For any business – but especially small businesses – culture and team are critical and deserve constant attention. A cohesive team and employees who stay with you for years more often than not translate into smooth operations and years of success. Whether a team member leaves on good terms or is terminated for serious reasons, the fact remains that it will cause disruption. 

Turnover is and always will be a major expense. Gallup estimates that the cost of replacing an employee can range between one-half to two times that individual’s annual salary. While business owners grapple with the financial implications, remaining staff should not be forgotten. So how should leadership prepare for and address turnover when it does happen? Consider these steps that address often-overlooked facets. 

First, if you don’t intentionally bring people up to speed, they will develop their own version of how something should work. Additionally, assuming everyone is up to speed creates chaos. Long-term employees carry a lot of historical knowledge, so when a more tenured person departs, ensuring all of that information is formally documented is vital. Newer team members may be generally updated, but could miss context that only a long-term employee would know. Documentation and an “off-boarding” protocol are must-do steps. 

It’s also important to consider what ‘up to speed’ actually means for you and your team. It’s not only about a transfer of information. Think operationally, culturally and strategically. Operational items your team needs to understand include tools, systems, workflows and expectations. On a cultural level, ensure your team has a grasp on team norms, communication requirements and decision-making processes. Leaders should not miss debriefing teams on strategic elements like priorities, what their role looks like and what success looks like when a departure occurs. 

Returning to that belief that turnover will cause disruption of some kind, it is imperative to keep tabs on team alignment during the weeks and months that follow. Don’t wait until something feels broken. Plan for realignment early and often. Leaders can prepare plans in advance that outline off-boarding and on-boarding tasks for certain team members, with check-ins planned at 30, 60 and 90 days. Quarterly, it could be beneficial to regroup with your entire team to discuss goals, priorities and process changes. Annual resets may focus on vision and role advancement. 

Finally, enacting a robust protocol when someone leaves your business may sound overwhelming in terms of information and communication. Developing your own internal process for this in advance will help things run more smoothly and reduce missteps. That plan could include centralized documentation, regular team meetings to share knowledge or cross-train, and role check-ins. Clarity about who owns what is crucial once you know a team member is leaving. Leaders should set the tone and bring a calm sense of clarity to teams. 

Ultimately, the goal is to avoid common turnover-related issues from creeping in. Things like hearing employees say “that’s not my job” often, asking the same questions repeatedly, having to redo work, taking too long for new team members to gain confidence, or simply that team morale feels off, can be avoided with a great protocol. Strong teams and successful businesses are sustained by handling change well and handling it together!