Mokhoa oa Boomerang oa ho Itokolla ho Hoholo

Having spent more than 15 years researching the best practices from around the world in Delivering Delight within organizations, I was captivated by his wisdom.

Greg shared that in Singapore (and in many other countries in Asia), when an employee is giving you notice of leaving their job, it is almost always too late to keep them. There is a slim chance that they can be tempted into staying as they have likely already signed up with their future employer.

Linonyana li fofe

It is natural to feel hurt to see an employee leave after you have invested in them. But if you are confident that you are a good leader working in a positive and nourishing organizational culture, don’t fall into the ego trap of bitterness toward their ‘ungratefulness’. Instead, practice your values and remain graceful and hospitable. Remember your own journey and that the new generation will be unlikely to stay forever. After all, birds eventually fly out of the nest.

Tsetela nakong ea ho arohana

Investing in your farewell process is an excellent way to make your ex-employee feel great. Your remaining employees will see another human side of the culture. They will leave feeling respected, well-treated and appreciated to end on a sweet note. Praise them for the great work they have done. Share how you believe they contributed to the company and made an impact. Offer them authentic and unconditional friendship and wish them success in their new journey.

Plant seeds for the future by offering a listening ear in case they need an advice. Your mentorship can be valuable for them as they may face unfamiliar challenges in their new role. Then send them off with your blessings.

By investing in your farewell process, they are likely to become loyal members of your company’s alumni. They will become your ambassadors and recommend young talent to you. You never know how well they’ll do, perhaps one day they will headhunt you.

Ema. Mema. Mamela.

It’s likely you will want to understand their motive for leaving, however, exit interviews are mostly ceremonial. In most cases, especially in Asia, people who just leave do not want to hurt the ‘rice bowl’ of others and you will get limited information. Be patient.

A few weeks after they leave, invite the talent that you would have liked to keep for lunch. Most of them will be flattered that the GM is interested in them and will show up.

As they are already working for another organization, they will be more likely to be open with you and tell you if there was an internal reason why they left your organization.

The honest feedback you will get with distance is invaluable can be used to improve your culture, your processes and help you fix blind spots.

Tšepa boomerang

Now, you have an opportunity to ask them about their experience in their new role and offer your mentorship. If they reveal that they do not have a great boss or peers and if the culture does not match up to yours, you can tell them “I kept this job open for you, come back home. You will thrive here. We value you here.”

Greg called this ‘Operation Boomerang’ to be used for the best among those who left. To his great delight, more than one-third of the people who were headhunted came back!

Their return had stopped the mass loss of talent at the company. When they came back with increased loyalty, they were more motivated than ever before. They shared stories with their peers and employees on why it was better to work for Marriott than for their competitors. Their stories were contagious. When people heard that the grass outside is not greener, it increased also job satisfaction and levels of engagement in their colleagues.

So, what about the two-thirds who did not return? We can use their feedback to our advantage and improve on our organizations through a deeper understanding of what employees want from their workplace.

The boomerang has returned in a variety of ways. Use the Boomerang approach to have good business and personal karma. What you give, you get so much more.

Source: Delivering Delight