PART 2 – STRATEGIC OFFBOARDING
By Jason Banks, President of Lloyd Staffing
In Part 1, I shared the story of two candidates whose employers turned their resignations into nightmares—imposing unrealistic deadlines, creating uncomfortable environments, and ultimately destroying valuable professional relationships. These companies lost far more than two employees; they lost referral networks, client relationships, and any chance of those talented people returning.
The question isn’t whether people will leave your company—they will. The question is whether you’ll handle their departure in a way that protects your future or destroys it.
The Boomerang Reality
The information sector is fascinating right now. Nearly 68% of new hires in that industry are boomerang employees—double the rate from a year earlier.
These aren’t random statistics. They represent a fundamental shift. Boomerang employees know your culture, need less onboarding, and often return with enhanced skills. But they only come back to organizations that didn’t burn the bridge.
I’ve placed boomerang candidates who returned after 2-3 years with exactly the capabilities their former employers needed. Those reunions only happened because the initial departure was handled with respect.
Start Tomorrow Morning – SMB Best Practices
You don’t need to overhaul your management team. Just do these three things:
- Train managers on their first response. Practice that initial reply until it becomes automatic. No guilt trips, just professionalism.
- Create a simple transition template. What actually needs documentation? Which relationships need handoffs? Having this framework prevents panic-driven demands.
- Fix your exit interviews. Schedule them early, have senior people conduct them, and focus on learning instead of defending. The insights are invaluable if you listen.
Building Your Alumni Network
You don’t need McKinsey’s budget for this. Start with a LinkedIn group for company alumni. Send quarterly updates about company news. Invite former employees to annual events. One of my manufacturing clients does this with maybe four hours of effort per quarter. The return? Steady referrals and multiple boomerang hires.
82% of employers rate employee referrals as their best ROI source. Your alumni network is your referral engine—if you don’t poison it.
The Bottom Line
Professional offboarding isn’t about convincing people to stay. By the time they hand in resignation, that decision is made. This is about protecting your future talent pipeline and your employer brand.
The candidates from my opening story? Their former employers lost access to professional networks that would have delivered qualified referrals for years. They lost any chance of boomerang opportunities. They damaged their reputations with everyone those candidates talked to. All because leadership couldn’t manage two professional weeks.
In a market where 35% of new hires are boomerangs and referrals deliver 30% hire rates, how you say goodbye matters as much as how you say hello.
The next resignation you handle is an opportunity. Burn the bridge or build an advocate. The choice starts with your first response.
Please connect with me on LinkedIn to share your offboarding experiences and continue this conversation about protecting and growing your talent pipeline.
*********
Are you in need of recruitment support to help solve your organization’s hiring challenges? Trust our process.
Let us help you find the right person for your role. Hire Now.
Are you working, but unsatisfied and ready for a new role?
Visit our Job Board to apply for one of our employment opportunities. Have a conversation with one of our recruiters.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jason Banks, CSP, is a Principal of Lloyd Staffing. He leads the direct hire, executive search and contract talent communities of Lloyd. As a member of the executive leadership team, he continues to handle critical high level searches in verticals such as IT, Healthcare, Finance and more. He welcomes discussing how you can conquer hiring challenges by pivoting your hiring processes to leverage exceptional talent and maintain a consistent, high performing workforce with a powerful employment brand.
Related Reading…
https://www.lloydstaffing.com/category/resignation/
https://www.lloydstaffing.com/ending-your-employment-how-to-say-so-long-like-a-professional/
https://www.lloydstaffing.com/employee-retention-strategies/
https://www.lloydstaffing.com/employer-branding-why-it-matters/