Offboarding is the structured process of ending an employee's relationship with the organisation - knowledge handover, removing system and building access, recovering company property, and processing a final, accurate pay calculation.
What it means
A well-run offboarding protects the business (access is revoked promptly, assets are returned) and treats the departing employee fairly (final pay is correct and timely). It applies whether the exit is a resignation, dismissal or retrenchment, though the steps and required documentation differ by reason.
Where it fits in
The final pay run is the part of offboarding payroll owns directly: it must correctly calculate any notice pay, leave payout and pro-rata earnings, withhold the right PAYE on what can be a lump-sum-heavy final payslip, and issue the employee's final documentation.
Key rules
- The process of separating an employee, covering handover, access and final pay.
- Applies across resignation, dismissal and retrenchment, with different required steps.
- The final pay calculation must correctly include notice pay and leave payout.
- Prompt access removal is a security control, not just an HR courtesy.
