Management protocols for employee resignations
Iwas surprised and a bit disappointed when informed of the resignation of my hardworking assistant who has been my executive support for the past 10 years, who joined the company immediately after his college graduation. I thought he was satisfied with the company and our work relationship even though he was not given a chance to advance his career advancement due to certain company policies. It appears he was given a lucrative job offer that we find hard to match in our industry. I’m ready to lose him, but what can I do to make everything smooth for the transition? – Flabbergasted.
A man called the church secretariat and asked if he could speak to the Head Hog at the Trench. The secretary asked: “Who?” The man replied: “I want to speak to the Head Hog at the Trench!” Certain that she had heard it correctly, the secretary said: “Sir, if you mean our Parish Priest, you will have to treat him with more respect and ask for the “Reverend.” But you cannot refer to him as the Head Hog of the Trench!”
At this time, the man responded: “I’m sorry about that because I’m excited to meet him once again after a long time. We were friends in high school. That was a term of endearment given to him by our common friends. Anyway, I have P1 million here that I’d like to donate to the church.” The secretary exclaimed: “Please hold the line. I think the big, fat pig just walked into the office.”
Many times, we forget about respect for people because we believe that material things can make everything possible. While material comfort is a valid concern, success or failure depends to a large extent on relationships.
Sadly, 10 years is a long time for your assistant not to be given any opportunity to advance his career. But I will not dwell on this. Instead, let’s focus on your question which is how to make everything smooth for his transition. But first things first. There’s one major rule that you can’t ignore:
Avoid burning the bridge because you’ll never know when you’ll meet again.
There’s no reason for you to make the terminal days of a resigning employee difficult. You don’t have to have the best boss-subordinate relationship, but you don’t have to be rude. People move around from job to job all the time. For this reason alone, there’s always that chance of meeting your former employee, either face-to-face, if not through social media.
When that time comes, I’m sure that your former executive assistant will know how to reciprocate. Now, here are some suggestions to manage the expectations of your resigned employee:
One, accept the resignation in accordance with company policies.
But not until his last day in office. Sometimes, it’s better not to sign any acknowledgment at all. This gives enough time for the resignation to simmer for both of you during the terminal 30-day period. Allow the person to think it over and accept him back if he changes his mind. Otherwise, if you accept the resignation right away, it may leave the impression that you really don’t like him.
Two, congratulate the resigning employee for his new job elsewhere.
But not to the extent of giving a lefthanded compliment as it’s easy for the receiving person to tell if the congratulations are sincere or not. Demonstrate good faith and without any hard feelings. Being the boss, it’s your responsibility to remain on good terms with all resigning employees, whether they’re good or bad.
Three, acknowledge all the things that he has done for the company.
But do not make it appear that recognition was delayed. Don’t make up for any lapses, even if acknowledgements are overdue. It’s too late for that, anyway. A farewell lunch or dinner on the last day of the employee and with other key workers in attendance might go a long way toward easing the pain of the transition and keep the channels of communication open.
Four, ask for assistance for a smooth turnover of his job.
Appoint a replacement and require this replacement to be mentored by the resigning worker during the 30-day period as required by company policy. Anticipate any temporary difficulties that may take place during the training as the resigned worker may have his mind focused on his new job. Just the same, agree with the resigned employee that he may be contacted from time to time on extreme cases.
Last, fast-track the release of his clearance and terminal pay.
This is one of the most common irritants between a resigning employee and his former employer. If at all possible, ensure that everything is facilitated within a reasonable time line. Also, if requested by the resigning employee, you may issue a favorable recommendation by giving a specific letter that does not sound like it was taken from a template.
With all of this in mind, the challenge is what to do in case your resigned worker comes back to you to reclaim his post. What would you do? There are certain things that you may want to explore, even if the company has a rehiring policy: What would loyal employees think? And what hot skill or talent does the boomerang employee bring back that is not available in your organization?