Dumping someone is difficult. You run the risk of feelings being hurt, tears being shed, and possibly even angry words being exchanged.
As a result, some heartless daters are avoiding the awkwardness altogether by simply ignoring their soon-to-be ex-partner, blocking their phone number and refusing to respond to any messages they receive from them.
And while this cruel trend seemed to peak in the dating world in 2018, there seems to be some indication it is spreading into other areas of life – including the world of work.
The Telegraph reports that an increasing number of employees are simply leaving and never coming back, with no formal resignation or explanation given – allowing them to avoid the potential embarrassment of handing in their notice.
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This leaves employers in the awkward situation of not knowing if they need to advertise the missing person’s position, or if they may return with a good explanation in the near future.
In a report, Peninsula revealed they had received a 21% increase in calls to its advice line last year from employers regarding employees leaving a job with zero notice instead of formally quitting, and new starters never turning up for the first day.
And Jane Amphlett, Head of employment at law firm, Howard Kennedy, warned that there is very little that employers can do to punish this sort of behaviour. “Employers are not required to pay an employee for unauthorised absence and, having made reasonable efforts to contact the employee, will usually be able to terminate their employment,” she explained.
“However, although the employee will technically be in breach of contract, there is usually little point in the employer pursuing them unless the employee has failed to return valuable company property or documents or breaches post-termination restrictions.
“In those cases, the employer may need to consider initiating legal proceedings to recover its property or protect its business, but this can be costly.”
The Telegraph suggests that this trend has been sparked by the UK’s employment levels, which are at a record high. This means employees can walk out of the door and into a new role safely without having to complete a notice period. Candidates, too, can take advantage by gaining multiple job offers then using them as leverage to score a bumper salary.
“Many of the UK’s main sectors are now struggling to hire staff,” said James Stewart of KPMG.
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“It really is a candidates’ market at the moment. Companies are having to offer increasingly attractive and creative packages to tempt new talent on board.”
When it comes to encouraging employees to follow the proper channels when resigning, it can be useful to demonstrate that you do not treat those who have handed in their notice poorly. A small gesture, such as a thank you and good luck card, can help to show there are no hard feelings and encourage others who may be thinking of leaving to do so in an honest and open manner.
