Chennai’s 90-Day Notice Period: Longer Than a Kollywood Flashback Scene!

In the world of Kollywood cinema, flashback scenes are often drawn out, filled with melodrama, and serve as a pivotal moment in the storyline. Similarly, the 90-day notice period in Chennai's IT industry has become a prolonged phase, filled with uncertainty and anticipation, but rarely leading to a satisfying conclusion for either party involved.

Why 90 Days Became the Norm — and Why It's Not Working

In Chennai, especially across IT recruitment and roles within tech giants like Accenture, Wipro, Cognizant, Genpact, Fiserv and Tech Mahindra, the 90-day notice period has become standard.

It was originally meant to allow proper knowledge transfer, documentation, and smooth offboarding. But in reality?

• Candidates mentally check out by Day 30.

• Projects get delayed as transitions drag on.

• Hiring pipelines slow to a crawl.

Companies now face increased costs and unpredictable joinings, pushing many to rethink their recruitment strategies.

The Real Cost to Employers

While companies argue that a longer notice period ensures a smooth transition, the hidden costs associated with it are significant:

• Decreased Productivity: Employees serving their notice period often disengage, leading to reduced productivity. This disengagement can affect team morale and project timelines.

• Increased Attrition: The prolonged notice period can deter employees from resigning, leading to increased dissatisfaction and, eventually, higher attrition rates.

• Financial Implications: The cost of maintaining employees who are mentally checked out can be substantial. Additionally, the extended hiring process to replace these employees can lead to financial strain.

Employee Perspectives: The Strain of the 90-Day Wait

For employees, the 90-day notice period can be a challenging time:

• Emotional Disconnect: Knowing they are leaving, employees may emotionally disengage, affecting their performance and relationships with colleagues.

• Career Delays: The extended notice period can delay the commencement of new job opportunities, affecting career progression.

• Mental Stress: The uncertainty of the transition, coupled with the potential for counteroffers from current employers, can lead to significant mental stress.

The Counteroffer Conundrum

During the notice period, employees often receive counteroffers from their current employers, attempting to retain them.

While this may seem beneficial, it can lead to:

• Indecision: Employees may struggle to make a decision, leading to prolonged uncertainty.

• Trust Issues: Accepting a counteroffer can sometimes lead to trust issues, as employees may feel their value was not recognized until they decided to leave.

• Short-Term Solutions: Counteroffers may address immediate concerns but often fail to resolve underlying issues, leading to potential resignation in the near future.

Tezra's Early Release Toolkit: A Solution for Employers

Recognizing the challenges posed by the 90-day notice period, Tezra has developed the Early Release Toolkit. This toolkit offers:

• Negotiation Strategies: Techniques to facilitate early release agreements with current employers.

• Legal Guidance: Assistance in understanding and navigating contractual obligations.

• Onboarding Support: Resources to ensure a smooth transition for new hires, even with shortened notice periods.

By leveraging these tools, employers can expedite the hiring process, reducing the impact of prolonged notice periods.

The "Flexi-Notice" Advantage

Tezra's Flexi-Notice candidates are pre-vetted professionals who are available to join within 30 days. This initiative offers:

• Reduced Downtime: Minimizes the gap between an employee's departure and the new hire's onboarding.

• Cost Savings: Reduces the financial strain associated with extended notice periods and unfilled positions.

• Operational Continuity: Ensures that projects and operations continue smoothly without significant disruptions.

Global Perspectives: A Comparative Analysis

In contrast to India's 90-day notice period, many countries have shorter durations:

• United States: Standard notice periods range from 15 to 30 days.

• United Kingdom: Notice periods typically range from 1 to 3 months, depending on the role and seniority.

• Singapore: Standard notice periods are usually 1 month.

These shorter notice periods allow for more agile transitions and can be beneficial in dynamic industries like IT.

Navigating the Transition: Best Practices for Employers

To manage the challenges of the 90-day notice period effectively:

• Clear Communication: Maintain open lines of communication with employees during their notice period to address concerns and ensure a smooth transition.

• Succession Planning: Develop a succession plan to identify and train potential replacements well in advance.

• Employee Engagement: Keep departing employees engaged to maintain productivity and morale.

• Legal Clarity: Ensure that contracts are clear regarding notice period terms and conditions to avoid disputes.

• Use predictive analytics for talent retention strategies.

• Partner with the best recruitment agencies in Chennai for consistent hiring flow.

Chennai-Specific Insights

• Pallavaram jobs and OMR tech parks are booming, demanding faster hiring cycles.

• Companies are increasingly preferring immediate joiners over waiting for 90 days.

• Working with a recruitment agency in Chennai like Tezra enables faster outreach and candidate alignment.

The 90-day notice period might still be the standard, but it doesn’t have to be your biggest bottleneck. While it once served a purpose, today’s fast-paced IT landscape calls for a fresh perspective. By partnering with the right recruitment agency in Chennai and adopting a more agile hiring approach, businesses can accelerate timelines, improve talent retention, and stay ahead—without waiting for the credits to roll. Tools like Tezra’s Early Release Toolkit and Flexi-Notice candidates empower companies to manage transitions more smoothly, delivering value to both employers and employees.

FAQ:

1. Why do Chennai companies insist on 90-day notice periods?

Many IT and enterprise companies in Chennai enforce 90-day notice periods to ensure business continuity. This extended timeframe is meant for:

•  Knowledge transfer and documentation

•  Backfilling and internal hiring

•  Client satisfaction and project transitions

However, in practice, it often leads to delays and increased attrition risks. The policy is more about risk aversion than efficiency—and in today's fast-paced hiring landscape, it's proving to be outdated.

2. How can we prevent losing hires during this waiting period?

Preventing attrition during notice periods requires proactive engagement and strategic timing. Here's how:

• Maintain regular check-ins and engagement through email or phone

• Send personalized company content or onboarding materials

• Negotiate shorter notice periods early in the offer stage

• Work with partners like Tezra who specialize in pre-boarding retention tactics

Tezra uses engagement campaigns and regular follow-ups to keep candidates warm, reducing fallout by over 40%.

3. Why do employees get counter-offers during notice periods?

Because the 90-day window gives their current employers ample time to:

• Recognize the gap their exit will create

• Put together a financial counter-offer or offer a promotion

• Leverage guilt or loyalty to retain them

These counter-offers are often reactive but effective, especially if the employee feels uncertain or undervalued by the new employer. That’s why speed and continuous engagement are critical.

4. How does Tezra's Early Release Toolkit help negotiate shorter notice periods?

Tezra’s Early Release Toolkit includes proven methods and templates to:

• Guide candidates on how to initiate buyouts or internal discussions

• Coach them on formal resignation wording to expedite release

• Help clients prepare early onboarding incentives (e.g., joining bonus, remote onboarding)

• Provide HR and legal advisory support for complex exits

With this toolkit, companies have successfully reduced notice periods from 90 to 30–45 days in many cases.

5. Can Tezra's pre-vetted "Flexi-Notice" candidates speed up our hiring?

Absolutely. Tezra’s “Flexi-Notice” talent pool consists of:

• Pre-screened professionals ready to join in 0–30 days

• Candidates open to freelance-to-perm models

• Passive candidates on the bench, already serving notice or on a rolling contract

This drastically cuts down your hiring cycle and gives you a competitive edge in securing top talent before competitors do.