Unexpected talent departures and manager resignations: how to ensure business continuity?

Within a company, a high resignation rate, with unexpected departures of managers and talent, can have a strong impact on the company’s operational performance. In such a context, it is urgent to find quick and effective solutions to ensure business continuity.

 

Wave of resignations in France: where do we stand?

Since the beginning of the health crisis and following the numerous lockdowns, we have been witnessing, on an international scale, a profound transformation of the relationship to work with, in some countries, a particularly high rate of resignations. In the United States in particular, there was talk of Big Quit, to describe the unexpected and particularly high wave of departures observed in companies (according to Dares, this rate had reached 3% in 2021, the highest level since 2000).

In France, in the 3rd quarter of 2023, there were 517,900 resignations from permanent contracts per quarter. The risk of a “great resignation” then began to be evoked in France.

Among the main reasons mentioned are the lack of recognition at work; work/life imbalance; poor career prospects or the desire to take on a new position that is better paid or more meaningful.

 

My manager is resigning, what should I do?

When a company is faced with the resignation of good people (departure of highly qualified employees, executives or managers for example), it can strongly disrupt the balance of the entire team and undermine the proper functioning of the business.

To reduce the risks associated with such departures, here are some tips:

• Understanding the causes of departures

Faced with an employee, a manager or any other talent who resigns, it is first of all essential to organize an individual interview with the latter, in order to better understand the reasons for his departure. This can indeed allow for an open conversation to identify the real reasons for the resignation and, possibly, to propose alternatives (a more attractive salary, An internal mobility offer, a transfer to another subsidiary, access to training, etc.). Even when the decision to leave is irrevocable, talking to the employee who wants to leave will highlight any dysfunctions related to the reasons for his or her departure (for example: shaky management, burnout, lack of alignment between corporate culture and individual values, interpersonal conflicts, few opportunities for development…). When several employees choose to resign for similar reasons, it will be essential to To question internal practices and to activate the appropriate levers to reduce the risk of turnover and strengthen talent retention and retention.

• Identify early signs of quitting

It is also imperative to identify, upstream, the warning signs of departures: a disengaged employee, a manager with little involvement, a lack of interest, a lack of enthusiasm and curiosity, etc. During annual individual interviews, discuss with each manager and employee to ask them about their feelings about their position and any concerns or sources of dissatisfaction. This proactive approach can help anticipate employee needs and significantly reduce the resignation rate.

• Reassuring the team

The departure of a manager or department director can create many upheavals within the teams. First of all, it is important to be very transparent to avoid rumours or harmful rumours. As soon as the resignation is formalized, inform the team and assure employees that you are aware of the challenges and changes caused by this departure. Accept their fears and reassure them by explaining that you will put in place the necessary actions to mitigate the risks associated with this situation.

• Find fast outsourcing solutions

The departure of a manager can be particularly stressful and his replacement is usually the subject of a long recruitment process with far-reaching stakes. However, while waiting to find a new employee, collective performance, employee commitment and the profitability of the activity can be strongly impacted.

In such cases, it may therefore be particularly strategic to turn to outsourcing solutions that ensure the continuity of functions until the arrival of a new employee internally.

To do this, it is possible to call on an external consultant, a service provider or an interim manager.

• Calling on an interim manager

The interim manager is a powerful ally in preserving the continuity of a company’s activity after the departure of a key employee such as a manager, a senior executive or a department head.

He is indeed a senior, experienced professional with a long career of 15 to 25 years in strategic positions and in various professional environments.

For example, WAYDEN offers you the opportunity to identify and assign an interim manager carefully selected and able to intervene in the shortest possible time, at short notice if necessary. We select an interim manager specialized in the sector of activity concerned (agri-food, energy, nuclear, e-commerce, etc.) and in the targeted function (proximity manager, top manager, CIO, CFO, Sales Director, etc.).

Thanks to its operational excellence and its unparalleled managerial qualities, he will be able to successfully ensure the continuity of the position during the necessary period (between 6 and 18 months), federate the teams and manage all strategic projects. He will also ensure that the milestone is passed on to the future employee recruited in order to guarantee a smooth and smooth handover.

In addition to these relay management missions, it can also be strategic, faced with a wave of resignations, to call on an interim HR director. Indeed, the latter will be able to identify the real causes of departures and implement concrete actions to strengthen employee engagement, retain talent and reduce the risk of resignations in a sustainable way.