As much as you might take every measure to retain your staff, the reality is that we are moving into an era where people move between organisations far more quickly than before. That said, there is no doubt that when someone hands in their resignation it can be painful, especially if it takes you by surprise or if they are a key member of your team. In this situation, it’s important to not react emotionally, despite the impact the employee’s departure might have on your business. Burning bridges will only ever make things worse, and in today’s increasingly short-termist business environment, maintaining good relationships with former employees will become a critical factor for success.
Branding Exercise
In a market where candidates have more choice than ever, your reputation as an employer is crucial. In addition to all of the new channels for people to register their opinions about your organisation – social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn, or services like Glassdoor and Seek reviews – word of mouth is still as powerful as it always has been.
It’s important to keep this in mind when parting company with employees, and to be prepared for the eventuality. The key is to not react in a way that could worsen the relationship, even if you’re caught by surprise, which is easy to do if the relationship is already tense. As IT recruitment specialists, we are well aware that some skills are very hard for employers to replace, and that a key employee departing could significantly detract from business capability. For an employer, it’s a frustrating situation, but keeping calm is critical.
With so much job movement happening, employees are experiencing more in a shorter space of time, and are passing those experiences on by speaking to their peers. The taboo around “talking shop” is essentially evaporating, which opens up your organisation to scrutiny if someone has a bad experience.
With all of the previously mentioned means of communicating, parting company with an employee on bad terms risks word spreading to their peers and other professionals in your industry, and even into wider circles. This can do serious damage to your brand and leave your company with a (potentially unfounded) bad reputation.
On the other hand, playing it cool, accepting the employee’s decision, and focusing on making the transition work for everyone, can have a net positive impact. By ensuring that the employee has nothing but good things to say about your organisation in the wake of their resignation, you can turn a potential branding problem into a positive whilst still keeping the door open for a potential return.
Leaving the Door Open
With employees moving roles more frequently, especially younger employees for whom this level of job movement is all that they know, the future of the workplace is looking increasingly short-termist. As we move into this era where employees seek change faster than before, maintaining relationships with previous employees is going to become even more important.
Although there are many reasons why an employee might leave, their departure doesn’t necessarily mean that they can’t, or won’t want to, come back to your organisation later down the track. If an employee has been a good contributor to your company, there’s no reason why the door shouldn’t be left open for a return.
Returning employees, or “boomerang employees”, can be of great value to organisations. As they already know the environment and the employer has worked with the person previously, they have a far easier time fitting in and can immediately hit the ground running. On top of this, with the experience they’ve had elsewhere, they may bring back new skills and knowledge that can add further value to your company.
Dealing with Departing Employees
- Make use of the transition period
Unless they are leaving for a competitor, there is rarely much use in not allowing an employee to finish their notice period. This time, if used effectively, can be a huge help in transitioning and can set up the employee’s replacement for long-term success.
- Think through counter-offers
If you do counter-offer, make sure your offer addresses the root cause of the person’s problems or if it is a band-aid fix then start preparing to find a replacement. What’s more, if everything ends cleanly on good terms, there is a higher chance that they will come back to your organisation later on, with new skills and experience in tow.
- Be supportive during the transition
The last few weeks can make or break in terms of the impression you leave on the departing employee – and the impression they leave on you. Support them during the transition by giving them the help they need to get everything in order before they leave, and potentially giving them some input when you recruit their replacement. This will ensure that everybody is on the same page when the employee’s last day rolls around.
If the employee has been let go due to redundancy, you may also want to provide outplacement service beyond simply the minimum standards. Not only will this paint your organisation in a positive light, but more importantly it’s a great thing to do for the employee.
- Hold an exit interview
Exit interviews can be a really valuable tool if used in the right way. Keep in mind that this is a platform for the employee to share their views on what your organisation does well and what it doesn’t, and explore their reasons for leaving in detail. Although you may disagree, this is not the time or place to argue!
- Have a leaving party/see them off nicely
Once you’ve ensured a positive and mutually beneficial transition, you’ll want to end the employee’s company on a high note and give the team a chance to properly see them off. You don’t have to do anything too extravagant, but anything from leaving drinks after work to bringing in a cake at lunchtime can ensure that an employee’s last experience of your organisation is a good one and that they look back on their time fondly.
Summary
Letting go is hard, especially when we’re talking about an important employee with a specialist skillset. However, remaining collected and ensuring that you part ways on the right terms is crucial to maintaining your brand. Having a strong relationship with former employees can also enhance your talent pool in the future, which further helps to turn a potentially problematic situation into a positive for your organisation.
Looking for more IT workforce insights, or need to replace a departing employee? Feel free to get in touch with us today.