Offboarding

Definition of offboarding

Offboarding is the gentle, professional way of managing an employee's departure from a company. It's the last stage of the employee experience, so it's an important moment in an employee's career: the departure from one company to another, as opposed to onboarding, which manages the arrival of a new employee.

Offboarding offers several advantages for companies:

• Improving employer brand and employee commitment
• The transfer of knowledge between the departing employee and the employee who arrives to replace him or her
• Sending a positive message to the departing employee

Steps in the offboarding process

Offboarding isn't just about saying goodbye on the last day: certain legal obligations must be taken into account to support the employee at the end of his or her contract.

To ensure that the process runs as smoothly as possible, the implementation of an offboarding strategy must respect several crucial stages. There are two ways to start offboarding: either the employee informs the employer of his or her departure, or the employer notifies the employee of the departure. Once this notification has been received, companies must manage the handover of tasks and responsibilities, ensuring a smooth transition for the remaining team.

When an employee leaves the company, it's essential to gather his or her feedback. To do this, it is advisable to organize an exit interview during which the employer and/or manager can discuss various topics such as the employee's integration, management style, relations with superiors and colleagues, and the tasks carried out in relation to the job description. Feedback from an employee can be invaluable in improving the company's practices and working environment.

Tips for successful offboarding

• Communicate internal departures to other employees
• Anticipate the handover and recruitment of new talent to replace departing employees
• Prepare end-of-contract certificate, final payslip and other documents before departure
• Keeping in touch with former employees to consolidate relations with the company and project a positive image of the organization

If the employee departure process is properly managed, former employees may return to the company at a later date - so-called "boomerang employees". For this to happen, their work experience must be positive and leave them with good memories.

In a nutshell

Offboarding is the final stage in the employee's career path, focusing on their departure from the company. It is essential for ensuring a smooth transition, strengthening resource management and maintaining a positive corporate image. It's also an excellent way of improving employee engagement and experience.