By Michael Holland
Your employee has asked to see you for a couple of minutes. Your instincts jump and your soul is telling you that it is likely the employee is going to resign. The meeting is as you thought; the employee has accepted a new position.
This is a great opportunity… for you and your team! This forced change provides the chance to look at the position and the role with fresh eyes. Don’t merely replace the employee in-kind, assuming that the responsibilities and skills are still what you need. Look at the responsibilities and interactions the role had within your team, with internal customers, and with external customers. Is this an opportunity to create short-term, special projects for remaining employees who can gain new experiences? Take the time to truly assess the position and needs and opportunities.
Answer these questions. . .
- Are there changes in responsibilities or tasks that I would like to make?
- Is there other work I would like to incorporate into the position?
- Are there tasks that are no longer necessary?
- How does the position support the future goals for my team?
- Are there short-term projects that other members of my team could handle?
Adjust your mindset from “hiring a replacement” to “acquiring a talent asset” to signify the criticality of the process.
