Whether an employee quits, is fired, or decides to retire, PayTech is here to help guide you through the process so you can protect your team, your business, and focus on moving forward.
Firstly, you should notify your Human Resources office directly after you are aware that an employee is intending to leave. There may be some forms to fill out and take care of before the employee can leave. Some companies will terminate employment immediately, but others follow the two-week notice protocol. Either way, a resignation letter with the date of their permanent leave should be written before taking any further action. A final paycheck will have to be arranged by this time, and once the final paycheck has been cut, you should have your payroll or accounting clerk remove the employee’s name from your payroll.
There are many steps to taking your former employer out of your company’s database. The departing employee should be disabled from building or property access when their termination date is scheduled, whether they are being fired immediately, or have mutually agreed upon an end date, you need to terminate the employee’s building access. Depending on your access methods, you will need to disable the employee’s building entry code, disable the entry swipe card, or collect the employee’s keys. Employees should also be reimbursed for any expenses they have covered for the company so that it won’t be used against the company in a lawsuit. Also make sure that the employee understands your confidentiality policies so that mistakes won’t be made later down the road.
Exiting employees are required to turn in all company books and materials, keys, ID badges, computers, cell phones and any other company-owned items. Employees should provide their supervisors with passwords and other information pertaining to accessing computer files and telephone messages. (You may want to keep email and phone accounts active for a while to field customer contacts.) Clearing out their office and making sure that no company property is left in their possession before they leave is essential to avoiding future issues.
While you don’t want to rush this process, it is important that you take time before your employee leaves to make sure your work space will operate well after they’re gone. Make sure they share their knowledge with other employees so that they can operate without that employee. Decide on who will handle their projects and tasks, or who can step in while you take time to hire a new employee. This employee will have big shoes to fill, or will need to be heavily instructed to work along the same pace as the other employees. This is the perfect time to focus on what you really want for your business and how to accomplish short and long term goals with your team. Building a strategy for recruiting new team members is the best way to recenter your company’s focus so that they are not shaken by the other employee leaving.
When an employee leaves, whether by choice or not, it’s important for your business to prioritize making it a positive experience. Quitting or retiring should not be taken personally by anyone, people come and go all throughout life. Take what you have learned from having that person on the team and make it even better. Collect your team and collaborate on new ideas for the office that will ultimately improve it.
PayTech can also help you create a process that you will learn from so that you can deal with it better next time. The main point is to remain supportive and enthusiastic about the your company and team’s future despite its changes throughout the upcoming years.
