How to Deal with Employee Resignation

The new year is a time for a new start, but what do you do when it's your employees who are looking for a new start, and not within your business? 

ConsultingTools Business Psychologist, Nigel Evans and Sital Ruparelia, the Resourcing Specialist at Authentic Resourcing, suggest ten ways in which you can limit the damage of New Year's resignations.

10 Tips To Profit From A Resignation – for employers big or small

If you employ people, like it or not, the start of the new year does mean some of your team may be searching for jobs, and you may be having some resignation letters coming your way.  The way you handle a resignation can have a direct impact on how your staff turnover thereafter.

Handled the right way, we believe a resignation is in fact a golden opportunity for you to reduce staff turnover.  In the same way you that can profit from a customer complaint by handling it well, you can profit from a staff resignation by following the 10 tips below:

1. Treat the individual in the same way you would want to be treated throughout.

2. Don't take it personally.  They are just changing jobs, they are not rejecting you.

3. Ask them "what could we do to change your mind?" (if you do want them to stay).

4. Take a genuine interest in their new job, be pleased for them and wish them well.

5. Ensure you conduct an exit interview and find out all the reasons why they are leaving.

6. During their notice period, treat them as you would any existing member of your staff.

7. Ensure they are still contributing and learning for the remainder of the time they are with you.

8. Look at what you can learn from their resignation.  What can you change to prevent others from leaving?

9. If someone does want to have a moan as their 'parting shot' (as they often do), do not stoop to their level, keep your nerve and remain professional throughout.

10. Sign their leaving card.  Thank them for their hard work.  Go to their leaving drinks and say nice things about them (even if you don't feel like it).

Many leaders take the resignation personally and they don’t handle it the right way which often poisons the leaver against their business.  The chances are that the individual will keep in touch with the rest of your team and so poison them against your business too – which then only results in more problems for you down the line.  Not to mention what damage they can do if they were to talk to your clients or customers as well.

By handling resignations the right way, you show your existing team what a great business they work for and minimise any disruption from the leaver.  If you take the time to understand why they are leaving, it then allows you to make some changes to prevent further people leaving

Sital Ruparelia is the Resourcing Specialist at Authentic Resourcing.  He can be contacted here and you can find out more by visiting the Authentic Resourcing website, click here.

Nigel Evans is the a Business Psychologist at ConsultingTools.  He can be contacted here.