Employee turnover is inevitable in any industry. When an employee announces a plan to move on, it is important to create a transition plan. Your transition plan helps ensure that key information about the project and the position is retained, noted and passed on to the next engineer who will fill the position.
Here are specific strategies for creating and implementing a successful transition:
Choose someone to shadow the exiting engineer.
In most cases, you’ll have a few weeks’ notice before a member of your engineering team leaves. As soon as possible, choose someone to shadow the exiting engineer in order to gain familiarity with that engineer’s projects, plans and processes. Have the shadowing employee take notes and ask questions to get up to speed on the process.
Ask for the employee’s help with the transition.
Many people mentally check out as soon as they turn in their two weeks’ notice. Avoid this loss of productivity and create a successful transition plan at the same time by asking the exiting employee to help you create a transition plan. For instance, you might ask for a written summary of their current work on any projects, or recommendations for staff members who can help address urgent tasks on those projects while you seek a replacement engineer to fill their position.
Improve your exit interview skills.
Exit interviews can be one of the most powerful tools in your recruiting process – if you know how to use them correctly. Start by focusing on why the employee started looking for a new job in the first place, what the employee would change about the team or the job if they could, and the reasons the employee feels as though this job was a good “fit” (or a poor one). Share these notes with your staffing partner in order to improve the cultural and personality “fit” between the candidates your recruiter recommends and your team.
At SoloPoint Solutions, our recruiters can help you create a transition plan that will prepare your team for the road ahead – no matter how bumpy it is. Contact us today to learn more about our engineering recruiting services in Los Altos and beyond!