The concept of a two-week notice is becoming about as antiquated as cigarettes in the office. A 2022 survey by Clever Real Estate surveyed 1,000 Americans after they quit their jobs during The Great Resignation. Forty-nine percent of the respondents offered only a one-week notice or less, and 1 in 4 gave no notice at all.
And why should any employee feel obligated to give a two-week notice if their employer would never give them the courtesy of a two-week notice before being fired or laid off?
The burden of courtesy does not lie solely with the employee. There are certainly cases where an employee would prefer to give a two-week notice, but in those cases, the employee has decided that the employer somehow earned the courtesy.
Companies disingenuously refer their employees as being part of a “family,” but it is generally a very cruel and dysfunctional family that can and will disown you for the smallest reason, or no reason at all. And of course, without any warning.
Employees may be hesitant to not give a two-week notice for illogical reasons:
Old habits. Many of us still see our employer as a parent that we do not want to let down. But your job is not your family. People learn this the hard way when they suddenly must pack up their belongings or their email access is suddenly turned off.
The false belief that no notice will lead to a bad reference. It is becoming exceedingly rare for employers to request or check references. And if you do provide a reference, you are going to provide the contact information for someone that will not defame you.
Caring that a company will not hire you again if you quit. So what! You are leaving for a reason. And they do not want you back anyway. Respect yourself and move on.
If you do give a two-week notice, how productive are those last two weeks really going to be? And if you have a new job lined up, you are likely denying yourself an increase in pay and/or benefits that are waiting for you at your new role.
The two-week notice is an arbitrary notion created out of thin air, just like the 40-hour work week. Let it rot in the past and move forward.