The Importance of a good Offboarding Process

After all, allowing employees to move on to new opportunities in a proper way not only creates a good last impression, but also avoids legal problems and costs.

What exactly does the offboarding process involve?

Offboarding](https://www.hrlab.de/en/hr-lexicon/offboarding) refers to the process of an employee leaving your company. However, the departure of a colleague does not only mean the mere loss of valuable expertise and knowledge. It also entails a number of to-dos that should not be neglected. It is therefore advisable to implement an efficient process.

For example, it is essential to have structures in place for a professional handover and, best case, to ensure an extensive induction period for the new colleague. External as well as internal stakeholders should be informed at an early stage and informed about a new point of contact in the near future. Of course, there should also be an internal announcement and an appropriate farewell. As you can see: A successful offboarding process can be quite time-consuming, but is essential for the success of your company and talent management.

Why is a good offboarding process so important?

Good structures allow for transparent processing and ensure that you are remembered positively as a company. At the same time, it also provides the basis for a good start for new colleagues.

While employees who leave feel valued for their contribution to the company and their skills, new colleagues are well received and gain valuable insights from day one. Both translate into high talent retention - because even though one of the two talents leaves your company, a good last impression increases a potential return. And until then, there is a good chance that people will speak highly of you as a company and, in the best case scenario, leave positive reviews about you on platforms such as Kununu and the like. Keyword employer branding!

Last but not least: transparency. Clear processes and transparent communication - both internally and externally - increase your credibility and prevent a potential rumor mill.

Checklist makes it easy

With this checklist and our 10 golden rules for good offboarding, you have a good starting point for tackling an offboarding process for your company!

What should a complete offboarding process take into account?

• Plan the process: Create a cross-departmental to-do list to provide clarity, save time, and avoid errors.
• Prepare documents in a timely manner: Don't wait for a request; proactively create a meaningful work certificate.
• Inform team members: To preempt potential rumors or the like, informing all involved parties should always be ensured in a timely manner. There should also be clarity on how tasks and responsibilities might be potentially redistributed.
• Termination discussion: Don't skip this step; sit down with your employee and gather feedback. Valuable insights can result from this!
• Handover: Losing employees always comes with significant knowledge loss. To counteract this, a comprehensive handover should be prepared, and enough time should be ensured to train new colleagues.
• External communication: Depending on the position, there are different stakeholders who are in close contact with the respective employee. The transition should be communicated proactively.
• Farewell: A farewell gift or even a small celebration provides the opportunity to involve the entire office in the process and appreciate the time spent together.
• Devices and access data: Naturally, all access and accounts must be deactivated, and devices returned. To ensure that everything is considered, an HR software with clear documentation can work wonders.
• Stay in touch: Even if it's time to say goodbye for now, it's essential to stay in touch. This way, you can keep each other informed, and who knows what opportunities may arise in the future?
• References: In a well-structured offboarding process, it's worth asking for a reference, such as on Kununu.

##Main Takeaways In order to establish a high-value corporate culture, this also includes employees leaving your company with positive feelings. This ensures that employees understand how important they are to the company!

Communication is crucial. Regardless of how the departure occurs, give the situation enough space for mutual understanding, and definitely take time for an exit interview. Transparency is key: From team members to new colleagues to external stakeholders, there should be open communication all around. Also make sure that you benefit from automated processes through a comprehensive hr-sofftware!