Announcing The Departure Of An Employee

Saying goodbye to colleagues is part of HR: Effective strategies for announcing employee resignations while maintaining morale and respecting privacy

When an employee leaves your company, you might wonder what’s the best way to announce their resignation.

While retention is the name of the game, resignations are far from uncommon – some two-fifths of people^[1] are looking to leave their job in the next year.

Effectively communicating an employee's departure is good practice, especially if they retired, were a valuable team member or resigned from a significant role.

In this blog post, we’ll discuss how to announce an employee resignation the right way.

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What is an Employee Departure Announcement?

An employee departure announcement informs the company's staff about the resignation of a colleague.

They might be moving on or retiring, or their contract may have simply expired (e.g. if they were on a short-term contract).

Staying on top of things and taking proactive action is better than letting news of their departure trickle down to other employees. That way, staff can tie up any loose ends and tasks, say their goodbyes, or even plan a party if appropriate.

Plus, illustrating that you care about an employee’s departure and value their contribution is excellent for team morale.

The announcement also serves as an opportunity to acknowledge the employee's contributions and wish them well in their future endeavors.

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When Should You Announce the Resignation of an Employee?

The timing of the employee departure announcement is essential.

Plan the announcement after the employee has submitted their resignation and had a chance to discuss their decision with their manager or HR.

Then, you should send the announcement soon after the employee's resignation is accepted, allowing sufficient time for the team and company to prepare for the transition.

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How to Announce an Employee's Departure?

When announcing an employee's departure, you'll want to strike the right tone to keep things interesting and engaging.

Start by gathering the team for a brief, informal meeting, or send out a creatively written email that catches everyone's attention.

If appropriate, break the ice by sharing the news of the employee's departure with a touch of humor or a personal anecdote highlighting their personality or contributions. Keep things light-hearted – you don’t want to spread negative sentiment surrounding someone’s departure and their reasoning.

Instead, emphasize the employee's achievements and positive experiences while working with the team.

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Handling the Transition

In the announcement, provide information on how the team will handle the transition.

While you shouldn’t make this a technical or impersonal process, it’s best to indicate what happens next. You may wish to discuss this separately with relevant team members.

Offer reassurances and outline any plans for redistributing tasks or finding a replacement. Keep the tone light and optimistic, assuring everyone that things will continue to run smoothly.

Consider organizing a casual send-off event, such as a team lunch or after-work gathering, if appropriate. This is superb for keeping morale high, allowing colleagues to say their goodbyes, share stories, and celebrate the employee's time in an informal environment.

Finally, it might be appropriate to encourage open communication and invite team members to ask any questions or share their thoughts about what happens next. Openness demonstrates transparency and dedication to employees during times of change.

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Privacy Matters

Everyone has different motives and reasons for leaving a company, and some may wish for their resignation to remain private.

Discuss this with the employee and respect their wishes if they express any sentiments to this effect.

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Best Practice For Announcing an Employee’s Resignation

Here are some best practices for announcing an employee’s resignation or retirement:

• Be Transparent: Clearly state the reason for the employee's departure, keeping in mind their privacy and respecting their wishes on sharing personal details.
• Express Gratitude: Acknowledge the employee's contributions to the company and express appreciation for their hard work.
• Provide Information on the Transition: Explain how the employee's workload will be managed during the transition, including any interim arrangements or recruitment plans.
• Offer Support: Encourage employees to reach out if they have any concerns or questions regarding the departure and transition process.
• Celebrate the Employee: If appropriate, plan a farewell event or a gesture of appreciation to celebrate the departing employee and wish them well in their future plans.

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Sample Employee Departure Announcement Email

Subject: Farewell to [Employee Name] - [Employee's Position]

Dear Team,

It is with mixed emotions that we announce the resignation of [Employee Name] from their position as [Employee's Position] at [Company Name]. [Employee Name] will be leaving our company on [Last Working Day] to [Reason for Departure, e.g., pursue new career opportunities, relocate, etc.].

Throughout their time at [Company Name], [Employee Name] has been an invaluable member of our team. Their contributions to [Specific Projects or Achievements] have had a significant impact on our success, and we are grateful for their dedication and hard work.

As we work through this transition, we will redistribute [Employee Name]'s tasks among the team and begin the recruitment process to find a suitable replacement. We appreciate your patience and support during this time.

To celebrate [Employee Name]'s time with us, we will be hosting a farewell event on [Date and Time]. We hope you can join us in expressing our gratitude and wishing [Employee Name] the best in their future endeavors.

Please feel free to reach out to [Appropriate Contact Person, e.g., HR, Manager] if you have any questions or concerns.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

[Your Position]

[Company Name]

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Summary

Announcing an employee’s departure is good practice, as it makes people feel like the company valued their role, personality and contribution. This isn’t merely a corporate exercise – be upbeat and personable.

Other employees will gain visibility of this too, which is excellent for employee experience, team cohesion, and morale.

During the announcement, provide information on the transition plan and consider organizing a send-off if appropriate. You might want to keep this separate or mention that you’ll follow up with relevant individuals.

Goodbyes aren’t easy, but handling them professionally certainly eases the process.

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[1] https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/08/jobs-work-quit-great-resignation/