Case StudyProduct Team: Offboarding - Best Practices for Managing Offboarding Employees
Offboarding employees, particularly during layoffs, is a challenging and sensitive task that requires careful management to maintain morale and protect the company's reputation. Glovo, a leading delivery service company, needed to manage the offboarding process in a way that is respectful to departing employees and supportive of those remaining.
The Solution
Glovo’s approach to offboarding employees centers around transparency, empathy, and support. Key elements of this approach include:
- Clear Communication: Glovo ensures that communication about layoffs or terminations is clear, honest, and timely. Employees are informed directly and personally, rather than through impersonal mass communications.
- Empathetic Leadership: Managers are trained to handle these conversations with empathy and respect. They are provided with guidelines on how to deliver the news compassionately and supportively.
- Support Services: Glovo offers various support services to help departing employees transition smoothly. This includes providing severance packages, offering career counseling, and assisting with job placements where possible.
- Internal Communication: The company also focuses on internal communication to reassure remaining employees and maintain morale. Transparent discussions about the reasons for layoffs and the future direction of the company help mitigate uncertainty and anxiety.
- Feedback Mechanisms: Glovo implements feedback mechanisms to learn from each offboarding experience. Departing employees are encouraged to provide feedback on the process, which is used to continually improve the offboarding procedures.
Outcomes achieved
Glovo’s structured approach to offboarding has yielded several positive outcomes:
- Preserved Employee Dignity: By handling layoffs with empathy and clear communication, Glovo ensures that departing employees feel respected and valued, even in difficult circumstances.
- Maintained Morale: Transparent communication with remaining employees helps maintain trust and morale within the team, reducing the negative impact of layoffs on overall productivity and workplace atmosphere.
- Positive Employer Brand: Glovo’s compassionate approach to offboarding supports its reputation as a caring and responsible employer, which is important for attracting and retaining talent in the long run.
- Continuous Improvement: The feedback collected from departing employees helps Glovo refine and improve its offboarding processes, ensuring that they remain effective and sensitive to employees' needs.
