People Leaders Take Note: All Eyes Are on You When Employees Exit Your Organization

People Leaders Take Note: All Eyes Are on You When Employees Exit Your Organization

Whether an employee leaves in pursuit of a similar role elsewhere, or resigns for another reason entirely, the way you react to their decision to exit says a lot about your organization. 

There are several reasons why your treatment of departing talent matters deeply.

Your employees will be watching you closely.

Remaining staff will be paying close attention to how you’re behaving around the team member who’s on their way out—and how you’re handling the difficult conversation around their departure.

A poor reaction on your part could impact future turnover by influencing other employees’ decisions to stay or go.

The final impression you make can have lasting repercussions for your employer brand.

Studies in human psychology show that intense (peak) and final (end) experiences—both positive and negative—have the greatest staying power in our memories.

Given that departing employees often reflect on how they were treated after communicating their exit, do you really want their last impression to be a disheartening one?

Remember—if your final interaction with a resigning team member is largely unconstructive:

·       It will represent the most memorable experience they have of you (regardless of how well they may have been treated by management in the past)

·       It could negatively impact your brand (if they choose to voice their opinions or concerns publicly through social media or on platforms like Google or Glass Door, for example)

·       It might harm your recruitment efforts going forward (if potential employees doing research on your company stumble across their negative reviews)

An employee’s departure should be an opportunity to reinforce your company’s values.

Values only mean something if you stick with them through good times and bad. It’s relatively easy, for example, to align yourself with the behavioural guidelines that matter to your business when things are going well in the workplace.

But it’s when you face a less-than-ideal situation—like the pending departure of a key member of your team—that it can be tempting to let emotions take over and prevent you supporting your employee’s personal choices.

To ensure your organization continues to shine when all eyes are on you, here are 4 things you should be doing when a team member resigns. 

1. CREATE AN OFFBOARDING OR TRANSITION PLAN.

Work with your departing employee to identify:

·       What projects they’re currently engaged in

·       How, and to whom, these can best be transitioned

Not only will such a plan help your organization from a work continuity perspective, it will show your employee their contributions held real value—and will continue to live on after they’ve gone. 

2. GIVE RESIGNING TALENT SPECIFIC FEEDBACK (AND ASK FOR THEIRS).

Have an open dialogue with your soon-to-be former employee to let them know what you’ve both enjoyed and will miss about:

·       Their time with you as an individual

·       Their unique work strengths and talents

·       Their specific contributions to your team

Then ask for their thoughts in return.

This could happen as part of an informal discussion where you seek opinions on what worked well or what could have been better (so you can apply what you learn for the benefit of remaining team members). Or you might opt for a more formal exit interview.

3. ALLOW DEPARTING EMPLOYEES THE TIME AND OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THEIR GOODBYES.

Sometimes, a sense of panic sets in when someone gives notice. But while this can lead to a sudden desire to maximize that person’s value and contributions while they’re still present, you’d be better off resisting the urge to give them more to do.

Easing up on a departing employee’s responsibilities will allow them to make transitioning their work activities their final priority. It will also leave a better lasting impression if you give them the space and downtime to connect with colleagues and say their goodbyes.

4. SUPPORT TEAM MEMBERS AFTER THEY’VE GONE.

Some of the best ways to champion a previously valued team member include:

·       Providing them with a reference letter (if they’ve asked for one)

·       Agreeing to speak directly with hiring managers or prospective employers on their behalf (if that’s what they’d prefer)

·       Proactively supporting them by leaving a positive recommendation on their LinkedIn profile

Since you never know when your paths may cross again, gestures and best practices like these can go a long way to ensuring any future relations with former team members are positive.

Plus, by making an effort to keep exit events as constructive as possible, you’ll find departing employees are more likely to promote your organization as a great place to work.

Want to ensure a respectful and successful experience when it’s your organization prompting the termination? Check out our free “Fire People Like You Care” Micro Course!