Sooner or later, every boss will meet with an employee who hands over their resignation letter. The employee has probably worried about how the boss will react. And, sometimes, the boss is caught off guard.
In a Harvard Business School publication,” How To Respond When An Employee Quits,” author Rebecca Zucker offers advice, “Take a moment to digest the news.” You don’t want to say something you might regret. Instead, you want to be friendly and polite and show interest in where they are going next. You can also say something like:
- I am sorry to hear that.
- Thank you for letting me know.
- I am surprised to learn that you’re leaving.
And Zucker says you want to discuss the transition. What projects are they working on now, and how the work can be handed off?
You should also het the resignation in writing. This avoids any problem should the employee change their mind or later say they had been fired to seek unemployment benefits. Get the letter right away. It can be handwritten, emailed, or quickly typed and printed. It needs to have the date, a statement that the employee is choosing to resign, and what the individual expects their last day of work to be. You or your human resource officer should formally accept the resignation in writing.
Depending on the relationship you have with the employee, you might want to ask questions like:
- Would you be willing to tell me why you are leaving?
- Did something happen that moved you to your decision?
- Could you share what you plan to do next?
While the employee is not required to share this information, it doesn’t hurt to ask.
Thank the employee for their hard work and wish them well.
Even if you are upset about the person’s departure, it will do you no good to verbalize those feelings. Be positive and learn from the experience.
Do you have to manage difficult employees, I have some ideas that are sure to help you. Find out more HERE.
Dave Edwards Media 