human resource departments will need to process your notice of resignation, create a job description to replace your position and get approval for a recruitment budget. This process often goes through several interdepartmental checkpoints before the application opens. All of this takes time. In addition to being respectful of the company’s time, here are several reasons to provide a notice period:
- To maintain a positive relationship with your workplace: Whether you are in a position for a few months or a few years, it’s beneficial to leave on positive terms. When you apply for future positions, you may need recommendations or referrals from your current employer. Providing a considerate notice may increase your former employer’s likelihood to speak positively about your time with the company.
- So your company can organize your replacement and continue its workflow: Providing your employer with a notice period will enable any teams you have worked to plan for your absence. You will give them enough time to organize your replacement or any gaps in the workflow.
- You may have agreed to a contract or terms and conditions: You may have signed a contract or agreed to terms of employment at the start of your position. The terms and conditions of employment often state a notice period of resignation.
Sometimes companies decide to reorganize their business structure after your notice. They may have found that your job duties can be arranged to suit several positions.