When a college football team loses its star player to a season-ending injury, other players need to “step up” so the team can remain competitive. Small businesses have to deal with such losses, too. A key employee may leave for any number of reasons—moving, illness, another job, higher education, or even to start their own business. How do you react? What can you do? First, stay calm . You want to project confidence to employees who aren’t leaving. Let them know while losing Joe or Jane is painful, life goes on and so will the business. It’s time for all to move forward and overcome this temporary challenge. Minimize the damage . Can the departing employee’s responsibilities be reallocated? If some of the former employee’s skills are unmatched among your staff, perhaps you can fill the void temporarily yourself or find a seasoned part-timer with those skills. Find an internal replacement . No one is truly indispensable. With some training, another loyal employee may be able to nearly match the ex’s performance—and may even surprise you with different talents and perspectives. If that’s not an option, put on your recruiter’s hat and start networking. Now, take steps to keep this situation from haunting you again: Find out the real reasons for leaving . Common root causes include lack of challenges, limited growth opportunities, micro management, dysfunctional culture, or feeling undervalued. You may not like the answer, but at least you can begin correcting a problem that may be festering with others. Identify key employees’ crucial responsibilities and cross-train others to perform these jobs . Cross training helps employees to be more engaged in the business and supportive of your goals. Start grooming replacements for your “stars.” As a business leader, you should never stop looking for ways to find great people, cultivate their abilities, and incent them to stay on your team. Has your business ever taken a “hit” from a star’s departure? Please let us know how you handled the situation.
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