I'm surprised to hear that so many members felt a two week noticed email as unprofessional. Considering how applicants are treated these days through ATS and HR notifications, it is difficult for new generations to feel personally invited and connected to a company. I'm 35 and have worked in various industries, and so I'm caught in between the new and the old ways.
1990 rid of the pension plan that once made companies the patriarchal figure that protected its employees. 2007 marked another where our 401K was nothing like the pension plan, and job security was only as good as our productive values, and not our loyalty. I recently talked with my wife about how American companies are more human and equitable, and Chinese companies are more ruthless, competitive, but personal. It's a micro-observation, but let the idea sink-in. Being fair doesn't necessarily mean more personal.
Coming back to my best practice. I would write an email as a paper trail and also allow a crafted expression towards my decision. I would probably leave an open ended invitation to a personal meeting, in person or zoom depending on culture. The personal meeting is to make amends, but the email is the ripping-off the bandaid. My logic would be that the manager may not want interruption, or be emotional effected before an important presentation. The email allowed more for ease of timing and immediacy, as "waiting for the right timing" can be a long anxious endeavor. Once the deed is done (2 week's notice given), its more productive to discuss solutions or how the two-week transition should occur.
Just my personal opinion, and hope that sheds some light to another perspective.
I would love to learn the code of business ethics. None of that was taught in school. We learned that through family and close friends, and even that is a microcosm.
------------------------------
Charles Ou-Yang Assoc. AIA
Partner
Ball Architecture
Irvine CA
------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 06-11-2021 01:02 AM
From: Justus Pang
Subject: Email Resignnations
Resignations are a tricky beast. There is no good way to do it, but there is a right way to do it.
I would agree email only is unprofessional. If one really wants that new gig, then part of the price is sucking it up and chatting to the boss live (in person when possible). My last resignation had to be over the phone since the owner of the company lived in another state and that was awkward. I think he was a little miffed I didn't wait for his next visit to town, but I wasn't gonna to pass up a 30% pay raise for a few weeks just for the propriety. Of course in today's post COVID work environment I'd have done it over a videoconference now that we've all learned that technology.
I agree with the other comments that the fact that the employee chose the wrong way implies that there may be an issue brewing beneath the surface. If she had been at the office for a significant period, then it may imply that she wasn't mentored properly by more experienced colleagues. If she was relatively new, then such a disconnect seems to be a cultural misfit, after all one bad step shouldn't create so much negativity to decline an additional two weeks of service in a tight job market.
Leah's comments is good in highlighting the generational disconnect that has emerged over the past decade. It is surprising how "kids these days" spend so much time on their phones without actually using the darn telephone app. I'm in my early forties but everyone tells me that its a totally different universe with the young'uns...then again I was 28 (and still paying four cents per text) while our thirty year old friend was only 16 when the iphone came out.
------------------------------
Justus Pang
Nevada State Public Works Division
Las Vegas NV
https://www.grizzlypear.com/process/Project Manager II / Architect
Original Message:
Sent: 05-29-2021 01:46 PM
From: Nea Poole
Subject: Email Resignnations
Has anyone dealt with a resignation by email (from a person working full time in the office)? Am I old fashioned to think this is really unprofessional? I would appreciate any thoughts on this.
------------------------------
[ Nea May] [Poole] AIA
[Principal]
[Poole & Poole Architecture, LLC]
[Midlothian, ] [Virginia]
------------------------------