She resigned properly, served her notice, handed over her responsibilities, and left peacefully.
Weeks later, she returned to visit her former colleagues, but security refused to let her in.
And she wasn't the only one.
While working as a Client Officer at a company about a year ago, I witnessed something that shocked me.
A colleague resigned after working diligently for a year. She gave notice, handed over properly, and left peacefully.
Weeks later, she came back to check on us, but security refused to let her in.
The security guard said he had been instructed not to allow her inside.
Later, I heard about another colleague who had also resigned. Her picture was given to the gateman with instructions not to let her into the company if she ever returned.
But why?
These people didn't steal anything. They didn't cause problems. They simply moved on with their careers.
Maybe they got better offers. Maybe they found new opportunities. Whatever the reason, they had every right to move on.
People will leave your company. That is normal.
People grow. People get better offers. People change career paths.
What is not normal is treating people like enemies simply because they resigned.
A company's true culture is not only revealed by how it welcomes new employees. It is also revealed by how it treats people when they leave.
To HR professionals and employers:
Don't take resignations personally.
Don't treat former employees like enemies.
Let people leave peacefully.
Don't burn bridges unnecessarily.
Remember, today's employee could become tomorrow's client, business partner, or referral.
People may forget your company policies, but they are unlikely to forget how you treated them.
As for me, after seeing what happened, I didn't even bother visiting them after I resigned. Before they pour hot water on me! 🤣
Employees deserve respect, even after they leave. Resignation should not erase the contributions someone made while working for your company. Let people move on with dignity, just as they came in with hope.
