Aug 29, 2024

Getting Offboarding Right

At some point, your employees will leave the company. When that time comes, it's important to do what you can to ensure a smooth departure. Read through for insight into offboarding employees the right way.

 

Like other HR branches, offboarding is evolving drastically. Offboarding is no longer about creating a list of administrative tasks and checking all the boxes. These days, offboarding can help you:

  • Identify recruiting strengths and weaknesses.
  • Detect onboarding problems.
  • Spot employee turnover issues.
  • Measure the departing employee's perception of the company.
  • Keep your brand and reputation intact.
  • Maintain tight security to avoid theft, workplace violence and confidentiality breaches.

Achieving these objectives means having a holistic offboarding strategy that asks these questions:

  • What is the nature of the separation? Did the employee resign with notice or quit without notice? Were they fired? Or are they retiring or being laid off?
  • Who will be involved in the process? Besides the employee, offboarding typically includes the employee's supervisor and the HR and payroll staff. Depending on the situation, other individuals — such as customers, managers and coworkers — may be involved.
  • What happens if an employee resigns or is retiring? Try to get as much notice as possible to give you ample time to find a qualified replacement. Work with the employee to figure out a timeline that will minimize disruption in their workflow.
  • What happens if an employee quits without notice or is suddenly fired? You should have a succession plan in place for dealing with unpredictable terminations, such as assigning a cross-trained employee to temporarily fill the gap or bringing in short-term help through a staffing agency.
  • How will you find a permanent replacement? You can post vacancies internally to hire from within, ask outgoing employees for a referral if they're leaving on good terms, or recruit externally.
  • Will exit interviews be conducted? Exit interviews can help you understand departing employees' view of the company. This information can be used to identify strengths and weaknesses in your talent attraction, engagement and retention practices. Also, exit interviews should be offered to all departing employees, not just those who are resigning. While it may be difficult to survey fired employees, you should still make the interview available to them.
  • Was the employee an asset to the company? If so, show your appreciation by extending a warm farewell, providing any resources that can elevate the employee's career and communicating to the employee that your door is open should he or she want to return.
  • Are events surrounding the separation properly documented? Thorough documentation is necessary for both voluntary and involuntary terminations.
  • How will you minimize security risks? For example, establish procedures for collecting company property and deactivating computer access in a timely manner. Further, develop strategies for reducing the risk of disgruntled employees resorting to violence upon or after separation.
  • What are the steps for processing termination paperwork? This includes all facets of compensation and benefits relevant to the departing employee.

©2024


 

MORE RECENT NEWS…


Jul 03, 2025

What To Know About Fringe Benefits and Taxes

When you provide workers with additional benefits on top of their regular pay, some may be taxable. As the rules can get complicated, it pays to familiarize yourself with the requirements. Read through for an overview of which benefits are taxable.


Jul 02, 2025

Working 'Off the Clock': What Employers Need To Know

Disputes over unpaid work time often arise from tasks performed outside official hours — for example, answering emails, traveling between jobsites or changing into work clothes. Employers must understand when these activities count as compensable work. Read through to learn how exempt and nonexempt statuses affect wage obligations.


Jul 01, 2025

Are You Considering Pay-As-You-Go Workers' Comp Insurance

Workers' comp insurance is essential for most businesses, but as an employer, you may have more options than you realize. Read through for an introduction to the pay-as-you-go model and the advantages of outsourcing it.


Jun 30, 2025

Paid and Unpaid Breaks: What Employers Need To Know

Employers must ensure that break policies comply with wage laws, especially when employees work through lunch, answer emails after hours or remain on call. Similarly, misclassifying paid and unpaid breaks can lead to wage violations and legal risks. Read through for key guidelines on tracking break time and maintaining compliance.


Jun 04, 2025

What Is Key Person Insurance and Do You Need It?

Have you heard of key person insurance? This is a type of life insurance policy that may positively benefit your business’s continuity, though it has both tax and financial implications. Read through to see whether key person insurance is right for your company.


Jun 03, 2025

Is This Your Situation: Managing Tax Rules for Part-Time or Seasonal Help

Do you have questions about the tax treatment of payments for part-time and seasonal help? These employees are subject to the same rules that apply to all employees — with some twists. Read through for some help on tax rules regarding part-time and seasonal help.




More News & Press can be found in our Archive.