Goodbyes can be hard, but it’s a necessary reality for companies. Whether an employee’s departure is planned or not, it’s very important to have an offboarding process in place to ensure the smoothest transition possible for your company and the former employee.
A good onboarding process can have many benefits. An employee that has been properly trained, brought up to speed on the processes and quirks of a department and given a moment to naturally grow into their role has a greater chance of staying longer and being more productive. A bad onboarding process can have the opposite effect. The same goes for offboarding. Let’s look at some reasons why it’s important to have a consistent offboarding plan.
It Leaves the Door Open
Let’s say the separation process with a model employee is amicable. The thought of replacing them (internally or externally) and bringing someone new up to speed can be daunting in some situations. Don’t be bitter! We can’t blame someone for wanting to take the next step in their professional lives. Show appreciation and gratitude for the work they’ve done and let them know they’ll be welcomed back. Besides, you never know what may happen with them in the future.
If their new job doesn’t work out, they may have an interest in returning. If they do, you’ll receive the same model employee you had before, but they’ll be infused with additional knowledge and training they acquired elsewhere. Even if they don’t return, they may send other reliable potential hires your way because of how well the offboarding went. In the end, it’s a win-win for them and for your company.
It Prevents Many Headaches
Whether you saw the departure coming or not, there needs to be an offboarding process in play. We know there are times when an employee walks off the job or goes home one day and never comes back. Although you may never physically interact with them again, it’s important to make sure all your bases are covered.
For example, you want to have a solid process to handle various types of paperwork such as proper separation notices, remaining paychecks, reimbursements, retrieving company assets, revoking access to company files etc. The last thing you want is a he said, she said situation without documentation to back up your position.
It Benefits Remaining Employees
When an employee leaves, it will ultimately affect their team in some way. Some departures can be more devastating than others, but the team is bound to be impacted psychologically. By having a smooth offboarding process, you can ensure that you’ll be able to attend to the team’s needs. The chances of a morale drop decreases when the affected team knows they are being backed up by their company and will be made whole again within a reasonable amount of time.
Offboarding is not a fun process, but it is necessary. The fallout of a good or bad offboarding process may not be apparent at first, but it will reveal itself as time goes on. Make sure you have an offboarding strategy in place for your business. You won’t regret it.