Being A Jerk When Employees Leave Isn’t In Your Best Interests
Today’s generation of employees no longer tend to stay in one career for life. In fact, the current average tenure for employees is less than five years. Young employees want to add new skills, explore new opportunities, and sometimes just see new cities. Unless they’ve done something terrible or dishonest, don’t have them escorted out like a criminal or speak poorly about them. It’s not usually personal and if they feel treated with disrespect, they’ll become enemies of your brand, store, or business. They might even become your worst detractor. Another reason to handle it well is that you just might want to hire them back someday, or hire someone they know. They could even help you find a replacement. Many of the people that leave go elsewhere or even start their own businesses. You may have the opportunity to work with them in the future and you want them to push for your services over someone else’s. Give them the chance to be a promoter for your business. Show other employees that your relationships with them matter and they’re not just button-pushing robots at your beck and call. When someone leaves, don’t let a bruised ego cloud your judgment. A gracious “good-bye” could be worth its weight in gold in the future.
