Leaving Home

Identity is fluid, we can be many things at the same time. Similarly, we can emotionally attach ourselves to different homes. There isn’t tension associated with this. Most of us still identify with the homes, schools and the places we grew up in, as well as those we became a part of in our adult lives. Those of us who have lived in different parts of the world still carry elements of those places within us. We retain the emotional connection, and still relate to the hometown, school, university and employment that we left many years ago. The only things that can break that emotional connection are trauma or ill treatment. We must ensure that within our organisational culture, we create and maintain an environment where people feel they belong so that when they leave, a positive emotional connection remains – just like home.

There are places I’ll remember all my life …. Most of our adult life is characterised by work. We become profoundly identified with it, with our teams and our projects, so our jobs become an extension of who we are – they partly shape our identity. Undoubtedly, there is an emotional connection that will be remembered throughout our lives. When we leave an organisation we want to preserve the reputation, network and relationships that we have taken time and effort to build. Over the last decade (and even more so the last 18 months) there has been a seismic shift within all organisations. Centrica has not been immune from this and there was a time a few months ago, when there was an influx of invitations to connect not only on platforms such as LinkedIn but also Facebook and Instagram with colleagues who were exiting the organisation. We are no longer in an age where there is a guarantee of employment or where the term ‘Job for Life’ applies. Although tenures are getting shorter and the impermanence is mostly understood, it is vital that companies still seek to build trust and engender loyalty. More and more employees are seeking flexibility and diversification, if companies give them a reason, they will stay connected and they will still belong. 

Identity and Belonging

When we feel we belong, that belonging becomes part of our identity. Little wonder that for many of us our introductions include what we do and who we work for. Indeed, if we don’t say it we will be asked, whether at a business meeting, a blind date or the school gate.

After qualification, one of my best friends, Francis, worked for law firm for 10 years before leaving for a better opportunity at a different firm where he worked for the next 8 or so years of his career. He then took up his current position. The three firms are competitors, but Francis will not hear a word said against any and indeed when there are matters that he cannot fulfil for existing clients he will always refer them to his former colleagues. He maintains the relationships, regularly talks to his ex-colleagues and often seeks advice from them. This is reciprocated and consequently a web has been woven such that at some social events it’s hard to know who works for who. Would that all companies had several Francis’ to count on for an affiliation that remains long after the physical connection comes to an end.

For many companies, stability has given way to rapid change and transformation. This necessitates adaptability and individuals have had to combine job related skills with adaptability. Nevertheless, we all still crave community as well as a meaningful connection to a purpose. Inevitably though, people will look for new avenues elsewhere to utilise their skills or pivot to take advantage of those new opportunities. Leaders must realise that if they hire great people, they may not stay forever. Despite this, it is still possible for employer and employee to forge lifelong affiliations. Our culture should maintain and promote a collegiality which recognises that community, caring and friendship are at the heart of our organisation.

Blind Loyalty? Community

When we think about organisational culture, our focus is inevitably on what happens within the organisation, but shouldn’t we also consider what happens outside it especially as stories will always be told about us by those that were previously insiders.

Our focus should not just be on welcoming people in, it should be on the whole journey – beginning to end and even beyond. Attention needs to be paid to how we continue the relationship whilst we are together and then on how we plan to say goodbye. Onboarding, being on board and offboarding should be inseparable – there are three in this relationship! We can’t plan the exit as an afterthought. Companies ought to approach this in a strategic, data-driven, and flexible way. Wherever possible we must shift our emphasis to maintaining connection, remembering that people take pleasure in the intimacy of interacting with a community with whom they have a shared history.

Its then a smaller step from there to loyalty.

True loyalty is emotional and irrational and in saying this I bring to mind yet another family friend – sensible and open minded in all things apart from anything to do with his beloved Cardiff City Football club where he and others like him suddenly can see or hear no wrong. You can hear him shout from the stands – why are we playing against the referee?! Even when it’s as clear as day that a Cardiff player is in the wrong. This is not unusual for zealous football fans.

It is unreasonable to look for let alone expect the blind loyalty of a football fan but there is a case to be made for a loyal community of employees and ex-employees. We are looking for pride! Not the problematic hubristic pride which is all about arrogance and egotism. Rather the authentic pride in not only the achievements of ourselves and our colleagues but in the collegiality of working together and in our identity as part of a great organisation. This is the lasting pride that is within reason rather than beyond, that allows us to question and criticise whilst retaining a familial sense of belonging and security. This is the culture that we need to engender, the culture that ensures that our work and our organisation become part of identity just like home.

Breaking Up Is hard to Do

Goodbyes are emotional. They just are. If employer and employee have had a trusting and honest relationship there will be an acknowledgement that at some stage the physical relationship must end either through new opportunities, retirement or unfortunately even redundancy. The day to day relationship may be over but the trust and honesty that endured throughout the relationship should remain. We can achieve this if we change our mindset, begin thinking about the relationship changing rather than being severed. The way to prepare for an eventual exit is to ensure that the time spent with the company is positive, mutually trusting and fulfilling. It is engendering this culture that will help ensure that heightened emotions don’t prevent an orderly transition.

Exits can sometimes leave a sour taste for instance where the departing employee ‘switches off’ in the final few weeks or the employer is no longer interested in leveraging the skills of the employee or actively excludes them. ‘Garden leave’ may be necessary but it needn’t come with a cost. What we must remember is that leaving a job is not just transactional - it can be scary and emotional. It involves leaving connections and friendships behind and anticipating new ones. Enabling a smooth transition and an amicable separation is possible and if done right, should be a cause for celebration. It can be an opportunity for the Company, the remaining colleagues and the employee that is exiting the organisation to articulate how much they value and appreciate each other and can be a useful way for the employer to capture valuable feedback.

Exit This Way

The way companies part ways with their employees has a lasting effect on the former employee, employees who remain, and the brand. It is a test of the adherence to the company values. If for instance we have ‘Care’ as one of our key values but we pay lip service to the exit conversations and turn it into a perfunctory exercise whereby the departing employee hands in the Company hardware, access pass and whatever other physical company items or material they have but there is no real attention to the individual per se. This would demonstrate that caring stops when the employee hands in their notice. If ‘care’ is a key value, caring must be sincere and continue not only to the end of employment but also beyond. If it doesn’t the inevitable truth is that our caring was conditional and not true. This would wholly undermine the culture that we aim to promote.

A high percentage of people who leave the organisation will go and work for a competitor, a supplier or even a client. It is in the company’s interest to stay on the best possible terms with these individuals. Yet when the emphasis centres on concerns about intellectual capital, severance pay, length of the notice period, the indication is that caring has stopped. Departing employees should not be viewed as a liability.

Former employees are at least as likely to influence outside opinions about an organisation as current employees. So, continuing goodwill with ex-employees will help and consolidate a company’s reputation, brand, and influence. Given that people usually continue working in the same industry, ex-employees can be valuable connections into clients, suppliers, partners and other company stakeholders. Referrals from individuals who know and understand the organisation are an important part in extending influence and promoting the company externally.

One last football anecdote - Spurs may have sacked Pochettino only 19 months ago but both they and he seem to want him back. The mutual goodwill has remained despite the mode of his departure – is it the Spurs’ culture?

Whilst the days of the gold watch at retirement and elaborate celebrations may be mostly over, exits can still be made as easy and as amicable as possible. For us at Centrica, former colleagues should be able to look back on their time at Centrica with affection recognising that Centrica helped them develop and build their careers, that they retain friends within the organisation and above all that the organisation valued and continues to value the contribution that they made.