We have had a number of discussions recently with Pabasso members regarding losing key employees – either through dismissal or them choosing to leave. This is something all business leaders experience from time to time and it is better to be prepared rather than shocked when it happens.

The first reaction from most CEO’s when it’s clear a key employee has to go or is leaving of their own volition is how do I replace them with a like for like candidate? The second reaction is to immediately start the recruitment process for someone to do the same job, either via internal promotion or external recruitment.

In my experience, the first reaction of the leader of a growing business should be to question whether or not this should be seen as an opportunity rather than a problem.

This void should not just be seen as a hole that needs to be filled as soon as possible but an opportunity to take a breath and review the role. As businesses grow demands change and roles should change in line with these demands. Not all key employees can grow at the same pace as the business and this can ultimately create the dissatisfaction that facilitates an exit.

So when it becomes apparent that a key employee has to go or is leaving rather than shooting from the hip ask yourself the following questions:

Is this still the right role for the business? Can we derisk the role (if desired)? Could it be diluted or split? Could it be enhanced and moved to a higher level in the business? Is this the opportunity to replace it with a role at a lower level within the business? Simply considering these questions will help ensure the right decisions are made for the future of the business.

This recent Forbes article adds a bit of colour to the challenge of What to do when an important member leaves your team