Offboarding
Offboarding is the coordinated process for a person’s departure from an organisation, including work handover, access and administrative close-out.
A departure has several owners
Offboarding coordinates the practical work around someone leaving. SHRM’s offboarding toolkit discusses the process in terms of transition tasks such as knowledge handover, company property, system access and final administration (SHRM). The details depend on why the person is leaving, their responsibilities and the organisation’s own policies.
Keep the transition usable
A short handover can name unfinished work, relevant files, decisions already made and the colleague who will take each item forward. Access and equipment can be reviewed with the people responsible for those systems and assets. The person leaving also needs a clear contact for questions about outstanding administrative matters.
Do not confuse a checklist with a deadline
The process should identify what needs attention and who owns it. It does not establish one legal timetable for every departure. Notice, final pay, access and records can depend on the jurisdiction, contract and circumstances; this definition does not set those rules. A checklist should send the responsible colleague to the applicable policy or advice.
Learn without treating feedback as a verdict
An exit conversation can invite someone to describe their experience, but participation and candour cannot be assumed. Notes may point to questions worth checking with the team. One departure alone does not explain a pattern or prove why people stay or leave.