As a fractional COO, building the right team for a project or business is undoubtedly one of my work’s most enjoyable and rewarding aspects. It’s a process that involves getting to know a diverse range of people. I learn about their motivations, background, and culture and ultimately select the best fit for my team. It’s a fun process that I enjoy because it also supports my growth.
However, as we all know, team building doesn’t just stop at hiring – it also involves offboarding team members when the situation calls for it. A team member might decide to move on to pursue new career opportunities. It might be that the economic situation necessitates downsizing. Sometimes there is simply a misalignment between the company’s needs and the team member’s skills. Whichever the case, offboarding is a critical process that must be handled carefully.
In this article, I will share with you my essential offboarding process that I have refined over the years. I will provide you with everything you need to ensure a smooth and successful transition. One that benefits both the company and the departing team member.
Let’s dive in and discover how to turn a potentially negative event into a win-win situation for everyone involved.
Maintaining a positive work environment during challenging times is essential for any leader. This is particularly true when it comes to major changes in the team, such as offboarding team members. As a leader, you can navigate these challenging times by relying on transparent communication. Be open and honest with your team members about the situation. This way, you can alleviate any concerns they may have and maintain a positive work environment.
At the same time, it’s important to remember that offboarding a team member doesn’t have to be a negative experience. Unfortunately, I have seen many less-than-ideal offboarding related actions and behaviors. One common issue I have encountered is a lack of transparency towards the team whenever someone leaves. This can harm the trust between the leadership, and the other team members.
However, it can get much worse than that. In some extreme cases, I have witnessed leadership deciding to terminate a team member’s access and sending them a written termination notice without communicating anything to the rest of the team. This is the worst-case scenario and will negatively impact team morale and productivity.
Even in cases of termination due to wrongdoing, communication should still be present between all parties. It’s essential to remember that your team members are your biggest asset. And that maintaining positive relationships with them is crucial for the success of your business.
During challenging times for the business, transparent communication is key.
Let’s explore the specific steps of my offboarding process. While some of these may be standard procedures for most businesses, others are based on my own experience. It’s what works best to turn the end of a professional relationship into a new opportunity.
- Understand why the professional relationship is ending
- Carefully analyze the impact of this change on the business and the team
- Build a transition plan
- Communicate transparently and regularly with the rest of the team about the change
- Support the team member transitioning out
- Keep the door open for opportunities
Understand why the professional relationship is ending
Employee turnover is an inevitable part of the business landscape. When a team member or employee decides to leave the company, it can stem from various factors. This section will explore the common reasons behind employee departures and the importance of understanding the root cause.
Some of the most common reasons why employees leave are:
- The desire for a new career path or a different role: often, a team member may choose to leave the company because of a misfit in growth opportunities. In other cases it is a matter of a horizontal career move which cannot be supported by the company.
- Company cost reduction: in some instances, the company may need to cut costs. This may lead to layoffs or reduced opportunities for employees..
- Performance or attitude misalignment: a small percentage of cases may be generated by a team member’s performance or attitude no longer meeting the expectations.
Identifying the underlying root cause of an employee’s departure is crucial. The reason is not always immediately apparent. For example, team member subpar performance may look like the reason, however the root cause is ambiguous communication from leadership.
Another example: an employee may decide to leave after repeatedly communicating their need for growth and development, which the company did not address..
While it is not always possible to anticipate these issues, understanding the mechanisms that led to them is essential. Open conversations with departing team members can provide valuable insights into potential problems within the organization.
Mistakes and failures are a natural part of the human experience. The key is turning them into learning experiences. This is how you prevent similar situations from occurring in the future:
- Conduct exit interviews: have open conversations with off-boarded team members, providing feedback and soliciting honest feedback in return.
- Evaluate your business objectively: reflect on the feedback received and assess if the same issue could impact other areas or tempt other team members to leave.
- Identify underlying issues: determine if systemic problems affect the entire organization.
I guarantee that your retention rate will skyrocket if you take action on insights from each employee offboarding.
Build a transition plan
When a team member leaves the company, determining who will take over their role and responsibilities is crucial to minimize disruption and maintain productivity. A well-structured transition plan can alleviate pressure on the remaining team members and ensure a seamless handover.
Here are the must-have elements for the transition plan:
- Prepare a transition template: take advantage of calm periods in the business to develop a process or checklist suitable for most roles in your business. This template will serve as the foundation for the transition plan.
- Begin the transition early: start to implement the transition plan as soon as you learn about an upcoming departure. Maximize the available time to handle it effectively.
- Involve the departing team member: engage the team member transitioning out in the process. It is the optimal way to transfer knowledge and strengthen trust within the team.
- Promote transparency: demonstrate to your team that the end of the professional relationship was handled properly, fostering an open and honest work environment.
- Encourage overlap between team members: although not always feasible, having a few weeks of overlap between the departing and new team members can benefit knowledge transfer and training.
- Role-specific responsibilities, expectations, and KPIs: clearly outline the tasks, targets, and performance indicators associated with the position.
- Thorough documentation of processes: ensure all role specific processes are well documented to facilitate a smooth handover.
- Overview of ongoing projects and responsibilities: provide a comprehensive list of current projects and duties, allowing the new team member to seamlessly pick up where their predecessor left off.
- Upcoming deliverables with detailed documentation: share information on upcoming tasks and deadlines, including any necessary documentation for completing them.
- Access to essential tools, platforms, and accounts: grant the incoming team member access to all resources needed to perform their role effectively.
- Training materials and resources: compile a collection of training videos, guides, and other resources to support rapid onboarding for the new team member.
This proactive approach ensures a smoother handover, even during unexpected employee departures, ultimately contributing to a more resilient and successful business.
Communicate with the team
Clear and open communication with the rest of the team is essential when an offboarding process is in progress. Keeping the team informed about decisions that directly impact their work fosters trust and prevents misunderstandings.
Here are some best practices when it comes to communication within your team:
- Communicate early: inform the team about the offboarding decision as soon as possible to avoid uncertainty and rumors.
- Be transparent: share the reasons for the change and provide clear, honest explanations to help team members understand the situation.
- Maintain ongoing communication: update the team regularly throughout the transition process, including progress on offboarding and onboarding new team members.
- Encourage feedback and questions: create an open environment for team members to voice their concerns, ask questions, and provide feedback.
- Highlight positive aspects: emphasize the potential benefits of the transition, such as new opportunities for growth, collaboration, and learning.
- Offer support: provide resources and assistance to help team members navigate the changes and adjust to new responsibilities or team dynamics.
You can proactively address questions and concerns by providing regular updates on the offboarding process, hiring process, as well as by acknowledging the final days with the departing team member.
This approach increases trust in the leadership team and within your team. It also minimizes the risk of additional resignations in a short time period. This is one of the things you really want to avoid at all costs as it will undoubtedly negatively impact the business.
Support the team member transitioning out
Transitions can be challenging and emotionally draining for both the departing employee and the rest of the team. However, it is essential to recognize the positive contributions made by the team members during their employment. As a leader, extending support to employees transitioning out can leave a lasting positive impact and demonstrate your commitment to their success beyond the boundaries of your organization.
Leave your emotions aside and try to think about why you hired the person in the first place. What were their achievements that supported the growth of your business? What was the input of your team member? How did they contribute to the success of your business? Why did you work so much time with this person? They must have been doing something good.
Focusing on the positive aspects of your collaboration with the departing team member can foster a sense of goodwill and gratitude. By offering support and guidance for their future career, you help them grow professionally and contribute to your growth as a real leader.
An honest conversation with the departing employee can reveal their specific needs and aspirations, allowing you to tailor your support accordingly. My experience showed me a few ways in which you can offer to support a departing team member:
- Recommend them in professional groups: endorse the team member in professional communities where their skills and expertise are in demand. Support them as they network their way around.
- Suggest suitable projects or roles: recommend the individual for specific open projects or positions that align with their skills and career goals. Keep your eyes open for such opportunities even after the person has left your company.
- Introduce them to your network: connect the departing team member with people who may be looking for someone with their skills and experience. In some cases it may be worth introducing them to other contacts in your network who share the same values or activate in the same industry or vertical.
- Write a value-driven recommendation letter: craft a recommendation letter emphasizing the individual’s achievements and impact. Take an extra step and offer to serve as a reference if needed. I like to ask the employee to write the recommendation letter to best fit their objectives. I review it and add some finishing touches.
- Offer to mentor and coach: if you have the capacity and genuinely want to help, provide mentorship and coaching to help the departing employee grow and succeed in their future endeavors. This is something that will also contribute to your growth as a leader.
Being a leader means your impact spreads beyond the boundaries of your business. At least this is how I see it.
This empathic approach reflects well on your leadership and reinforces your organization’s values and culture, making it a more desirable workplace for current and future team members.
Keep the door open for future opportunities
In the midst of a transition, it’s easy to become preoccupied with immediate concerns and overlook the potential for future collaboration. Prioritizing the maintenance of a professional relationship after a team member leaves can lead to fruitful opportunities in the long run.
Leaving the door open for future opportunities goes beyond merely ending on good terms. It involves expressing a clear intention to stay in touch and actively seeking potential avenues for future collaboration. Even if the possibility of rejoining your organization seems unlikely, there are countless ways for professionals to work together in other capacities.
If you’re wondering how you can keep the door open in an intentional way, here are some of the actions I recommend:
- Set calendar reminders: schedule reminders to follow up with former team members regularly. This simple step ensures you stay connected and maintain a solid professional relationship.
- Genuinely inquire about their progress: ask former employees how they are doing and what projects they are involved in. Show genuine interest in their career growth and accomplishments.
- Share updates from your side: inform former team members about your projects, achievements, and opportunities. This two-way communication can lead to unexpected synergies and collaborations.
- Offer support: if a former team member is facing challenges or seeking new opportunities, offer your assistance and resources where appropriate. This can help reinforce your ongoing commitment to their success.
- Celebrate milestones: acknowledge and celebrate the accomplishments of former employees, whether it’s a promotion, a new job, or the completion of a significant project. This will strengthen your professional relationship and demonstrate your appreciation for their skills and abilities.
- Track interactions and outcomes: if you are data-driven, just like me, consider keeping a record of your interactions with former team members and the resulting opportunities or projects. This can help you assess the value of these relationships and inform your future networking efforts.
By consciously maintaining long-term professional relationships with former team members, you can create a valuable network of skilled professionals and collaborators.
Final Thoughts on the Offboarding Process
Navigating the offboarding process is challenging, but approaching it with a proactive, empathetic, and strategic mindset can turn these transitions into opportunities for growth and learning.
This article has provided insights and practical steps to help you manage employee departures effectively, maintain strong professional relationships, and promote positive company culture.
By implementing these strategies, you can create an environment where employees feel supported and valued, even during times of change. Take this as an opportunity for reflection, growth, and improvement. Your business will increase resilience and will be adaptable to market changes.
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