What should you do when your best employee says those fateful words, “I’m giving my notice,”? This guide will show you the next steps to take when your best employee quits.
Every member of your team plays a crucial role, but losing your best employee can have an even bigger impact on the company. Exceptional workers know the value they bring. So when your best employee quits, this means there were lots of factors that influenced their decision. Maybe another company appreciates their input more, or their current tasks are not challenging enough.
Naturally, your top performer leaving might make you (and your team) demotivated, confused, and slightly panicked. After all, they played a huge role, and losing them can create a huge gap in the company or affect the whole business since they’re taking their overall knowledge, skills, and experience with them.
While it will hurt to see your best worker leave, you still need to make the transition run smoothly and handle the resignation in a legally compliant and professional way. Here’s what you should do when your best employer quits.
Be thankful
You’re probably thinking, “Why am I thanking them for leaving me hanging?” Well, people like to be acknowledged for doing a good job. Most good employees (who know they are valuable) can sometimes feel like they never get verbal appreciation. So thank them for the time and effort they gave to your team and your business. You can also coordinate with the rest of the team to show their appreciation. It will go a long way and you definitely won’t burn that bridge.
Remain calm
The worst thing you can do when your best employee quits is to lash out at them. Remember, you’re still their employer until they leave through your company doors for good. Stay calm and ask the employee why they are planning to leave. Though it is not advisable to put the employee in a high-pressure or uncomfortable position, you might learn something that could help you find other ways to retain them or craft a counteroffer.
Issues might range from poor management to a lack of growth opportunities. Some might be fixable while others may be specifically unrelated to the company. Depending on the employee’s explanation, you can determine the best way to address the situation. Either way, be considerate of their decision. If they still want to leave, be cordial, wish them well, and ask them if they will stay on for an appropriate period (usually 2 weeks) so you can make a transition.
Consider a counteroffer
If your best employee quits, but you want to try and convince them to stay, then a counteroffer could be a valid option when carefully considered. However, for it to be effective, think of things from your employee’s point of view; they’ve resigned for a reason. That probably means there were obviously things that weren’t working for them. The best move is to focus on addressing these specific reasons. For example, if they decided to leave because of a lack of career development, look at where you can move them internally to accommodate their needs.
Even though counteroffers can work if they address every pain point, they can bring significant risks for the employer if they are financially driven because good employees rarely leave because of money alone. So even if you talk them into staying by increasing their financial incentives, you might end up with someone who is still disengaged and dissatisfied - with higher pay.
Tell the team
If you don’t come to an agreement, the next step is to inform your team immediately after speaking with the employee. Don’t wait for the news to spread through the grapevine. When you get the word out yourself, it enables you to reassure the rest of the team members. You can invite them to apply for the vacancy or recommend other people to do so.
Work on your succession plan
If a counteroffer doesn’t work, then it’s time to think about the next steps and consider the most immediate needs the departure will create. Start by making a list of questions you need answered and critical tasks that will need to be assigned when the employee leaves.
These are the questions that should be on your list:
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What are the things you’re working on?
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What are the critical matters we need to be prepared to pick up?
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Who are the critical players you’re engaged with?
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What clients are you touching?
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How do we put together a plan to capture all this in a short period of time?
Look internally at your available resources and consider who could potentially step into the newly vacant shoes. Also, think about whether the movement will create another gap to fill. You can also engage temporary employees or contractors to cover the workload in the meantime as you adjust your permanent workforce.
Hiring the next best employee
One big mistake most companies make when the best employee quits is when they rush to fill the position without due consideration and care. Of course, it is important to hire a highly skilled professional quickly, but you must do so with vigilance. Getting the right person will always pay off in the end so you must conduct a sound interview process to avoid making costly hiring mistakes.
Think about what the company really needs next. This is actually the perfect opportunity to hire someone with the necessary skills to help the company grow.
Also, if you are lucky enough to find someone to step into the open position, then it’s ideal to set them up for success. If the departing employee is still with the business by then, set them up with their replacement so they can transfer their knowledge. However, if the timing doesn’t work out, ensure the departing employee has prepared handover documentation beforehand. This way the new hire will have access to everything they need about the role from day one, be it company procedures or role duties.
Keep in touch
With exceptions, it’s always a good idea to part on good terms with the employee and leave the door open for future opportunities. By continuing the conversation with people who have been on your team, you create an alumni network. Who knows? They might come back when their careers or aspirations change and you could be the right fit for them again.
Take it a step further by showing the team that the person is still valuable and you’re dedicated to treating them humanely. You can do this by throwing a party, potluck dinner, or happy hour to celebrate their future journey and contributions. This leaves the door open for them to come back with new skills and even better experiences.
At some point, every business owner will face losing their best employee. This is why it’s good to have a comprehensive plan in place to deal with this possibility in advance. If you’re lucky enough not to have your best employee quit on you, then it is a good time to put together this plan with the tips from this guide.
