In a recent LinkedIn post, Stacy Sherman, MBA. CSP® argues for a fundamental shift in how businesses manage employee departures, advocating for the creation of an ‘alumni’ network rather than viewing former staff as ‘ex-employees.’ Sherman, drawing on 25 years of experience in sales, marketing, and customer experience, emphasizes that the way a company handles an exit significantly impacts its future reputation and potential for re-engagement.
The Strategic Value of Alumni
Sherman highlights that former employees can represent substantial future value, potentially returning as customers, valuable referrals, or brand advocates. This perspective challenges the traditional, often negative, connotation associated with the term ‘ex-employee.’
“The person you let go today can come back as a customer, referral, and someone who speaks for you in rooms you will never enter.”
Conversely, Stacy Sherman, MBA. CSP® warns that a poorly managed exit can have detrimental effects, potentially tarnishing a company’s brand swiftly and widely. The final interactions with departing employees, according to Sherman, are critical and do not fade; they shape the narrative that former employees share, a narrative that can reach customers and influence online recommendations.
Key Recommendations for Leaders
To foster positive and mutually beneficial post-departure relationships, Stacy Sherman, MBA. CSP® outlines several actionable steps for leaders:
1. Elevate the Final Conversation
Sherman advises treating the last conversation with an employee as a defining moment. This involves planning the final two weeks with the same diligence as the initial onboarding period and expressing gratitude for their specific contributions.
2. Conduct High-Stakes Exit Interviews
According to Stacy Sherman, MBA. CSP®, the exit interview should be approached as a critical discovery call. Leaders are encouraged to actively solicit feedback on areas for company improvement, listen without defensiveness, and commit to acting on the insights gained. Sherman stresses the importance of this step by advising readers to ‘read this twice.’
3. Cultivate an Alumni Community
A core recommendation from Stacy Sherman, MBA. CSP® is the establishment of an alumni community. This initiative should focus on providing support to former employees after they leave, with the understanding that such goodwill often returns in unexpected and positive ways.
“Create an alumni community that helps people after they leave. Give support without expectation, and the goodwill returns in unpredictable, positive ways.”
Sherman’s insights underscore a proactive approach to employee offboarding, framing it not as an endpoint but as a crucial phase in building long-term relationships that can benefit the business in myriad ways. She notes that being let go is ‘never neutral’ and that individuals experience sadness and worry, making empathetic handling paramount.
“Being let go is never neutral. People feel sad and worried about the future. They read every signal you send. And what they feel in that last conversation does not fade.”
By reframing the departure process and investing in alumni relations, Stacy Sherman, MBA. CSP® suggests companies can mitigate reputational risks and unlock new avenues for growth and advocacy.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Stacy Sherman, MBA. CSP® on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on June 23, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →