Employees who have been with the company for many years and are leaving should be acknowledged for their contributions. You should note that not all resignations are the result of bad behavior or unfavorable circumstances.
Typically, your team member wants to venture into a new chapter of their lives, such as spending time with a new grandchild or starting a business. When you have empathy for your staff, you may part ways on a positive note. Here are some viable ideas to help you express gratitude to a hard-working team member.
1. Make Your Email Concise
Although a farewell email or thank-you note may seem overly simple, it can have a significant impact on a colleague or employee who is leaving the company.
When writing a farewell email, it’s better to be quick on your praise while reminiscing the challenges and victories you all faced as a department. It’s also essential to keep your email in a positive tone and avoid making any negative comments about the company or its employees.
Also, avoid using encryption that will hinder your team member from reading your message. As it’s a farewell note, don’t include sensitive information. If you feel the need to vent, discreetly provide constructive criticisms. They’ll appreciate your concern for their growth outside of the company.
2. Plan A Party
When planning for a send-off event, you can source online for some ideas for going away party for coworker. In addition to showing your gratitude, throwing a party for a retiring or leaving employee is a great way to increase morale and the overall culture of the company. Losing a dedicated worker who motivates others can be heartbreaking, but throwing a party can help lighten the mood.
In addition, you can order balloons and a cake for a celebratory atmosphere when throwing a party. The venue could be anywhere from the function room of the office to holding a farewell dinner at a local restaurant. You can give a speech about your employee’s contribution and even share stories about the fun times everyone had together. In itself, the celebration will leave a positive impression on your team member.
3. Arrange A Team Lunch
You can schedule a free team lunch at a convenient time and location for everyone on your team, regardless of whether they work across departments or work closely with one another. The schedule will be up to you, anytime from a week before they leave or on their last day. You can ask your employee what their favorite restaurant is and if they have any particular dietary preferences.
If your employee has formed friendships with others in the department, inviting the whole department will further increase their feelings of appreciation. Most people would agree that having their closest friends and family members present before they depart is crucial. You can show your employee how much you appreciate their dedication to the company by footing the bill for the farewell team lunch..
4. Hold An Exit Interview
In some companies, workers can quit without ever being told how they did in their previous positions. Try to schedule an exit interview with departing employees to have a respectful discussion about their reasons for leaving. Remember that this is vital because turnovers cost time and money and knowing their reason may be a great help in identifying problem areas.
It’s worth noting that if the resigning employee holds a key position in your company, you must find a suitable replacement. This could cost money to train new staff and more time to familiarize oneself with the responsibilities that employees will leave behind.
Moreover, you can also ask another employee or a neutral coworker to conduct the exit interview to encourage honesty. This will help you get feedback if you need to change the work environment or processes.
5. Create A Video Of Good Messages From Your Team
If there is no time for events, you can have your team record a video message individually addressed to the leaving coworker. It could be as long as 30 seconds each in the same horizontal or vertical manner.
But you can also have them record shorter messages if there are too many people on your team. The video message can serve as a memory for the company and as a goodbye souvenir that you can edit and save for your soon-to-be-former team member.
Conclusion
The mentioned are only a few ways to say goodbye to your employee. Even if there have been misunderstandings, your employee has brought their expertise, time, and energy to help you reach your business goals. Sending them off positively also shows the rest of the team that employers are not only professional but also value their employees as people.
