When They Leave, Wish Them Well! (Wendy Samson and Curt Swenson, 2016)
How you say goodbye to an employee who has chosen to leave your organization, speaks volumes about who you are as a leader. Whether they are retiring, taking a sabbatical or simply moving on, your treatment of them during their exit is a clear illustration of how much you value all of your team members and whether you view them simply for utility purposes or as a flesh and blood individual with personal goals and aspirations. Remember, the employees who are remaining are watching your actions as well.
Treating a quality employee abruptly or rudely as they exit a position of employment that they held in good standing can completely sour an otherwise positive relationship and can be the start of a negative reputation for your business.
Accordingly then, FutureSYNC International recommends the following practices to leaders as they say goodbye:
1) Have the, “is there anything we can do to change your mind?” discussion. You are being truthful and honoring by letting them know that you would go out of your way to keep them.
2) Use words of support and encouragement as you affirm their gifts and talents, expressing that they will be missed by you and certainly appreciated by their next employer.
3) Do not take their exit as a personal affront. People more often leave jobs for positive reasons rather than negative ones.
4) Provide an opportunity or event for other team members to say goodbye, even if it is simple and short.
5) Pull out the stops if that person has spent more than ten years in your employ. A decade of life spent together deserves special consideration.
Contact the consultants at FutureSYNC International for more ideas on practicing gracious treatment with your workplace team members