What to Do When an Employee Resigns
When you are overloaded with day-to-day concerns, adding a surprise task to your to-do list can feel daunting. Here are some steps that might help:
Tackle Logistics
Offboarding an employee is not as simple as disabling and gathering company equipment. After IT and payroll and have them begin the process by doing just that.
Have the employee sign any necessary paperwork like a resignation letter or a reminder of the non-solicitation or non-disclosure they previously signed.
Notify them of benefits, end dates, and any COBRA considerations if applicable
Determine the laws of your state to decide what you need to pay out (like vacation) and how quickly
Understand there are no federal or state requirements for notice or to pay a bonus for working for you for a long time
Remove the employee from recurring meetings and email distribution lists. Set up forwarding of emails and/or automated responses redirecting them to the appropriate people
Coordinate with the Employee’s Manager
This is your opportunity to discuss a succession plan
Decide if the responsibilities have changed or whether you might want to reorganize
Review the salary and decide what the budget constraints are
Make a decision about the method you are going to use to locate a replacement
Have the exiting employee make a list of their tasks. They might be doing things you have forgotten
Decide if you are going to have someone shadow them or vet the operations manual
Schedule the Exit Interview
Find out how long they were thinking about leaving and what the company might have done differently to keep them
Ask them to ID areas where they think the company is weak and where they think it is strong
Keep Your Cool and Wish Them Well
Try to eliminate emotions. When people leave it doesn’t always mean an end to your working relationship.
Acknowledge their contributions
Hosting a goodbye lunch for people who have worked with the company for a long time gives other employees the opportunity to say goodbye
Coordinating an exit is time-consuming, especially if you don’t have an HR department. Exiting someone graciously and legally will send a message to other employees that you are a class act. If you need temporary help to exit a resigned or terminated employee (who must be handled differently than outlined in this blog) feel free to contact us at (888) 923-0054.