Offboarding and Retirement: Supporting an Employee’s Departure

You may have one employee planning to retire, or several. In some organizations, retirements happen every year and can be built into workforce planning. In a smaller team, the news may come as a surprise.

Either way, the organization needs to prepare for the employee’s departure and the work that will continue. Retirement marks the end of a career with the organization, but it also begins a new chapter for the employee.

Start with the employee

Age and seniority do not tell you whether someone wants to retire. Avoid making assumptions and let the employee decide when to raise the subject. In Québec, employers cannot force someone to retire because of their age or because they qualify for retirement. The Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse explains the rules on age discrimination.

When an employee announces their departure, the manager can work with them to set a timeline and plan the next steps. The departure date is only a starting point. They should also discuss current files, responsibilities to hand over, and how the employee would like to share the news with colleagues or clients.

Retirement also raises more personal questions. How will someone spend their days? Which relationships do they want to maintain? How might they redefine themselves after years in the same role? Our article Retirement Takes Planning explores these parts of the transition.

What needs to be passed on?

In a small team, one person may be the only one who knows how a process works, who to call when a problem comes up, or why a decision was made. When they leave, the team may discover that some important information was never written down.

The manager can help identify what needs to be transferred and decide how to do it. A procedure may be easy to document. More informal know-how may be better passed on through job shadowing, mentoring or a few working sessions with the person taking over.

The transfer needs time to work. Asking someone to sum up years of experience in their final few days is rarely enough. Read more in our article on knowledge transfer.

Could a gradual transition help?

Some employees prefer to leave on a set date. Others may want to reduce their hours or responsibilities gradually. If it works for both the employee and the organization, this can make it easier to hand over files and give the next person time to grow into the role.

There are different ways to do it. An employee might work fewer days, gradually hand over responsibilities or mentor a successor for an agreed period. Our article What Is Phased Retirement? offers examples and considerations.

The practical details matter

Equipment needs to be returned. Access has to be closed. Payroll, benefits and insurance need attention. Questions about retirement plans or benefits should be checked with the relevant administrators, since the options depend on each person’s circumstances.

The team will also have questions. Who will take over the files? Will the organization hire someone? How will the work be divided in the meantime? Clear answers can help prevent uncertainty from lingering after the employee leaves.

It is also worth asking how the employee would like their departure to be recognized. Some people will enjoy a moment with the team; others may prefer a quieter announcement.

Recognizing retirement as part of a career

Retirement is often associated with finances. Leduc RH’s New Horizons™ program focuses on another aspect: the personal transition. It does not provide financial planning advice.

The program helps people reflect on the areas of life that may change after work. These can include physical and mental health, family and social relationships, projects and passions, daily routines, a sense of contribution, and personal identity.

With a specialized coach, participants assess where they are, clarify their interests and abilities, and shape goals for what comes next. The New Horizons™ portal also gives them readings, exercises and self-assessments to support that reflection.

Offering external support for retirement planning is part of sound people management. It recognizes that retirement is a stage in a person’s career journey and gives the employee space to prepare for it, beyond the organization’s operational needs.

Learn more about Leduc RH’s retirement planning and transition program.

Preparing for what comes next

A well-supported retirement respects the employee’s choice, recognizes their contribution and helps the team keep moving. Planning does not have to be complicated. It starts with listening, identifying what needs to be passed on and allowing enough time for the transition.