The negative consequences of inadequate offboarding

When employees leave, companies naturally turn their attention to recruiting new employees. However, it is important not to lose sight of the offboarding process. Poor offboarding not only has a negative impact on the relationship with the departing employee, but can also seriously damage the company's employer brand. This could potentially lead to a drop in the number of applicants.     

Evi Melkenbeke, HR Manager at Robert Walters, explains why companies should take their offboarding process seriously.   

Why is offboarding as important as onboarding?

First and foremost, offboarding serves to take care of all practical matters correctly. At the end of the notice period, everything should be legally and financially settled, all materials returned and all online accounts closed.   

The offboarding process also includes a thorough handover, either to the remaining colleagues or to the successor. In this way, you can ensure that knowledge and expertise do not disappear with the departing employee and that productivity is maintained. Evi says: "The exit interview is the last step of the offboarding process and should never be skipped. Listening to the reasons why an employee is leaving gives you valuable insights to improve processes in the future. It is equally important that the employee feels heard and valued so that the departure can take place in a positive atmosphere. Thoughtful offboarding can even leave the door open for counter-proposals and new hires.   

If an employer fails to deliver an adequate offboarding process, the entire relationship with the candidate, sometimes lasting for years, is jeopardized. Valuable contacts between employer and employee can quickly be destroyed by a poor offboarding process. But the damage can go even further. If the former employee decides to share their negative experience with their network, the employer brand or the employer's public image can be severely damaged."   

What are common mistakes in the offboarding process? 

"One of the most common mistakes employers make is to ignore their employee once they have submitted their resignation letter. This creates an unpleasant atmosphere in the workplace and can lead to a loss of productivity and motivation during the notice period," says Evi.   

"Another common mistake is not holding a termination meeting. Not only does this prevent counter suggestions from being made or accepted, but it also limits the chances of a candid conversation or feedback. By not inquiring about the reasons why an employee wants to leave, the company misses the opportunity to make improvements in areas it may not have thought of."   

What is the purpose of offboarding?   

In an ideal world, the employer would persuade the employee to stay and the company would find a solution to the issues raised in the process. All of this would lead to significant internal improvements and a better corporate image. "Even if the employee decides to leave, they will leave with a positive attitude. The remaining employees will feel that they are working in a supportive environment with a good offboarding process. So they know that in a similar situation, they can talk openly with their employer about any issues before making a decision," concludes Evi. 

Source: www.robertwalters.ch