Q. "Is offboarding as important as onboarding?"
Answer:
Absolutely! While the old adage, "You only get one chance at a first impression," is definitely true for onboarding, the same can be true when it comes to offboarding: you often only get one chance at a last impression.
The manner in which an employee exits can leave either a good or a bad taste in their mouth. The last impression will influence:
Whether or not they return to your organization
The way they speak about the organization to potential hires
The way they speak about the organization to clients and customers
The way remaining employees view management and the organization
Offboarding best practices include all the typical tasks you might think of like returning keys and equipment, signing separation notices and a final paycheck, and updating employee files and organizational systems. If not planned well, all of these tasks, while standard, could turn into a jumbled HR disaster that leaves your soon-to-be former employee feeling unappreciated and frustrated.
Don't forget the key to offboarding: the exit interview. Be sure to send your employee an exit interview so they can share details about their experiences with your organization. This will be the most honest and valuable feedback you get to improve your organization's HR!