Jill Geisler: What’s a leader to do when good employees leave?

Picture this: A good employee informs his boss he’s planning to resign. He gives plenty of advance notice. A bigger organization is offering him an expanded opportunity. The boss accepts the resignation, then lets others on the team know he’s not happy about it. He tells them, “This place has a one-way door.” In other words, once you leave, you’re never welcome back.

I wish I could tell you that this true story was unusual, but I’ve heard it before. Some managers blame turnover on turncoats, taking their resignations as personal affronts. They don’t like the disruption of departures — and they let it show.

That’s a shame. There are better ways to handle resignations. Ethical managers don’t try to guilt-trip, bully or mislead good people into sticking around. Nor do they cut ties with departing staff or declare a “no returns” policy.

5 truths managers should recognize when employees leave

Employee turnover is going to happen at some point — it’s inevitable. Here are some things to keep in mind when it does.

1 Leaving is not disloyalty. You may have hired, mentored and coached staff members, only to learn they’re looking for greener pastures. You can be disappointed to lose them, but it’s not personal. All that development work is what managers are supposed to do. Try to persuade them to stay, but only if it is in their best interests.

A terrific employee once informed me he was leaving because he wanted a new challenge. I was discouraged but not daunted. I created a new position that tapped his many strengths. He said, “How did you know this is exactly what I’d want?” and he turned down the other offer. The stars aligned for us that time — but things aren’t always so neat. If I couldn’t have sculpted that new job, I would have said goodbye gracefully, not grudgingly, to a valued employee.

2 Your team is watching. How you respond to resignations sends a message to your team. If you treat departing staff like pariahs — if you badmouth or rush them out the door for no good reason — people remember. They know quitting is your hot-button issue and a management flaw they must navigate. Don’t be surprised if departing staff who might otherwise give you the courtesy of early notice wait until the very last minute. People who may be thinking about growing into another role may hesitate to run their aspirations past you for fear you’ll react poorly. Like the manager who inspired this column, you can develop a reputation for having a blind spot that holds people back. It erodes trust.

3 Stories matter. Organizational culture is built on stories. They are about what and who we celebrate, how we recovered from setbacks — and how people are treated, for better or worse. Smart managers know how to frame the stories of employee departures. You must be truthful, of course. But think of the difference between, “She thought she could do better elsewhere, so goodbye and good luck with that,” and “She was ready for the next step, and while the timing here wasn’t right, we’re proud to have helped her grow.” You don’t want your people telling a story that says, “People can be star players here, but the minute they give notice, they’re dead to the boss.”

4 Mind your pipeline. Departures can cause headaches for managers. They may have to lobby to replace the position, assign people to work extra hours to cover staffing gaps or delay a project rollout. Emotionally intelligent managers deal with the frustrations, but those who are also strategic thinkers do even better: They maintain a hiring pipeline. They recognize the value of keeping track of people to hire or promote, which reduces the problems caused by turnover.

5 The world is smaller than you think. One of the best reasons to treat people well as they leave you is that your paths may cross again. Recent studies say “boomerang” hiring — bringing back former employees — is on the rise, and it’s apparently beneficial to both employer and employee.^a There’s also the reality that we live in a world of mergers, acquisitions and collaborations. The person who once reported to you might one day turn out to be your boss. Even if you never work together again, employees who leave on the best terms can serve as some of your best recruiters. 

Footnote

a. Richardson, N., “Boomerang hiring makes a comeback,” ADP Research, May 20, 2025; and McGlauflin, P., “Boomerang employees made up 35% of all new hires in March, per ADP data,” HR Brew, May 30, 2025.