Streamlining Employee Offboarding

When an employee leaves your company, there are many important steps to take. That’s why it’s so important for companies of all sizes – from startups and small businesses to larger organizations -- to have a smooth and efficient offboarding process in place. 

Not only does having an established procedure in place for departing employees help ensure a smooth experience for those who are leaving, but it also helps to ensure that the company’s offboarding process is efficient and thorough. 

Offboarding employees properly, regardless of why they’re leaving, can protect your company’s assets and reputation as an employer, as well as ensure that important policies and procedures are followed consistently – which is important for both administrative and compliance purposes. 

In this article, we’ll discuss the best practices for streamlining employee offboarding and provide tips for creating an effective offboarding checklist.

What Is Employee Offboarding?

Employee offboarding is the process of managing an employee’s departure from a company. This includes tasks such as collecting company property (laptops, cell phones, etc.), revoking access to systems and data, gathering important information, completing required paperwork, and conducting exit interviews.

Why Is Employee Offboarding Important?

Offboarding departing is just as important as onboarding new hires, as it sets the tone for an employee’s final days at the company. The way an employee is treated as they exit your organization will impact how they perceive their overall experience with the organization and leave a lasting impression on them while also impacting others perceive your organization. A structured offboarding process also helps to ensure that the company gathers and distributes necessary information, as well as completes necessary documentation and reporting.

Protecting Company Assets

Protecting company assets is one of the main reasons employee offboarding is so important. This includes physical assets such as laptops, keys, cellphones, and company credit cards, as well as digital assets such as access to company and/or customer systems and data.

Without a proper offboarding process in place, former employees may still be able to access sensitive information, putting the company at risk for data breaches or leaks. It’s important to have a clear process for collecting all company property and revoking access to systems and data to prevent any potential security threats.

Providing and Collecting Critical Information

Data security and asset protection aren’t the only compliance-related factors that need to be addressed when an employee resigns or is terminated. Depending on the specifics of a situation, the company may need to provide a departing employee with information about their rights and options with regard to employee benefits or collect signatures from the employee on separation documentations, waivers, or other important paperwork. 

Internal Paperwork and Procedures

The offboarding process doesn’t end with gathering information or signatures from departing employee. There are also a number of internal tasks to complete when an employee leaves, such as marking them individually inactive in payroll once their final paycheck has been issued and notifying benefits providers of their termination. 

Additionally, some states require employers to submit paperwork whenever an employee leaves to document their departure. Special notification requirements may also apply if child support payments or other garnishments have been withheld from the employee’s paychecks. 

Maintaining Company Reputation

The overall offboarding experience also plays a role in maintaining a company’s reputation. Having a smooth, organized offboarding process that’s easy for an employee to navigate can contribute to a positive experience, potentially leading to positive reviews and referrals from former employees.

On the other hand, a negative offboarding experience may cause former employees to feel disgruntled, leading them to potentially speak negatively about the company to others. This can damage the company’s overall reputation and employer brand, which may make it difficult for the company to recruit or retain top talent. 

Best Practices for Employee Offboarding

Now that we understand the importance of employee offboarding, let’s discuss some best practices for streamlining the process.

Create an Offboarding Checklist

Having a checklist in place to follow can help ensure that all necessary tasks are completed during the offboarding process in a timely, thorough, and efficient manner. 

Start the Offboarding Process Early

It’s important to start the offboarding process as soon as an employee gives notice or is notified of their termination. This allows for ample time to complete all necessary tasks and helps set the stage for a smooth transition for both the employee and the company.

Communicate Clearly with the Employee

Communication is key during the offboarding process. Be sure to clearly communicate the steps and expectations to the departing employee, as well as to managers, IT team members, or other personnel who may need to be involved in the offboarding process. This can help prevent any confusion or misunderstandings and ensure a seamless offboarding experience.

Conduct an Exit Interview

Exit interviews are a valuable tool for gathering feedback from departing employees. This can provide insights into areas of improvement for the company and help identify any potential issues that may have contributed to the employee’s departure. Be sure to conduct the exit interview in a professional and respectful manner.

Provide Resources for Next Steps

Let the employee know what to expect following their last day, including when to expect their final paycheck and what to look for in terms of paperwork from the company (such as COBRA documentation or end-of-year-tax forms). 

When an employee is leaving for a reason other than a voluntary resignation, it can also be helpful to provide resources for their next steps, such as job search resources, information about career coaching services, or networking opportunities. Doing so can demonstrate that the company cares about the departing employee’s career trajectory and personal growth.

Creating an Effective Offboarding Checklist

An offboarding checklist is a crucial tool for streamlining the offboarding process. Here are some tips for creating an effective offboarding checklist:

Include All Necessary Tasks

Be sure to include all necessary tasks in the offboarding checklist. This can include tasks such as collecting company property, revoking access to systems and data, and conducting exit interviews. Consider involving multiple departments in the creation of the checklist to ensure all tasks are accounted for.

Set Timelines for Each Task

Setting timelines for each task can help ensure that the offboarding process stays on track. This can also help prevent any last-minute scrambling to complete tasks before an employee’s last day. 

Assign Responsibility for Each Task

Assigning responsibility for each task can help ensure that all tasks are completed and prevent any confusion or overlap. Be sure to clearly communicate the assigned tasks to the responsible parties and verify that everyone involved knows what they need to do. 

Review and Update the Checklist Regularly

It’s important to regularly review and update the offboarding checklist to ensure it remains effective. As processes and systems change, the offboarding checklist should be updated to reflect these changes.

Who Is Responsible for Employee Offboarding?

The responsibility for exit interviews and overseeing the overall employee offboarding process typically falls on the HR department, but multiple departments generally need to be involved in the offboarding process. For example, IT will need to handle revoking access to systems and data, while the employee’s direct manager may be the most appropriate individual to handle collecting company property. 

Takeaways

Employee offboarding is an important process that should not be overlooked. It’s crucial for protecting company assets and maintaining the company’s reputation. By following best practices and creating an effective offboarding checklist to leave each time an employee departs, you can streamline the offboarding process and ensure a positive experience for both the departing employee and the company. Remember to regularly review and update your offboarding process to ensure it remains effective and efficient.

Justworks Streamline HRs Tasks

Offboarding is one of the many administrative processes related to having employees. It can be tough for a business owner, founder, or manager to take their focus away from building a successful business to handle matters like these when they come up. That’s why it’s so important to establish streamlined procedures for tasks like these. As a Professional Employer Organization (PEO), Justworks can help you do just that, and more.

Not only do we provide a solution to streamline offboarding, but our customers also have access to user-friendly HR software paired with compliance assistance and 24/7 customer service. From onboarding to offboarding and employee benefits and payroll, we’re here to streamline those day-to-day business tasks that can so easily bog you down and drain your energy.

Contact us today and discover how we can help you streamline time-consuming HR tasks like offboarding and beyond, freeing up you and your team to focus on what you do best –building and growing a thriving business.