Having an efficient process for offboarding employees leads to more employee engagement and higher retention rates. Yet according to the Aberdeen Research Group, only 26% of companies have an official offboarding procedure.
Despite your best efforts, employees will inevitably move on. When that time comes, here are six strategies to make the offboarding process run smoothly. /
1. Close Out the Employee’s Payroll, Tax, and Benefits
The most obvious step in your offboarding process is closing out the employee’s payroll, tax, and benefits. Regulations on when the final payment is due and how long benefits must continue vary by state, so be sure to check the laws where your business is located. Make sure you have the employee’s current address. If they are relocating for a new job, remind them that you will need their new address for tax documents at the end of the year.
2. Secure Company Assets
Securing company assets is also a high priority. Employees should return equipment like cell phones, laptops, keys, or security badges before leaving on their final day. The company should revoke access to software, cloud-based storage, and the building if applicable. Be sure to forward the employee’s email to a current employee so customers and vendors aren’t ignored during the transition. Your customers, email lists, and processes are also company assets that should not leave with the employee.
3. Reassign Duties or Hire a Replacement
Quickly hiring a replacement for the outgoing employee or reassigning duties is vital to a smooth transition. The hiring process will often only be completed after the employee leaves. In that case, temporary reassignment may be necessary. If current employees cannot cover the former employee’s tasks without overloading them, expectations need to change during the transition. Be sure to communicate these changes internally to your team and externally to any customers or strategic partners impacted by the temporary reduction.
4. Collect Knowledge and Expertise from Your Employee Before They Leave
If the departing employee isn’t present to train new employees, having them review procedures their position performs to see if any updates are needed to maintain the current standards can be helpful. Recording video walkthroughs of complex processes can also be highly valuable to their replacement. If the employee who is leaving deals with clients or client accounts, have them record a 3-5 minute video describing essential information that will help the new employee continue to serve the client well.
5. Perform an Exit Interview
In addition to preserving what they know, smart companies ask outgoing employees what they experienced during their time with the company. Exit interviews can be a goldmine of information about the company, remaining team members, and your policies if you let them.
Avoid a long list of closed-ended questions that encourage vague answers when crafting your interview questions. Instead, opt for 5-10 open-ended questions that invite the interviewee to share the good, the bad, and the ugly of their experience. Ensure the space is inviting and the interviewer welcomes all opinions, including those that feel hostile or untrue.
A healthy exit interview is a space for listening and data collecting, not defending or deflecting criticism. Your team can review and evaluate the responses after the exit interview ends. If possible, have someone other than the employee’s direct supervisor conduct the interview. You are more likely to get honest responses from people if they can speak to a neutral party.
6. Openly Communicate with Your Remaining Employees
Being honest with employees who stay is crucial to keeping employee engagement and satisfaction high. Create a procedure for communicating that an employee is leaving and how their workload will transition. Be honest about the process while honoring the outgoing employee’s right to confidentiality. Sharing that they’re exiting due to a medical condition, family crisis, or were fired may have serious legal ramifications. Instead, be upfront with the remaining team members and let them know the transition plan as it develops. Quickly address any gossip or negativity by reminding team members to address the situation professionally and compassionately.
Creating a Consistent Offboarding Process
Creating a consistent offboarding process will make it easier to close out an employee’s time without spending significant time trying to tie up loose ends. Quickly completing paperwork and securing the company’s assets helps your company comply with local, state, and federal regulations. The information you gather during a well-thought-out strategy will give you what you need to handle the transition efficiently.
About the Author
Kim Brown-Webster is a SSHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) with over 23 years of Human Resources experience.
