Managing resignations
People resign from their work for many reasons – resignations are part of having employees. Think ahead about what you’ll do when the time comes.
Check their employment agreement to see that they’ve given you the required notice and confirm their resignation in writing.
Managing dismissal or termination
Having to dismiss an employee isn’t pleasant but sometimes you may have to, either:
- for ongoing misconduct (like unsafe behaviour or breaching confidentiality)
- for serious misconduct (like fraud or violence in the workplace).
Approach the situation professionally. Put emotion aside and think about what’s fair. Ask yourself questions like:
- Would a reasonable employer dismiss the person?
- Is the behaviour serious enough for dismissal?
- Were the rules clear?
- Has there been enough support or training?
- Has the person had enough time to improve?
- Has anything or anyone contributed to the situation?
Supporting employees through dismissal
If dismissal is your only option, taking the right steps will make the process as seamless as possible and reduce the risk of someone taking a personal grievance against you. Provide access to support – like allowing a support person and pointing them to good sources of help, such as Connected’s support page.
Managing someone’s retirement
Retirement, like resignation, is likely. The time approaching someone’s retirement will be a transitional period that both the person and your business need to prepare for.
For the employee, retiring can be exciting or difficult, so support them as best you can. For example, you might want to let them reduce their workload gradually.
For the business, a smooth transition is important. You’ll want others to learn from the person. But you’ll also have a chance to assess the skills in your business. What skills would you like the next person to have, to help your business to innovate and grow? You might want to promote internally or recruit someone new.
Retirement is a chance to celebrate someone’s contributions or loyalty to the business. A good send-off will show how much you value them, and can encourage and motivate your remaining staff.
What's next
Deciding to hire
Advertising and hiring
Leave and holidays
Having a fair workplace
Resolving employment challenges
Leadership and culture
Upskilling employees
Looking after yourself
Looking after your people