Resentful boss, disgruntled staff

 “I tell you what; I cannot wait to get out of here! My boss has now turned very evil and is giving me a really hard time.”

 Unfortunately this is a comment we hear much more often than we’d like to from staff members who have given their notice and are battling through the final days of their job.

Now, of course there are instances where companies and their employees’ part on less-than-ideal terms, but letting workers leave your company in a disgruntled mood can have huge consequences, and is something you should be at pains to avoid, if at all possible.

First and foremost of course is sensitive information, and the intellectual property that any departing staff member takes with them. It’s almost impossible to police what former employees will discuss, and what sensitive information they will divulge about your organisation, but an individual who leaves on amicable terms, with a good feeling about you as a boss, is far less likely to go out of their way to ‘spill the beans’ on the inner-workings of your company.

Just as potentially detrimental to your business is the damage a cynical person can do to the reputation of your company. Not only will prospective customers be less likely to approach you if they have heard you treat your staff poorly, but your chances of attracting top-quality employees in the future will diminish greatly if you gain a reputation for being over-bearing, holding grudges or acting in a petty fashion. It doesn’t take long for rumours to spread – a drink at a pub and someone who knows someone who used to work for such-and-such comes up in the conversation – and the next thing you know you’re the talk of the town.

Consider the productivity of the outgoing staff member in the final days / weeks of their employment with you. If you react poorly when receiving their resignation, it is likely their efforts will decrease as they see out their last few days with you. If you’re going to be paying them to be there for another fortnight, you may as well get your ‘moneys-worth’ out of them, which will only happen if they value you as an employee, are proud to work for your company, and want to leave on good terms.

Also think about the training of any new staff members who may be coming in as the old employee leaves. You may well want to utilise the experience and know-how of the existing staff member in the training of your new team member, but what sort of advice and training will they provide if they are bitter and twisted about the way they’ve been treated over the last few weeks?

In short, it’s not always possible for all job appointments to come to a smooth conclusion, but it’s important to keep in mind that you’re the one with the most to loose from a volatile parting of ways. Sure, you may be upset about the way things have turned out, but if you can try to see the bigger picture, continue to act professionally, and if necessary be the bigger person you will greatly mitigate the risk of the outgoing employee doing harm to your business – damage which could fester for a long time after they’ve left and moved on.

Nikki Taylor - REJS