Quitting jobs: The two-week notice is dying. Maybe it should

The customary two-week resignation period is losing ground as workers respond to workplaces that feel impersonal, unstable, and quick to discard them. Layoffs delivered suddenly, productivity surveillance, and managers who cut off employees’ accounts before telling them they are fired have helped make quitting without warning seem like a fair response. One worker described leaving her laptop behind after being criticized for supposed idleness despite meeting her targets; another regretted giving a month’s notice when her job was advertised within hours. A cited 2025 survey found that half of U.S. workers had “revenge-quit” in the previous year, while dramatic resignation videos have made abrupt exits more visible.

The case for notice has weakened for practical reasons, too: professional networks now depend more on trusted colleagues than former bosses, and fluid teams can often redistribute work without a lengthy handoff. Still, the two weeks can offer something beyond workplace efficiency. It creates time to say goodbye, ease resentment, and preserve affection for colleagues, even when leaving a job felt urgent. Workplace experts argue that employers and employees are both contributing to a harsher culture, partly because difficult conversations are avoided. The argument is not that workers owe companies loyalty regardless of how they are treated, but that humane communication can invite a more considerate response. Giving notice may be less a professional obligation than a sign that relationships at work were worth ending well.