How to handle a good employee leaving

Gone are the days of a job for life even if you want one.  The business environment and economic conditions are constantly changing and naturally businesses need to evolve too if they are to keep up. This situation presents both opportunities as well as challenges, opening up potentially exciting new roles but at the same increasing demands on existing staff who are likely to need to acquire new or at least enhanced skills in order to sustain performance. It is within this dynamic framework that some staff will inevitably review their existing role and may be tempted by the apparent benefits of a new position within a different organisation. So how best should this situation be handled?

Well, if you agree with my opening statement, then by definition, every role in any business is necessarily transient and while the length of tenure will of course vary, the best thing is for the relationship to be as mutually beneficial as possible. This includes the time between when the staff member hands in their notice and when they actually leave. Ironic though this may sound, I recommend that every manager discusses with their team member the need for open dialogue between them when the potential for the employee leaving arises. There can be few things more frustrating for a manger than when a valued staff member formally hands in their notice to resign over something that, with prior discussion, could have been resolved. From day one, I used to ask my staff to let me know if they were thinking about leaving at any time “in order to give me a chance to address their issue” if one exists. As a manager, you may or may not be able to dissuade them or resolve any particular dissatisfaction, but the fact that you try will definitely be appreciated.

Of course, staff don’t just leave because there’s something wrong. It could be that their personal circumstances have changed and they need to move location, perhaps they require higher income or they are simply in need of a new challenge. Equally, they may have found or been presented with a new opportunity, not previously considered, which will enable more personal growth, greater remuneration or be a better fit with their overall long term career development plan. Whatever the impetus, it is very important that the employee’s manager clearly understands the reason why the employee is leaving since it could be symptomatic of one or more underlying problems that need to be addressed to prevent other staff members from leaving.

Whatever the reason for going, as a manager it is essential that their remaining time with the company is enjoyable and as mutually beneficial as possible.  There are many reasons for this. The first one being that it is not uncommon for ‘the grass is greener on the other side’ effect in which the new role turns out to be nothing like what was advertised and so if no bridges have been burned during the notice period, there is always the possibility that the employee could come back if the former company desires this as well. More commonly the new role will work out, so if the staff member has left their former employer in a positive state of mind with good memories of their time together, they are likely to talk positively about their working relationship which will reflect well on the previous company perhaps enhancing its standing and reputation making it easier for the business to acquire new staff.

So, parting ways does not need to be an unpleasant experience, but once it is determined that the employee will definitely be leaving their current role, it is important that s/he and their manager sit down and develop an agreed Transition Plan. This will ensure that key information and contacts can be smoothly transitioned in a timely and prioritised manner and that the company is not unduly compromised by the loss of the employee. It may not be great for a company to lose a key staff member, but it does not need to be a hostile experience; handled properly it should give a good result.

Ian Ash ACC, AinstiB

Managing Director OrgMent Talent Solutions www.omtalent.com.au