There is no such thing as zero turnover in business. Employees come into organisations and, for most, they leave when the time is right. Of course, the reasons for this are wide and varied: career progression, new opportunities, migration, redundancies to name a few.
For the vast majority of employees, leaving their employer is met with minimal fanfare. Most of us have worked in organisations where relatively well-known colleagues have left without us even realising!
From an employer’s perspective, there is merit and advantage in planning for employees who have decided to leave, or indeed for those leaving due to downsizing or restructure.
An employee leaving is somewhere between a predictable and unpredictable moment. There is notice that this is going to happen, but the circumstance are always unique. The experience is felt not only for the individual who has decided to pursue new opportunities, but also for those employees who remain.
Employees will leave – that is a given. And of course, they will provide notice so there is time to prepare. The circumstances and timing however are variables that should be considered carefully.
What is clear is that leaving the exit process to chance can lead to unintended consequences, the effects of which can linger long after departure.
Here are some tips worth considering:
Ultimately, business leaders need to consider what they need to do to achieve three different objectives: maintaining continuity in the business; creating a positive experience for remaining employees; and ensuring a positive relationship with the employee leaving the business.
Keep in mind that New Zealand is a small place – some even say a village. Getting these three objectives right will not only set the foundation for a successful transition and a growing business, but will also ensure that when you come across ex-employees in the future, their departure will be viewed in a positive light.
Having worked in experience design and strategy for the past decade, Matt brings a unique perspective on what he calls, Employee Experience. Matt has worked with organisations across the world connecting business strategy with deliberately designed customer and employee experience strategy. He uses his diverse background to push leaders beyond the obvious to make clear, commercially astute, strategic choices.