When someone says “I quit”, it often stirs up a whirlwind of emotions for any business owner – especially if it’s out of the blue or from a valued team member.

Navigating their departure can be challenging, especially if it disrupts your projects or plans, or if you’re anxious about finding a replacement.

Let’s face it, there might be a silver lining if their departure resolves ongoing issues! Or you might simply just be curious to understand the reasons behind their decision to leave.

Managing a resignation well is vital for workflow continuity, boosting morale and safeguarding your reputation.  Whatever you’re feeling, managing their exit smoothly is just as crucial as their entry into your business. Here’s what to do:

• Ask for their resignation in writing – so a letter or an email are fine, to keep records clear and avoid any disputes
• Check their contract of employment and create a letter – a resignation acceptance letter that;
• Confirms that you are accepting their resignation
• Confirms their notice period, and their last day of work, so that you can both start planning for the future.
• Calculates their holiday entitlement until their last day of work and calculate whether any holiday is owing to them or that they may owe you! Confirm all of these details in their resignation acceptance letter.
• Decide if they should work all or some of their notice period – you may want to discuss this with your HR consultant
• Express your regret, wish them well and offer an exit interview to find out their real reasons for leaving. This information can be helpful for you as a business as there may be common themes that appear in your exit interviews, allowing you to address them.