Most Leaders Are Handling Employee Resignations Wrong
It can be shocking and hurtful when an employee quits, especially when that person is a trusted and key member of the team. But no matter how wounding the departure, managers simply cannot react with anger; phrases like "how could you do this to me," "I trusted you," and "so you're just going to abandon us all" are strictly verboten.
If an employee has fully made up their mind to quit, all you can do is help them leave you and the company on good terms. Favorably departing employees tend to hold fond memories of their former company. These employees may see the company as a desirable workplace, a business to support, or a recommended source. Positive past experiences increase the likelihood of a return visit, dubbed "boomerangs." Boomerangs offer various advantages, including quick training, an understanding of company values and culture, and fresh perspectives.
Additionally, ex-employees may also become future clients, potentially bringing in significant business. Their positive perception of the company may prompt them to refer others. Former employees may also prove valuable in referring potential employees or customers.
If you want a chance to turn your departing employee into a boomerang or referral, you've got to do three things. First, congratulate them on their new opportunity. It may be the last thing you feel like doing, but it's necessary.
Second, throw them a goodbye party. A goodbye party may sound trite and overly simplistic, but what happens when you throw a party for a valued employee who is leaving? You let them know that they were important and will be missed. It also lets them formally say goodbye to all of their colleagues. The key is to keep the party simple. Another positive result of the party is that it lets the employee leave feeling connected to their coworkers and cements the homey atmosphere of your corporation.
Sometimes when employees leave and then start at another company, they are shocked at the lack of fanfare that greets them at the new workplace. They go from knowing everyone and feeling comfortable to knowing no one and perhaps feeling lonely. This lack of fanfare contrasted with the goodbye party can sometimes shock employees into boomeranging back to you fairly quickly.
The employee engagement cliff is a real phenomenon; it's where employee engagement drops every year for about five years following an employee's first day at a new company. Across more than 30,000 employees, Leadership IQ found that the percentage of highly engaged employees drops from about 37% to 22% over the first five years, while the percentage of intensely disengaged employees increases from 16% to 32%.
There's a very good chance that when your employee starts their new job, their happiness will start to fade pretty quickly. As the bloom comes off the rose at the new job, they'll start thinking about how much they miss all their colleagues at their previous job and how you were so nice to them when they left. Whether or not they boomerang back to you, your company (the place they just left) will look better and better.
Third, you can take this even one step further and touch base with your recently-departed employee somewhere around thirty to sixty days after their resignation. The goal is to keep the connection going and stay firmly rooted in their thoughts.
Hopefully, you can see the business case for handling resignations with kindness and sans anger and drama. But there's another reason for wishing your departing employee well; it's what a true leader does. The best leaders care about their employees' growth and development. Ideally, that means they're growing with you, but sometimes it means they have to go elsewhere to realize their full potential. That's not something to fight or fear; it should be celebrated.
