When someone new joins your business, there is usually a list of things to sort out. A laptop, an email account, access to the right systems. Hopefully, it’s all ready for their first day.

But what happens when someone changes jobs or leaves? Does anyone check which systems they can still access?

It’s one of those IT jobs that’s easy to overlook, particularly when you’re busy running a business.

An employee offboarding checklist can help you keep track of everything when somebody leaves. We find that taking the same approach when people join or change roles can save a lot of confusion further down the line.

What happens when someone joins, moves or leaves?

You might have heard IT teams talk about a ‘joiners, movers and leavers’ process. It’s simply a way of managing who can access what as people come and go or change jobs within your business.

There is usually more to think about than just their email account.

We are talking about shared folders, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, customer information, business applications and even remote access to your systems.

You don’t need a complicated system to manage all this, a straightforward checklist and someone responsible for making sure things get done can work perfectly well.

The important thing is knowing who’s got access to what, and making sure that access changes when it needs to.

Before a new starter joins

Nobody wants to welcome a new colleague on their first day only to discover their laptop isn’t ready or they can’t access their email.

A little IT onboarding preparation can save everyone a lot of frustration. Here’s what to sort out before they arrive:

1. Check which systems they’ll need

Ask their manager to confirm which software, folders and business systems they will need, including any access to sensitive information.

2. Set up their accounts

Give everyone their own login rather than copying another employee’s permissions. A quick user access review can help make sure they only have access to what they need.

3. Get multi-factor authentication (MFA) ready

Set up MFA and explain how to use it, manage passwords safely and get help with any login problems.

4. Prepare their laptop and software

Check their device, email and software licences, and test access before they arrive.

That way, their first morning can be spent meeting colleagues rather than trying to get into Microsoft 365!

What about when someone changes roles?

Someone who has worked in your business for years might still have access to systems and files from previous roles.

A user access review helps you check what they still need and what can be removed.

When someone changes jobs, remember to:

  • Review their permissions. Remove access they no longer need and add anything required for their new role.
  • Check shared systems. Include Teams, SharePoint, shared mailboxes and applications containing sensitive information.
  • Review administrator access. Make sure they only have additional permissions where their new role requires them.
  • Set an end date for temporary access. If they need files from their old team during a handover, agree when that access should end.

It’s a simple way to stop employees gradually collecting access to systems they no longer use.

What should your employee offboarding checklist include?

When someone leaves, there is more to think about than collecting their laptop and closing their email account. A clear IT offboarding process helps make sure nothing gets missed.

Here’s what to check.

1. Agree when their access should end

Confirm their leaving date and when access should be switched off. Let whoever manages your IT know in advance, particularly if their leaving arrangements change.

2. Make sure their accounts are secured

Your IT provider should block sign-in and end any active sessions. A final user access review should also cover separate applications, remote access and shared accounts.

Ask IT to confirm everything has been completed, as some changes can take time to come into effect.

3. Decide what happens to their emails and files

An important part of user offboarding is deciding who needs access to the person’s emails, customer information and documents.

Before deleting accounts or removing licences, check what needs keeping and for how long.

If you use Microsoft 365, the right Microsoft 365 support can help you manage accounts, permissions and important business information when employees leave.

4. Collect equipment and check shared access

Collect company laptops, phones and security keys. Remove access to shared resources and change any shared passwords the person knew.

Individual logins make IT offboarding easier, as you can remove someone’s access without affecting everyone else.

5. Check software licences and finish the paperwork

Once emails and files have been dealt with, check whether any licences can be cancelled or reassigned.

Finally, tick off the completed tasks on your employee offboarding checklist and follow up on anything outstanding.

That way, you will have a clear record of what’s been done.

Keep your checklist somewhere everyone can find it

You don’t need to invest in a complicated system to manage employee access.

A shared spreadsheet or a record in your existing IT support system will do the job. The important thing is having a consistent approach to user offboarding, onboarding and role changes.

For each person joining, changing roles or leaving, make a note of:

  • Which employee and systems are involved
  • What access needs adding, changing or removing
  • Who’s approved the changes
  • Who’s responsible for getting them done
  • When everything needs to be completed
  • When the work was actually finished

If you don’t have anyone dedicated to looking after IT, managed IT support can help take care of everyday jobs like setting up users, managing access and keeping your systems organised.

Don’t forget about contractors or temporary staff, they may only need access for a few weeks, so it’s worth agreeing an end date from the start.

It’s also a good idea to carry out a regular user access review, even when nobody is joining or leaving. Every three months can be a sensible starting point for checking accounts and permissions, depending on your business.

You might be surprised how many old accounts or permissions you find.

A regular review also helps you check that your user offboarding process is working as it should and that former employees no longer have access to your systems.

Need a hand managing employee access?

Perhaps you have already got a checklist, but it doesn’t always get followed. Or maybe your business has grown, and keeping track of who can access what has become another job on someone’s already busy list.

We can help. Setting up new starters, managing Microsoft 365 accounts or making sure everything is taken care of when someone leaves, our team can help you get things organised.

We support small businesses in Swindon and the surrounding areas with friendly, reliable IT support that makes everyday life a little easier.

Not sure where to start? Let’s have a chat about your IT onboarding and offboarding processes.