When a team member leaves …

People leave organizations. In fact, the average time an employee spends in an organization has been steadily coming down over the years. More opportunities, varied opportunities, more money, locational choice, discomfort in a role/organization, bad managers and so many other reasons for which employees move. When you are the manager and a team member tells you his/her intention to leave, what will be your reaction? Shock, Surprise, Relief…… depending on how invaluable the team member had been and next you start thinking of ways and means to retain the employee or think about who could be the replacement. As I sat thinking of this issue ‘ When a team member leaves’, I looked back at such instances in my career and hence this post.

I have strong views on this. Any employee who announces his intention to leave should be spoken to, in a free and frank manner. The reason behind his decision to leave needs to be ascertained. If there is some internal issue highlighted, one needs to explore if this can be overcome and the employee persuaded to continue. For e.g. if the employee says he is not happy with his job profile, (even if he is a good worker and delivers), we can check if some lateral movements to a different role/team can be worked out. However, I am strongly against retaining an employee through inducements of higher pay or an out-of-turn promotion. Two reasons for this — 1) It would tantamount to the fact that you were not paying him what he deserved earlier or did not give him the deserved promotion. 2) It would be extremely unfair to the other employees who continue to work diligently and do not put in their resignations.

There have been instances of my team members leaving and I would like to narrate the way I had handled them, rightly or wrongly, which can be the reader’s subjective opinion. I have been fortunate on one aspect i.e. most of my team members would communicate frankly with me and hence there were never answers like ‘ I have two offers’ or ‘ I will let you know later’, etc.

The first was a star performer in one of the branches, who had put in good many years and produced consistent results. He however was always complaining about lack of career growth. One fine day, he called me and said he had a lucrative offer from another company and he would like to move. As I was scheduled to travel to his branch in the next couple of days, I told him we will discuss in person. Following the call, there was a mail from him indicating his desire to leave. I was in his branch soon after and called him for a one-on-one talk. He showed me the details of his offer (which was substantially higher than his existing pay) and the role was different too although not an elevation. He asked me what revised offer I (existing organization) can make. Told him that I would convey my decision before the end of the day. As there was a matrix-reporting, I discussed with the Zone Head and expressed my view that there will no negotiation. He too was in agreement. I was to travel overnight to another location from the branch that evening. I called the employee and told him politely that there would no counter-offer or negotiation, he should re-consider his decision and if he would still like to leave, he may confirm his final decision next morning and that would be respected. The Zone Head and I drove away to the mofussil centre and early next morning, the employee sent a mail stating he was withdrawing his resignation.

Another branch, another senior employee called me one day. He sounded very anxious or nervous as in a choked voice he blurted out ‘ Sir, I have decided to move. I have a very good offer’. I said, okay let me know what you are getting into. He had been offered a national role by a competitor, something we could never offer him unless I moved out. He told me the salary on offer too but that was purely incidental. I knew it was a good break for him and I should not even try to hold him back. So my question to him was ‘ When do you want to leave? Meanwhile help us find a suitable replacement’. He went silent for a few moments and then said some 45 days or whatever and that he will scout for a replacement too. He left, did well in his career but he later told some people that when he had informed me of his decision to move, I had never asked him to stay back or never sounded unhappy that he was leaving.

There was this junior executive in another branch who had submitted his resignation to the Team leader who in turn informed me. I asked her the details and was told that this employee had got an offer from the Middle-east. I called the employee and he gave me all the details about the offer. I asked him have you checked out the background of the company, etc, and he answered in the affirmative and requested me to check too. Some enquiries made with friends in the Middle-east revealed that the company in question could not be relied upon. I called up my team-member and told him that I was not trying to hold him back or dissuade him, but this is what is coming out about the company. I asked to re-check through someone else too. A week later, he called up again to thank me. He had checked through another source and the suspicions about the company were confirmed. He continued with us for a couple of years more. There was another mid-level team member in another branch, a great performer and someone I liked as a person too. He called me to say that he had an offer from another company ( he spelt it out) and said I will not even request you to reconsider my salary, as I know your views on this well. I tried explaining to him that the culture of his new organization would never suit his style of working, which we valued. He had realized this and said’ I know Sir, but I need the money now. Maybe I will work for 2-3 years there and move out’. Sure enough, he joined that organization and left within 2 years. The only instance, where I talked to our HR wishfully to see if we could match the offer made, knowing in my heart of hearts we would not and should not.

There was this sole instance where I acted mean and did not discuss with the employee concerned. Just a few days earlier, I was forced to give a strong reprimand to this employee for whiling away time in the canteen when there were so many phone-calls to me asking if she was absent. Possibly she was hurt and within two days sent an email saying she was resigning, no reasons given nothing. I was still seething with anger and did not deem it necessary to engage her in a discussion on the reasons for leaving, her new job, etc. I accepted the resignation and sent it to HR for processing and in due course she was relieved. Did not meet her even on the last day as I was travelling. This gnaws at my conscience at times.

To each his own……. but my firm belief is that an monetary appeasement to make an employee withdraw his resignation not only impacts the organsation but the employee himself. He becomes a marked man and loses credibility within the organisation. ©️