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SOP owner: Human Resources — Last reviewed: [Date] — ID: SOP-HR-003

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Overview

This SOP ensures that every employee departure — voluntary or involuntary — is handled consistently, professionally, and securely. A well-run offboarding protects the company (data security, compliance, continuity) and leaves a positive final impression with the departing employee. Key principle: The goal is to make the transition as smooth as possible for everyone — the departing employee, their team, and the business. Timeline: Most offboarding steps should be completed on or before the employee’s last day. Some steps (final payroll, documentation) happen within 1–2 weeks after departure.

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Types of departure

TypeNoticeKey considerations
Voluntary — standard2 weeks (or as agreed)Standard process applies
Voluntary — executive/seniorTypically 4+ weeksMay involve extended transition; consult Legal
Involuntary — performance/conductImmediate or same-dayHR and Legal must be involved; access revoked same day
Involuntary — layoff/RIFVariesSeverance, WARN Act compliance; Legal required
End of contractPer contract termsEnsure contractor access and data are managed

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Offboarding checklist

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HR responsibilities

  • Confirm the employee’s last working day in writing and update HR systems
  • Initiate exit interview (see Exit Interview below)
  • Confirm final paycheck amount and timing, including accrued PTO payout per policy and applicable law
  • Process COBRA notification (health insurance continuation) within required timeframes
  • Collect signed separation agreement and any required non-disparagement or release documents (if applicable — Legal to review)
  • Update payroll system to close the employment record on the last day
  • Confirm benefits termination dates and notify the employee in writing
  • Archive employee file and ensure record retention requirements are met
  • Send departing employee a confirmation of their final pay and benefits end dates

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IT responsibilities

  • Immediately upon learning of departure: schedule access revocation for the last working day (or immediately for involuntary terminations)
  • On the last day:
    • Disable all SSO and company accounts (Google Workspace, Slack, GitHub, cloud platforms, etc.)
    • Revoke VPN access
    • Remove from all security groups and distribution lists
    • Revoke any API keys or service account credentials assigned to the employee
  • Recover company-owned devices (laptop, phone, access fobs, etc.) on or before the last day
  • Transfer ownership of the employee’s Google Drive files to their manager or designated successor
  • Set an out-of-office auto-reply on the employee’s email and route to their manager (for at least 30 days)
  • Archive email per the record retention policy
  • Remove from any external-facing platforms (website, client portals, etc.)
  • For involuntary departures: access revocation must be completed before the employee is notified
For involuntary departures, IT Security must be notified immediately and confidentially before the termination meeting so that access can be revoked the moment the notification is delivered. Do not allow an involuntary departure to retain access after notification.

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Manager responsibilities

  • Work with HR to confirm last day and communicate to the team at an appropriate time
  • Document and transition all open projects and responsibilities — create a written handoff document
  • Identify who will cover each of the departing employee’s key responsibilities in the interim
  • Notify relevant clients, partners, or external contacts as appropriate (coordinate with HR on messaging)
  • Ensure the departing employee completes outstanding timesheets, documentation, and project handoff materials
  • Recover any company materials (client files, proprietary documents, etc.) stored on personal devices
  • Thank the departing employee publicly (if voluntary and appropriate) with a message to the team or broader org

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Finance responsibilities

  • Confirm and process any outstanding expense reimbursements
  • Cancel or reassign any corporate credit cards on the last day
  • Update vendor records and contracts where the employee was a designated contact
  • Ensure the employee has submitted all outstanding expense reports before departure

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Exit interview

HR conducts an exit interview with all voluntarily departing employees. The exit interview is an opportunity to:
  • Understand the employee’s reasons for leaving
  • Gather feedback on their experience, team, and management
  • Identify trends (if multiple people leave for the same reason)
  • Leave the employee with a positive final impression
Exit interviews are confidential. Findings are shared with senior leadership and HR in aggregated form; individual responses are not shared with direct managers without the employee’s consent. Format: 30-minute video or in-person conversation, scheduled within the employee’s last week. Key questions:
  1. What prompted your decision to leave?
  2. What did you find most rewarding about working here?
  3. What could we do better as a company?
  4. How would you describe the culture to a friend considering joining?
  5. Is there anything we should know that might help us retain others like you?

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Knowledge transfer

For roles with significant institutional knowledge or client relationships, a formal knowledge transfer plan should be developed at least two weeks before the last day. Knowledge transfer document should include:
  • Overview of current projects and their status
  • Key contacts (internal and external) with context
  • Location of important documents, files, and credentials
  • Recurring processes and deadlines the successor needs to be aware of
  • Access and login information that should be transferred (shared credentials via the password manager, not email)
  • Open issues or risks that need attention
The manager is responsible for ensuring the knowledge transfer is complete and documented before the employee’s last day.

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Communications

ScenarioWho communicatesWhen
Voluntary departure — immediate teamManager, after confirming with HRAs soon as the employee and manager agree on timing
Voluntary departure — broader orgManager or HROn or shortly after the last day
Involuntary departureHR provides language; manager delivers to teamSame day, after access is revoked
Client-facing employee departureManager + client relationship ownerProactively, before clients hear from third parties
Principle: Announce departures honestly and promptly, but do not disclose the reason for an involuntary departure beyond “we’re wishing [Name] well in their next chapter.”

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Post-departure

  • Former employees may be entitled to references. HR provides factual references (dates of employment, title). Managers may provide personal references with the employee’s consent.
  • Non-compete, non-solicitation, and confidentiality obligations survive employment per the signed employment agreement. Remind the departing employee of these obligations in the exit paperwork.
  • If a former employee returns company data or reports a security issue after departure, treat it as a priority and involve IT and Legal.
Last updated: [Date] — SOP owner: HR