How to negotiate with your boss to shorten the three months notice period? | Calibr

After going through multiple job interviews, you have finally gotten 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 three 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 about you serving the three months notice period completely.

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

Build a personal rapport with your manager/boss

Start with building a personal rapport with your manager. This can be incredibly beneficial for your overall career growth. It also 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.

Communicate the desired last working date

One of the most basic things that most people miss out on is communicating the desired release date. Ideally, the resignation letter should mention the desired release date or last working date. Your manager needs 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.

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.

Originally published at Calibr