Get All Access for $5/mo

It's Inevitable That Good Employees Will Leave, So Plan for It When a valued employee leaves, it upsets the team and feels like getting dumped. But turnover happens when you hire smart, talented people.

By Craig Bryant Edited by Dan Bova

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Every business owner knows the acute pain of losing a talented employee. Anticipated or abrupt, it never feels good and it can disrupt the flow and focus of the entire company. It shouldn't though.

Instead of looking at departures as an arrow in the heart of a company's culture, a sudden change in the line up can be a source of momentum and inspiration. It's important for business owners to seize the opportunity to make improvements, rather than dwell on it as a failure.

Related: The Hidden Costs of Employee Turnover

Anticipate the departures. Job-hopping every couple of years no longer carries the stigma it used to. It's a continuing trend that business owners need to work with.

The movement towards shorter tenures should inform everything employers do from compensation to career roadmaps to hiring for redundancy. Employers don't have a reason to leave the rest of their team hanging when someone important leaves. Build it into the company's proactive game plan.

Knowing where employees are headed long term is equally important. Some folks view their job as just something they do for a paycheck. Others are planning to start their own company. Our responsibility as employers is to help employees meet career objectives that are aligned with the company's objectives. Taking the pulse of an employee's engagement through check-ins and reviews is not enough. Business owners need to reach out farther than just the next few months.

Guide the team through the transition with honest communication. As easy as it is to brew on an employee's departure, leaders need to move quickly to fill the void on both a morale and resources level. How quick? Quicker than it takes for rumors or misinterpretations to settle in with the rest of the company.

Related: How to Prevent Employee Turnover

If there is an organizational problem that led to the departure, it needs to be addressed in short order. Inaction will lead to subsequent employees quitting. Discuss the problems openly with the team. Do it in person and do it with a sense of humility and camaraderie. You are a team. Teams solve problems together.

If the departure is simply because of a difference in where the employee was headed and where the company was going, well, let the team know that. Dispel any myths by acknowledging openly that it's a natural progression.

Reflect for a moment. Lastly, a departing employee means there's an opportunity to evaluate the position and hire someone more capable and better suited to where the company is headed. Even the most productive employees can be one-upped. This is an opportunity to improve the team to become more skilled, dynamic and visionary.

I still get caught up thinking that my organization is doing something wrong every time someone chooses to leave it. But I've learned to move on from letting it drag me down because morale (or lack thereof) is contagious. To quote one of my business partners, "companies are living, breathing organisms, and its employees are the air they breathe." Business leaders need to remember that each and every time they hire, fire or deal with a departing employee.

Related: How Much Turnover Is OK?

Craig Bryant

Founder and Product Manager, KinHR.com

Craig Bryant is the founder and product manager of KinHR.com, a company offering cloud-based HR management software. He also co-founded We Are Mammoth, a web development company.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

The Side Hustle He Started in His College Apartment Turned Into a $70,000-a-Month Income Stream — Then Earned Nearly $2 Million Last Year

Kyle Morrand and his college roommates loved playing retro video games — and the pastime would help launch his career.

Marketing

5 SEO Hacks to Help You Rank Fast

Discover the best SEO hacks you can use to rank fast and avoid waiting for months to see results.

Starting a Business

Inside the Exclusive Private Club Devoted to Food, Wine and the Arts

Barrett Wissman breaks down the passions and partnerships behind his latest venture Domus Artium Reserve.

Business News

Elon Musk Threatens to Ban Employees from Using Apple Products, Says Will Lock Devices in 'Cages'

The Tesla founder sounded off on X following Apple's 2024 Worldwide Developer Conference on Monday.

Collaboration

Watch Out for These 5 Consequences of Too Much Collaboration

Beware of the collaboration trap! Too much collaboration causes overload, and well-intentioned efforts to have broad collaboration can backfire.

Science & Technology

Why We Shouldn't Fear AI in Education (and How to Use It Effectively)

Facing resistance to new technologies in the educational process is nothing new, and AI is no exception. Yet, this powerful tool is set to overcome these challenges and revolutionize education, preparing students and professionals for a future of unparalleled efficiency and personalized learning.