Over the last few weeks, we’ve had clients who have had employees resign for various reasons. When it happened the second time, I had a thought which was, you should have a process for accepting resignations.
Below are some useful tips to consider when an employee does decide to resign.
Give the person what is termed a “cooling-off period,” this is usually 24 hours, and it gives the person and you time to digest the resignation and the reasons. It gives you both time to consider any other options.
- You will need to accept their resignation formally by sending them an email to acknowledge that you are accepting their resignation and confirming when their last day will be.
- On confirmation of the notice period and depending on their role, what is the handover process?
- Depending on your business, if they are going to a competitor, will you activate your garden leave clause (pay in lieu of notice), and what does your restraint of trade say?
- Depending on the circumstances of the resignation, how will you communicate the resignation to your business, clients, suppliers, and how will you farewell the person?
These are just some things to think about when you get a resignation. Having a formal process protects your business and ensures that you have time to consider a person’s resignation before accepting it as final.