6 Essential Steps for Effective Employee Offboarding

Step 1: Define the Offboarding Journey

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Offboarding starts the moment an employee gives notice or receives a termination letter. From this point on, the HR team should initiate a tailored journey based on the nature of the exit:

• Voluntary resignation (e.g. career growth)
• Involuntary termination (e.g. restructuring or performance)
• Retirement or contract conclusion

Why does this matter? Because the tone, communication, and timing vary depending on the context. A voluntary leaver might want a cheerful farewell, while someone let go due to a reorganization may need space and empathy.

💡 Pro tip: Map out different offboarding flows in advance. This reduces confusion and ensures consistency across departments.

Step 2: Manage processes, communication, and emotions

This step is about covering logistics and people. Offboarding often fails when companies focus only on formalities and ignore the human aspect. A comprehensive offboarding plan should address:

• Processes: Reclaim company assets, revoke system access, and settle final payments. Utilizing an offboarding checklist can ensure no step is overlooked.
• Communication: Inform internal teams, clients, and stakeholders about the departure in a timely and appropriate manner to maintain trust and continuity.
• Emotions: Even planned departures can trigger strong feelings. Colleagues may feel disappointed, insecure, or even angry. Departing employees may experience anxiety or guilt. HR should offer space to process these emotions and, where possible, provide support like counseling or extra leave.

It's important to note that former employees often share their experiences on platforms like Glassdoor and LinkedIn. 86% of job seekers research company reviews and ratings before applying for a role, with platforms like Glassdoor being a primary source of this information. Furthermore, 55% of candidates who check Glassdoor do not apply to companies with poor ratings on their page.

A thoughtful and respectful offboarding process not only supports the departing employee but also protects and enhances your employer brand in the eyes of potential future candidates.

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Step 3: Facilitate knowledge transfer

When someone leaves, valuable knowledge often walks out the door. That’s why planning a structured handover is key, especially during longer notice periods like 1 month notice.

Encourage the departing employee to document:

• Workflows and tools used
• Client or vendor relationships
• Pending tasks or critical deadlines
• Recommendations for continuity

Use collaborative tools like Appical to centralize this information.

Step 4: Conduct exit interviews and gather feedback

This is your golden opportunity to learn what works and what doesn't. A well-structured exit interview (whether live or via survey) can reveal patterns that help reduce future attrition.

Key questions:

• What influenced your decision to leave?
• What would’ve made you stay?
• How would you describe your overall experience?

Ensure psychological safety: guarantee confidentiality and avoid retaliation. The goal is honest insights, not a performance review.

💡 Appical’s offboarding platform simplifies feedback collection with ready-to-use templates, likert scales, and open-text fields.

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Step 5: Organize a meaningful farewell

A good goodbye matters more than you think. It shows appreciation and closes the chapter on a high note. Tailor the farewell to the individual’s preferences:

• A team lunch or coffee chat
• A personalized gift
• A video call with the full team
• Or… no celebration, if they prefer discretion
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Step 6: Maintain alumni relations

Once an employee leaves, they become part of your alumni network—a valuable and often overlooked resource. Keeping the connection alive can benefit both sides. Consider creating a dedicated LinkedIn group, sharing occasional company updates, or organizing informal reunions to maintain engagement.

Former employees can still play a role in your growth. They may offer useful feedback on new ideas, refer potential clients or candidates, or leave positive reviews that strengthen your employer brand. And if you're hiring, bringing back a former colleague can be a smart move, they already understand your culture and return with new skills, experience, and networks.

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Make sure they leave as ambassadors, not haters

Handled with care, offboarding can transform a difficult moment into a lasting positive experience. When you give each exit the attention it deserves, set aside a proper budget, follow a clear process, and retain important knowledge, you build a stronger culture and protect your reputation.

Employees leave just as often as they join. Saying goodbye well is just as important as welcoming someone in.

To help you get started, we’ve created a practical guide on how to build an effective offboarding process. Are you curious about how we can support you further? Send us an email and we will get in touch.