All employment contracts specify a notice period for resignations. This can be anywhere from 1 day to 2 months, depending on your seniority and the type of role you fill.
It can be tempting when you have resigned on a bad note not to work out your notice period, but it is best that you stay. Here are some reasons why you DEFINITELY should serve your notice period.
YOU COULD BE DISMISSED FOR DESERTION
If you stop pitching up at work, there is a disciplinary process which could see you dismissed from the company before your notice period is up. This could have longer-lasting effects on your career and potential provident or pension fund pay-outs that are due to you.
YOU COULD BE SUED BY THE COMPANY
The company could sue you for damages or loss of income related to you not being at work. This is dependent on your role and how much the damages come to. If your absence ends up costing a lot of money or causing a lot of damage you may find yourself being sued for the damages, especially if your desertion was intentional.
THEY CAN BE YOUR FUTURE REFERENCE
Leaving your job doesn’t always have to be sour. Even if you were unhappy you can still leave on a good note. This way, when you are looking for a new job later on, you can potentially get a good reference from the company. If you leave before your time is up, you are almost guaranteeing yourself a bad reference for the future.
ALLOW THEM TO FIND A REPLACEMENT
When you resign, the world still turns and business must still go on. A notice period is there to allow the company time to find your replacement and get them inducted before you leave. It is only fair that you allow them that time, and continue to do your job until you leave.
DO A PROPER HANDOVER
In the interests of fairness, you should always ensure that you have completed your hand-over to your replacement. The business will still need to continue without you and they had hired you to do a job. When you leave, you can hold your head high knowing that you did the right thing. Even in the face of pettiness, you can still hold the moral high ground and come out the better person by handing over well.
Regardless of your reason for leaving, it is in your best interest to serve out your notice period. There are circumstances or industries where you may be asked to leave before the time. Unless that happens, do the right thing and serve out your notice period.
