How to help your team when a key team member leaves
Tips on how to increase team morale when key people leave
Hey there,
Last week I had to do one of the hardest things I had to do in the past 2 years: Share with the team that a key team member on our team was leaving. The reason it was so hard was that they were a really important team member and had a significant impact on our team’s morale and that they were a key player on the product team and one of my most important creative partners.
Losing that team member came as a shock and was really, really hard to digest on a personal level, but of course, most importantly I am worried that this a hard hit on the team and will discourage or demotivate others on the team and potentially cause a downward spiral.
So I started digging into resources that can help our team to stay positive:
How to manage the process around a key team member leaving 😅
👉 How to Keep Your Team Engaged When You Have Low Morale at Work by Lighthouse
Top takeaways: When key people leave it’s a tough spot for any team, does not matter how good or bad you think your team is (it does not only happen to “bad teams”), the silver lining is that you CAN DO things about it and this article outlines what exactly you can and should do
👉 Why Your Employees Leave in Waves + How to Fix Your Growing Employee Turnover Rate by Lighthouse
Top takeaways: The silver lining of key team members leaving is that you can learn from their feedback and the reasons why they left. The key now is to act quickly, the strongest ally you have in these situations is progress. Make sure you keep moving the needle towards improvement.
👉 How to Manage Morale When a Well-Liked Employee Leaves by Liane Davey
Top takeaways: When a well-liked team member leaves, it’s important to have a game plan. Liane offers a clear one: Work through your emotions and then start a virtuous cycle by celebrating the departing employee, seeking their candid feedback in an exit interview, forming and testing hypotheses about how to improve your workplace, and making meaningful changes that make your team feel heard and valued.
News from Bunch
We’re gearing up for our next AMA (Ask Me Anything) with Renita Kalhorn. You may be familiar with Renita as she’s responsible for dozens of tips in the app and has run mastermind sessions for the community in the past! We’re so thrilled to have her back to share her insights with the community.
Who?Renita Kalhorn - Leadership Development and Executive Performance Coach and Mental Training Mentor for military Special Forces. Renita is also a frequent Forbes contributor on various leadership topics.
What? AMA on team building, stress management, and leading
Where? The #ask_community channel right here in Slack
When? Wednesday, July 14 @ 8:30am PST/11:30am EST/5:30pm CEST
Slack AMAs are completely async - stay for a few minutes to drop your question, or watch the whole thing unfold!
Want to learn more about Renita? Check out this incredible podcast interview we did with her on navigating uncertainty like a Navy SEAL. She’s got some great tips on living and leading in a VUCA world.
Tips from the Bunch AI Coach
This week’s tip from the coach covers how to keep scoring when you are short -handed, especially when you had someone leave on your team, its crucial to redistribute work accordingly. This tip is inspired by Ben Fanning, Keynote Speaker, Consultant and Author of "The Quit Alternative".
Have a great week and keep it up!
Darja