No matter how great the organization, sometimes wonderful employees decide to leave the company.  There are a few things you have to do to ensure your company is safe

1. Exit Interview

This tip doesn’t cover security per say, but it’s a definite must.  During an exit interview, you can gain meaningful insight as to why the person is leaving.  This information can be used to improve your current workplace and retain great employees.  This can also give you one more opportunity to retain the person if you choose to do so.

2. Escort Them Out The Building

This tip is pivotal.  Especially if the employee is leaving against their will.  Ensure they take all their belongings to exclude all company property i.e. laptop.  This step ensures nothing is taken or damaged.   Just imagine what the former I.T. guy could do on his way out of the building, deleting and unplugging on his way to the door.

3. Take Everything

Ensure that all badges, keys, and other authentication items are taken.  You want to ensure that once the employee leaves they cannot re-enter the building.

4. Change Everything

This is a fatal misstep that most organizations overlook.  Whenever a person leaves the organization everything they had access to needs to change.  Yep, that means changing locks, passwords, and pins.  This can be a pain but can save you a lot of heartache in the long run.

5. Disable & Delete

Once the employee has left the organization ensure you disable all of their accounts.  This step makes sure they will not be unable to access company resources.  Don’t delete right away in case wrongdoing is found and data could be used as evidence.  Plus people simply forget photos, work or either material as they move on to another company.  As a nice gesture, you can keep their account for 2 to 4 weeks then delete.

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