5 Best Practices for Offboarding Contractual Employees

The most critical aspect of an employee offboarding process is to treat employees warmly, and thank them for their service, despite the reason behind their departure. Permanent and contractual employees are typically hired in the same manner, the way it should be, but offboarding is another ball game altogether.

Offboarding paperwork and dealing with the legal or security issues are the basic practices every company follows while offboarding the employees. Efficient offboarding practices showcase the support you have towards the people who have contributed to your company’s growth and success.

Contractual employees also should be treated as the same as permanent staff. Instead of planning on different offboarding strategies for both, you can combine the practices and make a solid offboarding experience which applies to all the employees in the company.

Here are some of the best practices that will help you improve your current contractual employee offboarding strategies.

1. Conduct Interviews and Surveys

An exit interview followed by an employment termination survey during offboarding should be mandated to ensure that every employee gives their suggestions and opinions about the company before they leave their post.

Exit interviews are considered one of the best chances for an employer to gather honest feedback on the management. The feedback from the survey can be utilized to improve employment opportunities, employee welfare, and the work culture of the company.

The management should be open to any criticism. Stick to the fact that pleasantries are not at all expected from such cases. This can be a great opportunity to look into and verify problem areas. Good suggestions from these surveys can be utilized to improve employee retention rates and productivity.

The HR department could handle exit interviews and surveys better than anyone else. Employees are more connected to HR representatives so there are better chances that they will open up to them. The suggestions and advice from the feedback can be filtered and used for improving work environments.

2. Retrieve Company Assets and Access

Company assets should be retrieved from the departing employees before their last day at the office. Corporate cards, cell phones, laptops etc., are something you should never forget to retrieve. Digital assets like paid portal memberships, workplace communication channels like Slack, mail access, paid plans for networking etc. also shouldn’t be missed. Doing so will avoid the risk of sharing any sensitive data with the departing employee.

Keep a list of all common assets which should be retrieved from every employee. The HR team can create a simple task list on the CRM or even a spreadsheet. Sign up for a good asset management software if your company size is large.

Knowledge Transfer Process

Knowledge transfer is another important task you shouldn’t forget while offboarding contractual employees. Replacing a contractual employee can take some time. Meanwhile, the profitability of the company takes a hit. Making the knowledge transfer part of the employee responsibilities will do the trick.

Experienced staff members have immense information that goes past proper strategies and ordinary errands. Get them to add their expertise and knowledge into a Learning Management System (LMS).By the time they leave, their insights will be protected in the LMS, for their substitute to contemplate.

While searching for a substitute, ensure the leaving colleague has altogether recorded their duties and responsibilities. Everyone needs a cheat sheet during their first days at work, correct?

3. Farewell Plans

Before an employee leaves the organization, either contractual or permanent, show them that you appreciate their commitment and exertion. Particularly so on the off chance that they have been with you for quite a long time. So why not arrange a goodbye party or a lunch in their honour?

Another thought is to get everybody to compose their wishes on a card. Or then again, even better, amusing recollections. Individuals will in general get passionate when they head out in different directions. Sharing a decent chuckle is a good way to lift everybody’s spirits and ease the awkwardness.

4. End on a Good Note

It is easier to end everything on a good note. Be that as it may, how would you oversee employee offboarding when an individual leaves because of any conflict?

In any event, when this is the situation, put forth a valiant effort to create a positive environment. Point out the employee’s qualities rather than their shortcomings. On the off chance that they have any uncertain clashes with a colleague, attempt to help them diffuse the situation. You don’t need an employee leaving the organization feeling bad. Regardless of whether they talk about it or not.

Furthermore, consider the possibility that they don’t. A disappointed employee is probably going to leave negative reviews on popular professional networks and job portals. This won’t just motivate genuine harm to your standing as a business, it will likewise make people wary about joining your organization.

A positive employee offboarding experience, then again, can go beyond just positive reviews. An employee who’s leaving the organization on a positive note will even consider to come back at some point in their career. Rehiring an ex-employee can save a lot of money and time for the recruiting department. You can also ask for referrals from the departing employee. If they have a good impression about you, they won’t hesitate for sure.

5. Never Turn Your Back on Them

Stay in touch with departed employees and support them. This will showcase your dedication to the existing employees.

Create alumni networks and social media groups

Social networks and alumni groups play a good role in improving employee culture and engagement. These networking groups can also act as a place to get good referrals for upcoming opportunities.

Provide a recommendation letter

A letter of recommendation is the least you can provide for a departing employee. You can likewise refer them for a position that matches their profile and experience.

Provide constructive feedback

A laid-off employee will likewise profit from constructive criticism. A constructive feedback will help them identify improvement areas. Go farther than that and offer them industry guidance. For instance, you can recommend courses or workshops that can help them improve their skills and abilities.

All your employees irrespective of their employment status, deserve a good farewell. Make employee offboarding a priority, for contractual as well as permanent employees, and a memorable activity that benefits both parties.