In any organization, from recruitment to the departure of an employee, HR has to perform many roles and responsibilities, resulting in increasing HR challenges. Usually, we hear about onboarding and how necessary it is, but what about offboarding? Don't employees need a smooth exit as they got a great start while entering the organization?

Yes, it’s essential. Watching a good talent leave is never easy, but providing offboarding to employees makes them feel special and which results in making their bond even stronger.

What Is The Employee Offboarding?

Offboarding process of an employee can be done when he has decided to leave the organization. It is the final phase of an employee's journey in that company. But unfortunately, no company's HR gives attention to it, while other functions like recruiting, onboarding, and payroll get huge focus from HR. It is equally necessary as employees represent your employer's brand value to the outside world, and a proper exit gives them a good experience to share with others.

Why is Employee Offboarding Essential?

Companies invest more time and money in onboarding than offboarding. Hiring a candidate into a company is essential, but the leaving process of employees is also important.

Providing offboarding to an employee helps the company to understand the difficulties faced by the employees and what can be improved to keep your good talent stay in the organization to increase the retention ratio.

Any employee’s employment lifecycle in their organization has to face offboarding when they decide to leave that organization. The employee’s journey starts when they join the organization and continues until they quit. Offboarding usually increases employees' morale, retention rates, company effectiveness, etc. One of the major reasons for offboarding is that when an employee decides to exit your company on bad terms, they can affect your employer's brand. Thus, interacting and clearing their doubts by taking exit interviews give them a clear crystal view of the company so that they cannot promote your company negatively. 

Crucial Offboarding Steps:

1. Acceptance of  Resignation

When an employee decides to leave the company, they have to submit a resignation letter to HR informing them about their exit with valid reasons.

Now it's the decision of HR whether they accept the resignation letter or not. If the employee's reason is something that can be solved then they try to resolve it, but if the reason is valid and they cannot do anything about it, then they accept the letter and the offboarding process of the employee starts.

2. Completion of All Documentation and Paperwork 

Verify employee’s all agreement to ensure that everything is appropriate. Prior to the employee's exit, mention and explain non-disclosure agreement to avoid future conflicts.

Once the HR receives a resignation, they start communicating with the accounts team to process employee’s salary, arrears, reimbursement, or any due tax payment or tax benefits.

3. Announcement of Employees From the Company

Let the company staff be aware of an employee’s exit from the company, and this can be done by sending a personal email to all or announcing it in the department.

In the mail, mention the date till which the employee will be available, whether he will be replaced or not, and their replacement. Set new work rules for the team as they will be short of a member. If possible, add the precise reason behind the employee’s exit, and the date for the farewell, and show gratitude towards the leaving employee.

4. Work Handoff Process

Ensure that the remaining work and the other tasks which are to be completed by the employee should be done easily, the company and employees should make a proper plan to execute it.

If the company has already found a replacement for him, then they also have to plan how to make the replacement ready to take over all the ex-employee tasks. As a new joiner will replace him, he will require all the information like device IDs and passwords, files, client list, and more.

5. Collect Company Equipment And Assets

Companies provide equipment and assets to the employee for their work. Like ID cards, credit cards, mobile, if it is work from home, then laptop or PC, etc.

Set a proper way to recollect all the assets and equipment by assigning managers for different departments who will take responsibility for collecting all assets. 

6. Exit Interview

An exit interview is conducted so that you can get honest feedback about your company because an employee who is leaving the organization will always be honest compared to the current employees.

Generally, questions asked in an exit interview are related to the problems employees faced in the company, which was the reason for their exit or about the working culture. After the exit interview, the company provides them letter with a proper relieving letter format showing that the employees have cleared all the dues and have no pending work. 

7. Plan a Farewell

When an employee is leaving, do something special for them and show gratitude for their dedication and commitment throughout their working journey in the organisation.

While planning a farewell for your employee, prepare a small gift for them, circulate a card for colleagues to add their feedback and good wishes, arrange a farewell party, and lastly, don't forget to say thank you for their contribution.

Conclusion

The offboarding process is not always easy because you have to say goodbye to your employee. But, at the end of the day, you have to accept that an employee is leaving the company. So make your last impression a good one by respecting their decision of leave the organization and treat them well for their valuable contribution in helping to grow your organization. So by referring to the steps mentioned above, you can make their offboarding journey the best in every possible way.