Two Weeks or not.

In recent years, a mini-debate has arisen as to whether or not an employee who is leaving a company should or should not give a two-week notice. While some say such an announcement is a relic of by-gone days, others hold that it is still the courteous thing to do.

“Courteous!” those opposed to the two-week notice say. “When a company decides to let you go, are they courteous about it or do they point you to the door?”

The hospitality industry is notorious for its rate of employee turn-over. What are some of the guidelines that will help you decide whether or not to submit a two-week notice of your intent to leave?

Do you have another position waiting? Your present job may not be your dream career, but it does provide a steady paycheck. Imagine for a moment that you leave without something securely in place, and your job search doesn’t pan out. By not submitting a two-week notice you will have slammed the door on the possibility of ever returning to the job you left.

2.

Do you need a job reference from the employer you’re ready to leave? If you are counting on your present employer to give you a positive referral to ANY future employer, you will want to leave on a positive note. A two-week notice will help you towards that end.

3. Are you in a “skill position”? If you have a position that requires more than basic training, for your own peace of mind, you may want to give time to allow a replacement to be found and trained.

4. Can you wait two-weeks to leave? Is your presence on the upcoming job required immediately; is your future employer amenable to waiting two weeks before you start? Quite often new employers understand your desire to give notice; they expect you to treat them with the same courtesy should you have to leave them at a later date.

5. Will you be in a position of liability? The reason companies seldom give two-week notice is because of the possibility of sabotage being carried out by a disgruntled soon-to-be-fired employee. Should something go wrong during your final two weeks – missing cash or product, computer malfunctions, whatever – you might well be moved to the number one spot on the suspect list! CYA to make sure that doesn’t happen.

A closing story: A new GM where I once worked seemed to rub everyone the wrong way. I decided that it was time for me to move on and started to look for another position. When I found one, I turned in my two-week notice. During that time another employee got so frustrated she simply quit and walked off the job. A short time later, at my new job, an opening became available. I knew “Nancy” would be perfect for the job: she knew the computer system being used, was great with people and was very personable. Try as I might, I could not get HR to hire her. The policy was to not hire people who had simply quit without giving notice.

Two weeks or not two weeks? That is the question!

By Joe Fairchild - Joe who writes for Nexxt, has a strong background in employee training and customer service. Semi-retired, he continues working in the hospitality industry for the customer interaction and travel discounts. A veteran financial advisor and public speaker, he delights in helping others find their path and achieve their goals. Read more of his blogs at HospitalityJobsiteBlog.com