Disgruntled staff across the West Midlands have been urged to “think before they jump” following revelations research showed a quarter of the UK’s workforce is unhappy at work.
The advice comes from lawyer Kate Jones, an employment specialist at Worcester law firm MFG Solicitors, who spelled out the legal issues to those considering resigning.
Ms Jones spoke out after a recent poll of 1,000 UK office workers by recruitment firm Badnoch and Clark highlighted that over 20 per cent of workers were unhappy in their job, whilst over a quarter wouldn’t recommend their employer.
“Employee engagement levels are dropping and I regularly meet people across Midlands who have resigned from their job without a second thought for the future.
“It may seem incredibly obvious but resigning from any job needs thought and careful planning because once a resignation has been submitted it cannot be withdrawn unless the employer agrees to a retraction or the contract of employment allows it.
“First and foremost workers must check every detail in their contract of employment as this holds vital information such as notice periods and procedures which must be followed.
“It’s also wise for employees to put a resignation in writing so there is an audit trail and no room for misrepresentation should an employee go on to commence a claim in an Employment Tribunal.
“Those are basic, but vital steps which will help people to leave in a professional, timely manner and not in one which may result in an expensive dispute.
“Unlike the recent high profile resignations we’ve seen in the wake of the phone hacking scandal, there are very few workers across the West Midlands who have the luxury of a financial cushion when they resign.
“Unfortunately many take that drastic decision without fully understanding the necessary legal steps or having other employment options.
“This survey has highlighted a larger than expected percentage of workers in the UK who may be considering leaving.”
