Managing staff departures

Staff members aren’t static features of any business – inevitably, an employee may move on to seek

new challenges or simply for a change of scenery. As such, it’s important to have plans and procedures

in place so that when a staff member does resign, your franchise is able to continue running smoothly.

The most essential part of these plans and procedures is to periodically update your employee’s job

descriptions. These don’t have to be multiple page dictionaries of every task each team member

completes daily – having a short overview of the position and key responsibilities will allow you to start

searching for a replacement much sooner.

Keeping employee’s job descriptions up-to-date is only one measure you may be able to take to ensure

minimal interruption if a staff member resigns. Below we have four tips which may help you to more

easily manage a staff member’s resignation.

1. Don’t panic: while it may feel like the employee will be leaving the next day, most employees are

required to give 3-4 weeks’ notice when resigning. This may be enough time for you to find and start

training a replacement;

2. Contact a recruiter: if you are worried about finding a new staff member before the current employee

departs, consider contacting a recruiter to assist you. Recruiters specialise in quickly filling vacant roles,

and they may have the perfect person lined up waiting to fill your newly vacant position;

3. Maintain the relationship: it’s best to maintain a positive relationship with outgoing employees, as

they will likely continue to promote a positive image of your franchise. You may want to consider offering

to write the employee a letter of recommendation, as this sign of goodwill may help keep the relationship

positive.

Tap into your networks: letting people in your network know that you’re looking for staff could help you

find a replacement sooner. You may also consider using services such as LinkedIn to assist in your

search.

Read more on the CENTURY 21 Australia blog