How to negotiate with your boss to shorten the 3 months notice period?

After going through multiple job interviews, you have finally received an offer. But now, there is still one last hurdle you need to cross before you can join your new employer—the three-months-notice period. In obvious terms, you will want to negotiate with your current boss to shorten the 3 months notice period to 30 days or 45 days. Your new employer may want you to join as soon as possible, and the maximum they may be willing to wait is 45 days. 

However, your current organization is very strict and wants you to serve the 3 months notice period completely. 

So, what can you do in such a situation? It is definitely not good to burn bridges, and this is definitely not an option. How can you escape the draconian three months notice period? Or, how do you negotiate with your boss to shorten the 3 months notice period? Here’s what you can do.

Build a Personal Rapport with your Manager/Boss

This needs to start much before you resign. Start with building a personal rapport with your manager. This can be incredibly beneficial for your overall career growth also. It helps you establish a trustworthy relationship with your manager. Your manager can act as a friend and mentor and can guide you to make important career choices.

A good rapport with your manager comes in handy during your exit too. Once you explain to your manager that this career move is very important to you. 

There are high chances that he/she will be willing to help you in every possible way. This may also include reducing your notice period. You can also do things that can help your manager, such as expediting the transition process and help him/her find a replacement. However, the only caveat to this is that building a personal rapport does not happen overnight. You will need to work towards it from the start of your association with the company and manager. 

Be Aggressive with the Handover and Finding a Replacement

So, you have asked for an early release date and your manager has declined this request. Now, you are forced to serve a full three months notice period. You go back to your future employer to postpone your joining date and they have declined your request too. They want you to join them sooner or else your offer letter may be revoked. You think you are doomed. Don’t lose hope yet. 

Managers prefer to play safe and do not commit an early release date until they have things under the control, i.e., when a replacement is found/hired and the handover process is complete. 

After you’ve quit, find a replacement and transition your job-related knowledge as soon as possible. Keep your manager updated about your progress related to the transition. More likely than not, your manager will be ready to release you earlier than planned after a replacement is found and the knowledge transition is done. 

Clearly, Communicate the desired last Working Date

One of the most basic things that most people miss out on is clearly communicating the desired release date. Ideally, the resignation letter should clearly mention the desired release date or last working date. It’s important for your manager to know that you want to leave the company earlier than what your notice period demands. Therefore, this clear communication is needed from the day you inform your manager about your exit plans or send your resignation email. 

Keep in mind that your manager needs to assess the impact of your departure on business, find/hire a replacement for you and ensure that the next person is up to speed before you leave. 

All of these transition activities may take anywhere between a few days to a couple of weeks depending on the complexity of the work that you were doing and ease of finding a replacement.  

Clear communication from your side about your desired last working day will help your manager plan these activities better and in advance. 

Genuine Reasons Mostly Work 

Managers are human beings too. They understand that at times you may have a genuine personal need to leave the company on shorter notice. In most cases, if you have a genuine personal reason, your notice period will be shortened. If you have a family medical emergency for which you have relocated to a different city. Or if you are getting married and you have to relocate with your spouse, you will mostly be allowed to serve a shorter notice period. Opting for higher studies is a commonly used reason for which companies approve a shorter notice period.

Notice Period Buyout is an Option

Notice period buyout is another option available that you can explore to shorten your notice period. Your current manager and HR should be willing to shorten your notice period in lieu of salary. 

Notice period buyout simply means that you pay the salary to the company in lieu of short fall of notice period. Let say for example your notice period is 60 days and you want to get released in 30 days. In this case, you have a short fall of 30 days in your notice period. You will have to pay the company equivalent salary for 30 days. 

In most cases your next employer can buy this notice period. So you will pay money to you ex employer at exit and your new employer will reimburse this money to you after you join them, This amount is mentioned as “Recovery Amount” in the full & final settlement statement that the employee receives on his last working day.

Most of the companies buy out employees’ notice periods so that the employee can join them at the earliest.

What if you refuse work in your notice period?

Normally, employees will have to work during their notice periods. A long notice period might come across as a way of tying you in to your company and may have been recorded in your original terms of employment. However, if the future is uncertain, this can come in handy and offers a degree of security.

Your notice period, especially if it is for 3 months, can come under prospects for variations, reductions or waived altogether by either side under a number of circumstances.

Here are some of the most common:

• Breach of contract – You can terminate your employment without notice if your employer has in some way breached their contract with you. 
• Right to waiver – You and your employer can waive your right to notice by mutual consent and agreement. 
• Summary dismissal – In the same way, you can be dismissed without notice for gross misconduct. Nevertheless, until and unless there is a proper investigation, it may be found that the dismissal was unfair. 
• Pay instead of notice – If your employer is willing you can choose to receive pay instead of notice. This will be a breach of contract unless the contract expressly provides for it. 
• Counter-notice – If you have been given notice of dismissal you can give counter-notice to leave at an earlier date than the one on which your employer's notice period ends.The three months notice period is starkly an Indian phenomenon that is most prevalent in the banking and IT industries. Often, failure to serve the three months notice period might lead to consequences like blacklisting, blocking certain relieving documents, and in extreme cases, suing for a breach of contract. However, a survey conducted by Hush reported that around 90 percent of the employee population shorten the three months notice period to one month. 

Here are two templates for email for 3 month notice period resignation letter which you can easily use

Example: 1

Subject: Request for Resignation—Monica Kapoor (Name)

Sir/Madam, 

I am writing to you to inform you that I will be resigning from the post of Senior Manager (Job Title) at Tata Consultancy Services (Company’s Name) and my last day of working here would be 25th of June 2019, that is three months from now. So, please consider this email as my official resignation. 

It was not an easy decision on my part. As the last two years have been very gratifying. Thank you for providing me with this wonderful opportunity. I have had such a friendly and smart set of colleagues to work with and for this I am grateful.

I would love to work again for this wonderful organization in the future as well whenever possible.

Please let me know how I can be of assistance during this transition.

I look forward to staying in touch.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Monica Kapoor

Senior Manager

Ph: 1234567891 

Example: 2

However, the following is a template for an email to shorten the 3 months notice period resignation letter for a personal reason.

Subject: Request for Resignation — Raj Sharma (Name)

Sir/Madam,

Please acknowledge this email as my resignation letter for the role of QA test engineer at Accenture.

As per my employment contract, the standard notice period of the resignation process is three months from now, which is June 25th, 2019. But I would like to reduce it to one month as because of an unforeseen problem at home.

Therefore, my final day will be 25 April. Despite having to leave Accenture, I deeply appreciate the opportunities you’ve provided me with during my time as a QA test engineer.

I will do all the necessary things for a smooth transition after I move on. I would be happy to assist with the process of finding an external replacement.

Please let me know how I can be of assistance during this transition.

I look forward to staying in touch.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Raj Sharma

QA test engineer

Ph: 1234567891

These are two of the simplest ways in which you can put forward all the information required in your mail for the 3-months notice period.

FAQ: How to negotiate the notice period?

1. How can I negotiate with my current employer to shorten the three-month notice period?

Building a personal rapport with your manager beforehand can be beneficial. Communicate your reasons for needing an early release date clearly and genuinely. Offer to assist in finding a replacement and expediting the transition process. If necessary, consider discussing the possibility of a notice period buyout.

2. What if my manager declines my request for an early release date?

If your manager declines your request for an early release date, focus on being aggressive with the handover and finding a replacement. Keep your manager updated on your progress with the transition process. Often, once a replacement is found and the transition is complete, managers are more willing to release you earlier than planned.

3. How important is clear communication regarding the desired last working date?

Clear communication about your desired last working date is crucial from the moment you inform your manager about your exit plans. This allows your manager to plan transition activities effectively and in advance, potentially shortening the notice period.

4. Are there genuine reasons that might lead to a shorter notice period?

Yes, genuine personal reasons such as family emergencies, relocation, or higher education pursuits may lead to a shorter notice period. Managers often understand and accommodate such circumstances.

5. What is a notice period buyout, and how does it work?

Notice period buyout involves paying the company a sum equivalent to the shortfall in the notice period in exchange for early release. This option can be explored with your current manager and HR. In many cases, the new employer may reimburse this amount after you join them.

6. Can I refuse to work during my notice period?

In most cases, employees are expected to work during their notice periods. However, under certain circumstances such as breach of contract, mutual agreement, or gross misconduct, notice periods can be varied, reduced, or waived.

7. What are the consequences of not serving the full notice period?

Failure to serve the full notice period, especially in industries like banking and IT in India, may lead to consequences such as blacklisting, blocking relieving documents, or even legal action for breach of contract. However, it's reported that a significant portion of employees successfully negotiate shorter notice periods.

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