By Rose O. Sherman, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN
A recent survey conducted by the American Organization of Nurse Leaders highlights nationwide critical challenges with nurse staffing. Many health systems now have surging turnover, and recruiting experienced staff is difficult. Nurses close to retirement are leaving early, and many younger nurses are burned out and tired. While retention needs to continue to be a key strategic goal, how staff who leave are offboarded also needs to be examined.
Offboarding is the process used by an organization to formally separate a nurse after resignation, termination, or retirement. In the March/April 2021 issue of the Harvard Business Review, authors Dachner and Makarius make a strong case that organizations should turn valued departing employees into loyal alumni using a holistic approach to offboarding. They point out that there is growing churn with today’s workforce, whether we like it or not. More staff are likely to serve what is described as a “tour of duty.” Strategic organizations see this workforce change. They have shifted focus when staff leaves to turn these employees into loyal alumni who advocate for the use of services, serve as ambassadors and often boomerang back to employers who take the time to do outreach and stay connected.
Their advice is that leaders need to go beyond the traditional and often perfunctory exit interview. They need to conduct more thoughtful exit interviews, provide support for staff as they transition, and create a formal program to keep them connected as loyal alumni. Building a humane and well-run offboarding program can have a huge impact on a departing staff member’s impression of the organization’s commitment to people. When staff is not treated well, they don’t promote the organization. This needs special consideration in nursing because a nurse may not only not recommend employment to other nurses but may also not recommend an organization as a place to seek care to family, friends, and the community at large.
A critical care nurse manager explained to me how she had changed the offboarding in her unit as an outcome of the COVID experience.
During COVID and even now, I am losing some of my best critical care staff. For some, it is a need to make more money and move into travel roles. Others are burned out and want time off to think about their next career move. I have two choices here. I can either get angry or be strategic. I have chosen to be very strategic as I believe some of these nurses will want to return or recommend our unit as a great place to others. I myself worked as a travel nurse when I was young. The pay was good but I never felt connected to staff while on contract. It was sometimes very lonely. I believe if I stay connected with them and I am the one who reaches out- they will feel much more comfortable coming back. So I keep the cell numbers of every staff member that leaves (who I want back) and when possible have them on a social media connection. I send them a text every two weeks to let them know that I am thinking about them. Several nurses have called me to tell me how much they appreciate my decision to stay connected. They have even given me some good tips about policies and practices they have found in other settings that could help our unit. Even if they don’t come back, I have some great ambassadors for the unit.
The research tells us that people often rethink their priorities in life as an outcome of a crisis. With theCOVID crisis as a backdrop, the turnover we see today in nursing is not surprising, but changing our paradigm about how we look at it will be important. It is time not only to devote time to intentional onboarding but also more intentional offboarding.
Reference
Dachner, A.M. & Makarius, E.E. (March/April 2021). Turning departing employees into loyal alumni: A holistic approach to offboarding. Harvard Business Review.
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