Earlier this week, the tennis legend Andy Murray revealed his plans to quit his career in tennis after Wimbledon following an ongoing recovery battle from his hip surgery.
The Standard.co.uk reports that 31-year-old Murray has struggled to recover from a chronic hip condition for almost two years and had surgery on his right hip last January, before returning to the tennis court in June 2018.
And, some may attribute this poor long-winded recovery to his intense playing style that may have left him with little time to focus on making a proper recovery.
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While Murray’s retirement has come under different circumstances – in that he is retiring on the back of an injury – this event has given HR some guidance about how employees can retire gracefully and how to support them prior to their departure.
According to Sinead Bunting, VP Marketing Europe at Monster.co.uk handing in your resignation is never easy – particularly if you enjoy your job as Murray does. And while some resignations may happen less gracefully, Bunting explains that employees should do their best to remain courteous.
Bunting urges exiting employees to tell their bosses about their plans to leave before telling everyone else. She exclusively told HR Grapevine: “The last thing you want is your boss finding out second-hand, as that will only make the process even harder.”
“Remember, you’re not the first person who’s ever quit, nor will you be the last, so no need to dread the interaction.”
Particularly because of the nature of Murray’s resignation – due to a historic sports injury impairing his ability to play – he is not leaving his profession on bad terms with his sporting counterparts. And, with any company departure, Bunting encourages Murray to be confident in his decision to leave and remember why he is stopping.
So, providing Murray with the appropriate support as he nears his retirement is crucial. Lisa Sterling, Chief People and Culture Officer at Ceridian exclusively told HR Grapevine that it is natural for workers to experience some anxiety before packing up work, but HR should be there to support them.
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She explained: “While parties and gifts are commonly offered to celebrate someone’s tenure once they have decided to leave their job and start retirement, HR professionals should really be thinking about this moment as a journey and not just the final destination.”
Sterling added that beyond organisation-wide succession planning, employers should be mindful of providing a well-rounded individual experience that focusses on continued support for the departing employee.
One way for HR to provide this support is through outplacement programmes. Outplacement is the support provided by organisations to individuals exiting the business either (voluntarily or involuntarily).
And, this is something that Ian Diment, Group HR Director at A F Blakemore and Son views as a ‘responsible employer’s’ obligation. He added: “Employees will recognise a company that has invested in an external resource and although it could be done within the HR functions, to have a professional support is a winning formula for us.”
Due to the nature of Murray’s unfortunate resignation, the tennis legend may find it difficult to begin with. And this is why it is crucial for HR departments to provide a suitable level of support.
