Saying goodbye to an employee can be difficult. You lose their skills, you lose their familiarity, but most importantly you lose their friendly face! Here at Cullen Scholefield we have just said goodbye to Rob Gordon, who valiantly held the fort whilst our new queen of sales, Vickie, settled into her role. You may have noticed that he is no longer picking up the phone and that your emails are now signed Vickie instead of Rob. Saying goodbye to Rob means that we have lost his excellent attention to detail, his friendly telephone manner and his endless knowledge of random facts which he would bestow on us from time to time. It also means, however, that I can finally read my book in peace at lunch time! Despite that, Rob will be sorely missed by the Cullen Scholefield team.
It got us thinking this week of the sixth A of becoming a Talent Magnet – Adieu. Adieu is all about parting with employees on good terms. Last week to say goodbye to Rob we had cake at lunchtime, a farewell dinner and we gave him a gift to show our gratitude to him for all of his hard work.
Goodbye and good luck to Rob
Companies like Ernst and Young also try to part with their employees on good terms. Mike Cullen, the Global Managing Partner – Talent, at Ernst & Young said: “It is important that employees feel a part of the organisation even after they have left […} We want all EY employees – whether future, current or past – to feel like a lifetime member of one of the best business networks in the world.” Ernst & Young have an Alumni community for their past employees so that they will always feel ‘a part of the extended EY family.’ This community gives them the chance to come back to the company, to refer other people for roles, to keep up to date with EY news and events and to generally be involved with the company even after moving on. They are not the only company doing this either. PWC has an alumni programme in place for their past employees, as does Accenture, Goldman Sachs and Lloyds Bank.
So why do they do it? Why go through all that effort and spend all that money for people who don’t even work for them anymore? Well you’ve heard the phrase ‘don’t burn your bridges?’ Those bridges are a two way street (excuse my mixing of metaphors). There are many benefits for ex-employees to remain on good terms with their old bosses, the main one being a shiny reference on their CV, but there are also many benefits for employers too…
By keeping in touch with ex-employees you are one step closer to becoming a talent magnet! Happy past employees help with talent in several ways:
- They are more likely to return later after gaining more experience. If they have had a smooth leaving process and remain on good terms with the company, then why wouldn’t they want to come back? This is talent that you once had returning to you with more bells and whistles attached, a plus for everyone.
- They are more likely to refer new talent to you. If your ex-employees think of you with fond memories they are happier to drop your name when friends and colleagues are seeking new employment. They become an extra ambassador for your brand.
- They are also more likely to send business your way. If in their new role they require the service/product you provide, or they know of someone who does then they are more likely to use or suggest you.
So is it only huge, international companies with big brands and big budgets who can ensure this type of talent magnetism with their previous employees? Not at all! You don’t have to set up an alumnae website and extend corporate benefits to your ex-employees to maintain the relationship. It is a good perk for your brand, but unfortunately not all companies can afford this type of programme. For smaller companies with a smaller budget it is better to simply part on friendly terms and encourage communication. Letting employees know that the door is never shut behind them will mean that they will return even if it is just for a friendly chat. Maureen is especially fond of a friendly chat and all past Cullen Scholefield employees know that she is always available to lend an ear and offer advice when they need it.
Parting with employees on good terms and making an effort to include them in the ‘extended-family’ will show new and current talent that when they come to your company they are not only making an investment in their employment, but they are investing in their entire career path. A little extra effort here and there will go miles to ensuring that happy employees stay happy and that there is always shiny new talent knocking at the door.