How to improve employee offboarding?
We tend to focus a lot on employee onboarding, and that’s a good thing. However, it’s important to also pay attention to what happens when employees leave. No one wants to dwell on the process of employee offboarding, but the reality is that a thoughtful, strategic approach can serve your business well.
When you spend time building strong relationships with employees, it can be hard to see them go. However, a positive offboarding experience can ensure they remain brand ambassadors for your business and potentially a future hire.
1. Create a plan
Just as you would with onboarding, it’s important to create a plan for offboarding. This plan should include all of the steps and processes that will take place when an employee leaves the company.
A good offboarding plan will help to ensure that all tasks are completed in a timely manner and that the employee leaves on a positive note.
It will also help to minimize any disruptions that the employee’s departure may cause.
2. Communicate the plan
Communication is key to any successful business process. This is especially true when it comes to employee offboarding.
Managers need to communicate with the employee about the offboarding process and what to expect. They also need to communicate with other team members about the employee’s departure and how it will impact the team.
Finally, they need to communicate with HR and other departments to make sure all the necessary steps are taken.
3. Create a checklist
A checklist can be a useful tool for ensuring that nothing is missed when an employee leaves the company. It can also help to keep the process organized and ensure that everyone is on the same page.
There are many different types of checklists that you can use, depending on your company’s needs. Some common types of offboarding checklists include:
• Employee checklist: This type of checklist is used by the employee who is leaving the company. It can include things like returning keys and company equipment, cleaning out their desk, and saying goodbye to colleagues.
• Manager checklist: This type of checklist is used by the employee’s manager. It can include things like scheduling an exit interview, collecting feedback from the employee, and reassigning their workload.
• HR checklist: This type of checklist is used by the HR team. It can include things like updating the employee’s status in the HR system, scheduling an exit interview, and collecting any company property from the employee.
• Company checklist: This type of checklist is used by the company as a whole. It can include things like updating the company website and social media profiles, notifying clients and vendors, and reassigning the employee’s work.
4. Create an offboarding process
The process of offboarding employees should be as structured and organized as the process of onboarding. This means creating a checklist of tasks that need to be completed in order to offboard an employee.
It’s important to be consistent in the offboarding process. If one employee is offboarded in a different way than another, it can create confusion and frustration for the employee who is being offboarded.
Having a structured offboarding process can also help you identify any issues that may have led to the employee leaving, which can help you prevent future turnover.
5. Create an exit interview process
Exit interviews are a great way to get feedback from employees who are leaving your organization. It’s important to conduct these interviews in a way that makes the employee feel comfortable, so they are more likely to provide honest feedback.
One way to do this is to have the exit interview conducted by someone who is not the employee’s direct manager. This can help to alleviate any concerns the employee may have about speaking candidly.
During the exit interview, be sure to ask questions that will help you identify any issues that may be contributing to employee turnover. Ask about the employee’s experience working for your company, what they liked and disliked, and if they have any suggestions for improvement.
6. Collect company property
If the employee hasn’t already returned company property prior to their last day, make sure to have a process in place for them to do so.
You’ll need to collect any property that was given to the employee, such as keys, laptops, company credit cards, and mobile phones. You’ll also need to make sure the employee has returned any information they may have taken with them, such as customer lists, pricing information, or company policies.
It’s a good idea to create a checklist of all the items that need to be returned and have the employee sign off on the checklist to confirm that all items have been returned.
7. Revoke access to company systems
If you have a good relationship with the employee, you may be able to wait until their last day to revoke their access to company systems. Otherwise, it’s a good idea to do it as soon as you can.
Make a list of all the systems the employee has access to and decide which ones you’ll need to revoke access to. For example, you may want to revoke access to your company’s email system, but you may not need to revoke access to your company’s social media accounts.
Once you have a list of the systems you’ll need to revoke access to, you can start the process of revoking access. Be sure to let the employee know which systems you’ll be revoking access to and when.
If you have a good relationship with the employee, you may be able to wait until their last day to revoke access. Otherwise, it’s a good idea to do it as soon as you can.
8. Announce the employee’s departure
If the employee is leaving on good terms, you should announce their departure to the team. This is important for a few reasons.
First, it gives the employee a chance to say goodbye and receive well-wishes from their colleagues. Second, it helps to avoid any awkwardness that might arise if the employee simply disappeared without any explanation. And finally, it gives the rest of the team a chance to ask questions and get any concerns addressed.
Of course, you should always respect the departing employee’s privacy and only share as much information as they are comfortable with. But in most cases, it’s a good idea to make a brief announcement about their departure.
9. Set up the replacement for success
If you have a new employee who will be taking the place of the departing employee, it’s important to set them up for success before the old employee leaves.
This means giving them the opportunity to meet, learn from, and work with the outgoing employee. It’s also important to make sure they have all the tools and information they need to be successful in their new role.
This can help to ensure a smooth transition and can also help to boost the new employee’s confidence and productivity.
10. Keep in touch
Just because someone is leaving your company doesn’t mean they have to leave your life.
When employees leave on good terms, it can be beneficial to keep in touch with them. You never know when you may need to hire them again.
If a former employee has a good experience at your company, they’re more likely to recommend you to their friends, family, and professional network.
Maintaining a good relationship with former employees can help you build a strong employer brand and attract top talent to your company.
Conclusion
In conclusion, employee offboarding is a crucial part of the employee lifecycle. It can have a positive or negative impact on your employer brand and how you are perceived by your former employees. By following the tips and best practices we have shared, you can improve your offboarding process and ensure that your employees leave on good terms.
