Offboarding is a crucial part of the employee lifecycle for every organization. However, many don’t have a formal process in place. As a result, teams must complete a significant amount of work in a short period, whether an employee leaves voluntarily or is terminated.
Workforce Pressures Are Increasing Employee Transitions
New research from CBIZ and The Ohio State University National Center for the Middle Market shows that workforce transitions are a key pressure point, as 49% of organizations prioritize protecting hiring and retention even when budgets are tight, while 45% would consider sacrificing these processes in challenging times. Other insights from the survey show
- 44% prioritize maintaining wages over headcount
- 42% concentrate on headcount
- 47% focus on labor costs over managing employee workload
A well-executed offboarding strategy helps mitigate these risks, ensures smoother transitions, and can even turn departing employees into advocates for your organization.
Where to Begin With a Structured Offboarding Process
Navigating an employee’s exit from your organization can be difficult. It’s essential to consider the little things that make the process easier and more effective.
- Acknowledge contributions: Thank the departing employee for their work
- Review their timeline: Understand their preferred last day and plan accordingly
- Plan the offboarding process: Outline tasks, responsibilities, and deadlines
- Notify necessary parties: Inform leadership, HR, and IT teams so everyone knows their role
Protect Security and Access During Employee Offboarding
Disabling devices and system access for employees during offboarding is critical for protecting your organization and ensuring accuracy in these processes is a top priority for leaders, with 78% of leaders placing greater importance on getting it right than on speed (per the NCMM and CBIZ survey), underscoring the need for careful deactivation of access and thorough equipment return to reduce potential risks. Here are a few key steps:
- Track employee access: Use HR technologies to track employee access to physical keys, equipment, and software, ensuring nothing is missed.
- Support remote employees: Provide clear instructions and a shipping label to track company-supplied equipment.
- Automate workflows: Where possible, automate access tracking and workflows to make the process more efficient and reliable. Exit Interviews: Unlock the Value of Employee Feedback
Gathering feedback from departing employees can provide valuable insights to improve satisfaction, retention, and organizational processes.
Common approaches include:
- Face-to-face interview: Allows you to ask follow-up questions and explore topics more deeply. However, some employees may feel intimidated, which could limit honest responses.
- Written questionnaire: Employees may feel more comfortable sharing candid feedback in writing. The format is flexible, but it can be less interactive and limit follow-up opportunities.
These conversations can also highlight harassment or other legal concerns, giving your organization an opportunity to take proactive action before a former employee considers litigation.
Make Employee Exits Seamless and Compliant With CBIZ
Don’t leave offboarding to chance. Connect with our team, to streamline the process, protect your organization, and turn transitions into opportunities for growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Regularly, at least annually or whenever policies, technology, or compliance requirements change, to ensure the process remains effective and aligned with business needs.
While the process may be streamlined, organizations should still ensure access is revoked, equipment is returned, and any final payments or compliance requirements are completed.
Yes. Organizations should archive emails, shared documents, and system access appropriately to comply with data privacy laws and reduce potential litigation exposure.
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