It’s often difficult to sit down and come up with a compelling topic to write an editorial about. But this topic is especially difficult. Not because of the fear that it won’t be of interest to our readers but simply because this specific topic has a personal element that’s tough to put on paper.
Day in, day out, week after week, month after month, and year after year, I’ve had the pleasure of working with someone I now consider a best friend. This person was my right-hand-(wo)man in the office and has significantly impacted not only my professional but personal life. But the time has come for us to part ways.
This person’s name is Krysten. And although you might not know her in the industry, she has played an integral role in the growing success of the Oral Health Group. What happens behind the scenes of cultivating a monthly clinical publication, as well as Oral Health Office and Oral Hygiene, and not to mention our digital platforms, is a position that is extremely vital to the group’s overall success. Krysten’s role as Assistant Editor, and as a friend, was something that I never took for granted. I valued her professionalism, her dedication, her friendship, and her strong desire and ability to always give one hundred per cent to our team and our growing, successful publications.
Losing integral team members will happen in even the happiest and most productive work environments. But it’s essential to make the remaining time, and the transition after, as smooth as possible for you, the team, and for the soon-to-be former employee. We were extremely lucky that Krysten did not simply ‘check out’ before leaving the office on her final day. She continued to work diligently, only proving how valuable of an employee she really is. Her new employer should be overly thrilled that they are gaining such a hard-working and loyal new team member.
So, what happens next? Of course, initial panic sets in. I’m sure many of you have experienced this in your office before. But the key is to remain calm and know that this is the time to work closely together with your team to smoothly achieve day-to-day tasks. Creating a transition plan allows for all team members to know exactly what the employee did and how much work will be left after they are gone. You’ll want to compare this information to your team’s current priorities, tasks, and workload, so you can determine if and when you need to hire a replacement. Not to mention, it’s ideal to start the hiring processes sooner rather than later. It’s also the appropriate time to reevaluate the role and determine if there is any restructuring on the position to be done.
Losing an employee, especially a great one, is tough – but as a manager, you’ll have to face it sooner or later. I know the team at Oral Health wishes Krysten all the best in her new endeavour. I am overly confident that she will excel in her new role but I can’t help but miss her already.
Krysten, the Oral Health team sincerely thanks you for everything you have done over the last two years. Though I won’t see you every morning when I get to the office, I know that this isn’t goodbye. After all, we do have plans for drinks next weekend. Cheers to that!
