Stop taxing employees who provide a two-week notice.

Businesses expect a courtesy two-week notice for voluntary terminations under the guise of professionalism.

How do they respond to the courtesy?

By burdening the employee with extra work. Asking them to create their job description. And asking them to detail the process for transitioning their work to someone else. Some even eliminate use of earned PTO.

It’s a terrible way to treat an employee and leaves a bitter note on their experience.

It’s not their responsibility to write a job description nor plan their transition. It’s management. If the employee was involuntarily terminated, you would figure it out. So why burden the employee who provided notice?

It’s petty and a terrible practice that’s been normalized.

My suggestions:

1. Eliminate the two-week notice practice. It’s not necessary when you have a continuity plan in place. It’s next man/woman up.

2. If you do want to keep the two-week notice, provide two-week severance instead. More often than not the employee has already mentally checked out and is there out of financial obligation. Instead of half-effort work for two weeks, wish them well and keep it moving.

Regardless of how you proceed, it’s better to highlight their accomplishments and contributions to the team vs taxing them with extra work.

  • It creates a better employee experience
  • It sets an example for existing team members of what’s possible with tenure
  • It leaves the door open for a return.
  • It extends goodwill for referrals. An advantage when recruiting talent.