Introduction

For HR professionals, the growing trend of employee turnover raises significant questions about the offboarding process. When an employee leaves, HR teams have the chance to gather candid feedback and recommend actions to prevent further turnover. Additionally, offboarding is essential for ensuring compliance and avoiding legal risks. It helps maintain your organisation’s reputation, enhances the working experience of current employees, and preserves networking opportunities.

Offboarding Definition for HR

Offboarding is the process that leads to the formal separation between an employee and a company through resignation, termination, or retirement. It encompasses all the decisions and processes involved when an employee leaves. This may include:

• Transferring job responsibilities
• Deactivating access rights and passwords
• Returning equipment
• Conducting exit interviews to gather feedback

Offboarding ensures there are no loose ends when an employee leaves, preventing scenarios like emailing a former employee for their ID badge weeks later. It also offers valuable insights for improving the experiences of current and future employees.

Why Is the Offboarding Process Important?

When an employee leaves, they become either an advocate or an antagonist for your company. Advocates speak highly of the organisation or employer and can refer potential new employees, while antagonists can damage the very entity’s reputation. Effective offboarding can turn departing employees into advocates.

An effective offboarding process reduces misunderstandings and fosters opportunities for future networking, development, and growth. It protects your company’s employer brand by ensuring a positive employee experience throughout their tenure, including their departure. This helps maintain a strong employer brand, crucial for attracting and retaining talent.

For instance, a report from ExecuSearch found that 86% of professionals would switch jobs if offered more professional development opportunities. A study highlighted that employees in leadership positions leave mainly because of boredom and long hours, which are symptoms of employee disengagement. These statistics underscore the importance of employee engagement throughout their journey, from onboarding to offboarding.

Offboarding Surfaces Employees’ Pain Points

Offboarding provides a rare opportunity for employees to be candid about their experiences. A great workplace addresses its flaws rather than covering them up. HR professionals should see offboarding as a chance to identify issues, make departing employees feel heard, and take steps to improve.

Effective offboarding shouldn’t be a surprise or an afterthought; it should flow naturally from regular employee communication. There should be no surprises in yearly evaluations; changes should be made continuously and promptly.

Getting authentic feedback can be challenging, but it’s essential. Ignoring employees who decide to leave doesn’t mitigate the consequences of turnover. Poor offboarding strategies can worsen the situation. Regular communication throughout the employee lifecycle helps prevent minor issues from escalating into major problems.

Offboarding Leaves the Door Open for Boomerang Employees

Maintaining open communication with employees is crucial for aligning their talents with your organisation’s needs. When an employee’s career path diverges from your organisation, a thorough offboarding process can keep the door open for their return.

Recruiters refer to rehired employees as boomerang employees, and this practice is becoming increasingly common as competition for talent intensifies. According to a workplace trends study, namely This Is the Top Reason People Quit Their Jobs—It’s Not Money, 15% of employees have returned to a former employer, and 40% employers would consider it, including 46% of millennials. This trend reflects a growing acceptance among HR professionals and managers to rehire former employees, recognising the benefits they bring.

Boomerang employees offer unique advantages. They are already familiar with the company culture, require less training, and can quickly adapt to their roles. This reduces onboarding time and costs, allowing the organization to benefit from their experience and knowledge immediately. Furthermore, boomerang employees often return with new skills and perspectives gained from their time away, contributing fresh ideas and approaches to the workplace.

The key to successfully rehiring former employees lies in maintaining open lines of communication. This begins during the offboarding process, where it is essential to leave on good terms. Conducting thorough exit interviews to understand their reasons for leaving and addressing any concerns can create a positive parting impression. Staying connected through professional networks or alumni programs can also help keep former employees engaged with the organisation.

Tracking previous employee performance and maintaining detailed records can aid recruiters in evaluating former employees against new candidates. By considering their past contributions and understanding their growth during their absence, recruiters can make informed decisions about their potential fit for current openings.

Organisations can benefit from formalising their approach to rehiring boomerang employees. Developing a structured program that outlines the criteria for reemployment and communicates the advantages of returning can attract top talent back to the company. Highlighting success stories of boomerang employees and promoting a culture of lifelong career support can reinforce the message that the organization values its employees, even after they leave.

Moreover, fostering a supportive and inclusive workplace culture can increase the likelihood of former employees considering a return. When employees feel valued and supported throughout their career journey, they are more likely to maintain a positive relationship with the organization, even if they move on to other opportunities. This positive perception can lead to higher rehire rates and a stronger overall talent pool.

Therefore, maintaining open communication with employees, both during their tenure and after they leave, is essential for aligning their talents with your organization’s needs. The practice of rehiring boomerang employees is becoming more common as organizations recognize the value of their experience and familiarity with the company. By implementing a thorough offboarding process, staying connected, and formalising a rehiring program, organisations can tap into a valuable talent pool and strengthen their workforce for the future.

Onboarding and Offboarding: What’s the Difference?

Onboarding and offboarding are the bookends of an employee’s time at a company. Onboarding involves integrating new hires into the organisation, while offboarding manages their exit. Both processes should be carefully planned and executed to ensure a positive experience for employees.

Onboarding and offboarding processes vary in complexity depending on the organisation, but the more time and care invested in these processes, the better the employee experience. Both onboarding and offboarding can involve uncertainty and risk for employees and organisations. Clear communication can alleviate these concerns and ensure smooth transitions.

Next Step: Create an Effective Offboarding Process

Investing in an effective offboarding process can lead to continuous improvement for your organisation. Whether employees return with new skills or part ways permanently, offboarding demonstrates an organisation’s commitment to their progression and willingness to adapt for the better.