Typical scenario: One of your valued employees informs you, completely out of the blue, that he or she is leaving for greener pastures. The employee has accepted a job offer from out of state and will be leaving in a short time. It is left to you and the rest of your staff to pick up the pieces.
The reasons for employee resignations are varied. You should try to find out what caused the resignation and what you can do in the future to prevent other departures. But you are also faced with some immediate concerns. How do you notify the staff? How do you assign responsibilities? What else should you do? This article will explore these issues.
Of course, an unexpected resignation will cause some disruption, even for a well-oiled operation. Expect a slowdown in the workflow. If the resigning employee agrees to stay on for two weeks or longer and can be trusted, it can help smooth the transition. The departing employee can help tie up loose ends, provide details about ongoing projects and e-mail coworkers. Encourage communication with the person who will be assuming the responsibilities of the job.
If the resigning employee has customer contact responsibilities, he or she can provide the proper introductions. You might ask employees with clear and documentable responsibilities to help create a procedure manual prior to departure if you do not have one in place.
Start notifying other employees about the resignation by telling the employee’s department about it. Then, if your business is small, you might call a brief meeting to inform the other employees. At this point, you can begin dividing up the responsibilities and making other plans for a replacement. Generally, the other staff members will want to know the timeframe for these changes, so be sure to come to the meeting prepared.
To inform a larger workforce, send out a blanket e-mail about the employee’s resignation. Include the vital information about the employee’s pursuit of a new position, announce the last day of work and extend good wishes for the employee’s future success. You may add a note about any good-bye gathering you may be planning. Caveat: Check with the employee to see if he or she is comfortable with this.
Employees usually like closure when a worker leaves. Not only will your graciousness be appreciated but it sends a powerful message to those employees who remain.
Caution: If the departing employee is disgruntled, he or she might cause significant damage to the business. For these situations, review all of the employee’s projects, watch while the employee collects belongings and escort the employee off the premises. Don’t forget to collect any keys, entry cards, etc., and change vital computer passwords. If necessary, you might also want to change the locks.
Finally, it may be beneficial to conduct an exit interview. This will help you to identify problems within the organization or personnel conflicts. If you receive some concrete feedback, you can use the information to improve the company.