Employers spend an exorbitant amount of time, energy, and dollars creating what they hope is a proper and well-received onboarding or new hire process. Why? Employers understand the importance of a strong employee experience from day one. As the employee nears their last day with the organization, this part of their employment journey is just as crucial as the first.

Whether an employee voluntarily ends their employment or is involuntarily separated, they remain walking billboards for your brand, even after their desk is cleared. How your organization manages the employee’s departure has a direct impact on how the former employee will speak about the company.

Remember that every employee matters.
No employee journey lasts forever. However, while an employee is with your company, they should be treated as an extension of your company. Keep the employee-first aspect of your organization fresh, emphasize your desire to take offboarding as seriously as onboarding, and ensure all employees understand that they are a priority for as long as their employment at your organization lasts.

Compile an offboarding checklist.
This checklist will contain a number of items that the management team and HR should use to ensure a seamless end to the relationship. The checklist should contain these standard items, in addition to organization and/or industry-specific items:

• Inform proper departments, including payroll, IT, and HR, of the employee’s departure date.
• Gather necessary paperwork that the employee will need to review or sign prior to their last day. This could include nondisclosure or noncompete agreements.
• Recover issued devices, keys, badges, or credit cards.
• Ensure the employee’s contact information is up-to-date and keep their details in your HR system.
• Remove the employee from future meetings, update the org chart, and redirect incoming calls or emails to a proper replacement.

Create a process for involuntary separations.
In most cases, employees who are thrust into an involuntary separation have little to no expectations for the event. Regardless of whether the employee is one who is eligible for rehire, it is important to keep in mind that all employees should be treated with compassion and be given the opportunity to exit the company gracefully.

Data from an exit interview can garner real information that can be put into action immediately to gain sight as to unwanted turnover, help develop brand ambassadors, or even discover trends over time to see where your organization can improve or where newly implemented practices are succeeding. Exit interviews, regardless of how they are conducted (in person or over the phone), should be performed by a third party who is able to maintain a high standard of confidentiality. Revisit the data and findings from exit interviews to improve your new hire process and recruitment strategies while getting a better handle on market trends.

Streamlining your HR processes including recruiting and offboarding ensures your organization’s focus is on the quality of each employee’s journey, no matter the length. Creating a well-thought-out offboarding strategy is a great way to display the company’s priorities in employee value and care. Consistency is key. Reach out to Vensure to incorporate an employee offboarding process into your existing HR administrative duties.