Handle resignations with care to retain potential workers

Yet it seems pertinent as the job market has not entirely shut down. Hiring does continue along with the firing which means doors are still open for those who choose to be adventuress at times such as these. While resignations may be forthcoming from a fewer lot now as compared to boom times, it would be interesting to see how these resignations are viewed and handled, both from the management as well as the employee.

Typically, in the past, resignation, especially from an employee whose services are highly valued was viewed as something that could be and should be prevented. All efforts were made to dissuade the concerned employee from moving out.
Better position, greater responsibility, pay hikes were some of the carrots thrown in to retain the employee. Failing which, a grand farewell was arranged with an open invitation to reconsider and rejoin the firm at a future date if a vacancy permitted.

General attitude
Cut to the present and the scene is totally different. Resignations are no more penned and pondered over by employees. Once the decision to quit is taken, action in that direction is almost instantaneous. What is more, some even disappear from the scene soon after resigning, not wanting to even fill out the notice period.

If you thought such inclinations were confined to the employee alone, you would only need to take a peek at the IT, ITES and BPO sector to realise that the management fares no better. Worse, the management of this sector is increasingly loathe to retain employees for too long. Fresh blood seems to be their new motto. This again is reflected in the lukewarm or non-existent farewell parties.

The general attitude here seems to be to relieve the concerned employee as quickly as possible on accepting the resignation for fear of him de-motivating his colleagues during the notice period.

Indispensible asset
The same employee, viewed earlier as an indispensable asset to the company, instantly becomes a major liability to be dispensed with at the earliest. In short, not only is the tenure of work in such IT firms contractual, so is the bonding, with the employee moving out of the radar as soon as he moves out of the rolls of the company. In the current scenario, it is perhaps foolish to talk of bonding and emotional connection between employer and employee.

 Such talk may cut ice in an era where jobs were not fast paced and were less easy to come by. Those were times when invariably an employee joined a workplace and retired from there.

Greener pastures
However, though it does appear out of tune in the present set up, it may perhaps be worthwhile for both employees and employers to have a slightly altered view of the situation where the chord is not cut so brutally but a subtle link is still maintained.
This would augur well for the firm in question as well as the employee who has left in pursuit of greener pastures.

For instance, an employee who leaves with a fat cheque, a big smile and pat on the back would be a far greater ambassador for the firm than any marketing firm could be.  Sowing good seeds in the job market regarding the positive attitude of the management is bound to attract greater talent than what any seasoned recruiter could. In the long run, this would reflect on the human resource of the company, ultimately benefiting it.

The same could be said for the employee. One who leaves with his pending work completed and a happy management is sure to receive good references that would land him in far greener pastures than he could imagine. Ultimately, it is a win-win for both.

It would thus be prudent for firms to bring in place a good employee connect, a sensitive exit policy where both causative factors and corrective measures in terms of environment, structure and leadership are in place.

(The writer is AVP- HR, Omega Healthcare Management Services.)