When an employee parts ways with your company, their email doesn’t just vanish. So, you are faced with a decision: How do we handle their email account?
- Can we just delete the whole inbox?
- Do we need to watch for any new emails sent there?
- Does anyone need access to the old emails sitting in that inbox?
- Who should have access to the inbox?
- Do senders need to know that things with this inbox have changed?
Handling offboarded employees’ emails isn’t just a technical requirement; it’s a business decision that can help avoid disruptions to the flow of communication within your business.
Most small businesses tend to choose one of the following methods to handle the email of an employee who has left:
Defining the Three Options
| Method | Description | Considerations |
| Delete | Permanently deletes the employee’s email account. Straightforward but risks losing important information. Often includes an archival period before deletion. |
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| Shared Mailbox | Converts the former employee’s email into a shared mailbox accessible by current employees. Retains email history without needing an additional license. |
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| Email Forwarding | Forwards emails from the departed employee’s account to current employees. Usually set for a limited time (e.g., 30-90 days). |
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Each method has its distinct advantages and drawbacks, and the choice largely depends on the nature of the employee’s role and the business’s requirements.
- Delete: If you can delete it, then delete it. In cases where the employee’s role was not client-facing or if the email account does not contain critical historical data, some businesses opt to simply delete the account. This is more straightforward but does risk losing potentially important information. Typically, a grace period is observed where the mailbox is archived before permanent deletion, allowing for data retrieval if necessary.
Consider Deleting when:
- The email account is non-critical and was not used for important communications.
- The company is confident that no future emails of importance will be sent to this account.
- Resources and costs associated with maintaining the account are not justified.
- There is no need to retain historical data, and there are no compliance requirements for keeping the emails.
- Converting to a Shared Mailbox: This is a popular option, especially for employees who were in key positions or had significant client interactions. By converting the former employee’s email into a shared mailbox, other employees can access past correspondence and continue communication seamlessly. This method is cost-effective as it removes the need for an additional license while retaining the email history.
Consider a Shared Mailbox when:
- Access to email history is required.
- Long-term access to the email account is necessary.
- You have no justification for the costs to maintain a licensed account.
- Email Forwarding: This option is probably not even worth talking about. It’s almost always an inferior choice compared to converting to a shared inbox. Email forwarding is typically used for a limited time, like 30 to 90 days and requires a very precise set of circumstances to even merit consideration. It requires you to keep paying for that account to be licensed until you remember to circle back and deactivate the account. The one benefit is there is no need to manage an additional mailbox; users don’t have to switch between their own inbox and a shared one.
Consider Email Forwarding when:
- The person taking over struggles with managing an additional inbox. With this option, new emails sent to the old account go directly into current employees’ inboxes rather than having to check a shared inbox.
- Access to email history is not required.
- A direct replacement for the departed employee is already in place who will take over all responsibilities.
- You don’t mind continuing to use a paid license for the email account knowing that a shared inbox wouldn’t require a paid license.
Notifying Senders About the Change to this Inbox
After you decide what to do with the account you should draft the Auto-Reply message you would like to have delivered to anyone emailing this account in the future. There are several options for notifying senders that an employee has left the company or that there has been a change with their email account. These options can be utilized whether the account is deleted, email forwarding is set up, or a shared mailbox is created. As an MSP, we can select the best technical solution, but we still need your help drafting the message.
Example Auto-Reply Message:
Subject: Important Update: Change in Contact
Message:
Hello,
Thank you for reaching out. Please be informed that [Employee Name] is no longer with [Company Name]. For assistance or to ensure your inquiries are addressed promptly, please contact [Replacement or Department Contact Information].
We appreciate your understanding and look forward to continuing to support your needs.
[Company Name]
Checklist of Considerations
| Future Emails: Do we care about emails sent here after the employee is gone? |
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| Need for History: Is access to past emails important? |
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| Immediate Attention: Will new emails to this account require immediate attention? |
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| Number of People Needing Access: Is it necessary for multiple employees to access this inbox? |
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| Duration of Need: Is long-term access to the email account required? |
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| Compliance and Security Considerations: Are there any legal or compliance reasons to retain the email data? |
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| Resource and Cost Implications: Does maintaining the account impact licensing costs or resources? |
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Conclusion
Deciding how to handle an offboarded employee’s email is key to maintaining smooth business operations. Whether deleting the account, converting it to a shared mailbox, or setting up email forwarding, the choice should be guided by your specific business needs, from historical data access to resource management. The right strategy ensures continuity in communication and safeguards valuable information.