LinkedIn post on 90-day notice period policy sparks debate on corporate ‘double standards’

Switching jobs is often seen as a step towards growth and better opportunities. However, for many employees, that transition is slowed lengthy notice periods – a practice now under scrutiny after a LinkedIn post triggered a debate around the widely followed 90-day rule.The post struck a chord online, with many agreeing with Joshi. (Representational image/Unsplash)The discussion began after Nishant Joshi, a senior content writer, shared the experience of his college junior working at a Delhi-based agency. Joshi shared that the employee had secured a new role but was required to join within 30 days, far shorter than his current company’s 90-day notice period.When the employee approached HR to negotiate an early release, he was told the policy was mandatory to ensure a “smooth handover” and maintain “professional ethics”. “The HR handed him the rulebook and smiled. ‘Sorry. 90 days is mandatory for a smooth content handover. It’s about professional ethics,’” Joshi wrote.However, the employee pushed back with a pointed question. Referring to a recent layoff at the same company, he asked, “Last month, when the company fired the entire design team on a Friday evening… where was the 90-day smooth handover then?”Joshi described the moment as “pin drop silence” and used the anecdote to criticise what he called a one-sided system.(Also Read: ‘Startups need people who can make it happen’: Gurgaon founder fires worker over message, sparks debate on work culture)In his post, Joshi argued that the 90-day notice period functions less as a transition tool and more as a constraint on employees seeking better opportunities. “The Indian corporate ‘90-Day Notice Period’ is the biggest one-way street in the market,” he wrote, adding that while companies can terminate employees abruptly, those looking to leave are often required to stay on for months.He further questioned the effectiveness of such policies, suggesting they neither retain talent nor ensure productivity. “You aren’t retaining top talent. You are just forcing an employee who has already mentally checked out to sit at a desk for another 12 weeks,” he wrote, urging founders and HR leaders to rethink the practice.“Stop demanding 3 months of blind loyalty from people you would let go in 3 minutes if your quarterly revenue dipped,” Joshi concluded.(Also Read: