Successfully Managing the Transition Period

Negotiating the notice period, handing over files... The transition following an employee's resignation must be carefully prepared. Here's how to manage this crucial period for management.

1-Consider the context of the resignation
The transition meeting takes place after the departure interview, once the resignation has been finalized. The reasons for leaving must have been clearly identified, as well as any potential relational tensions that may exist between the resigning employee and certain team members, to define the context in which the handover will take place. If the resigning employee's relationships with the team or manager are catastrophic, it is pointless to insist on cooperation. Similarly, if an employee leaves for a competitor, it is preferable to immediately relieve them of sensitive files under their responsibility.

2-Negotiate the notice period
Negotiating the notice period, the duration of which is most often determined by the applicable collective agreement or work council agreement, or sometimes by the employment contract itself, can prove decisive in managing this transition period. Often, resigning executives are expected by their new employer and pressed to leave. They therefore tend to want to negotiate a reduction in the notice period. In this type of circumstance, an amicable arrangement is always preferable to a power struggle with the employee, who is generally unmotivated and has little to lose.

3-Inform the teams at the right time
Whether it's a replacement or a temporary solution, the manager must have a transition solution in place before announcing the departure of one of their team members to the other team members. The resigning employee can be asked to keep the decision of their departure confidential to avoid the vacancy being advertised. It is also not necessary to announce the resignation immediately if it has gone badly. It is preferable to wait for the situation to calm down before communicating.

4-Formalize the handover
To ensure the proper transmission of information, a number of written procedures must be put in place within the company. The aim is to formalize the handover of files to ensure follow-up. In the event of high demotivation or conflict, the company must not be at the mercy of the resigning employee. The same caution applies to the risk of information leakage, which must have been taken into account upstream, when signing the contract, with appropriate confidentiality clauses.

When an employee resigns, it is preferable for management to ensure that the break-up takes place under the best possible conditions. Acting or reacting intelligently will only enhance the company's employer image and will avoid an information imbalance that could fuel rumors and create tensions within the teams.

Philippe Montant General Manager ExeKutive.biz