A practical guide for People teams to streamline offboarding, secure data, and retrieve devices efficiently in remote and hybrid workplaces.
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Remote, hybrid, and distributed work have fundamentally changed employee offboarding. For People teams, retrieving company devices and revoking system access can present a unique set of logistical, security, and compliance challenges.
Even when an employee exits on good terms, coordinating the return of hardware can be slow, inconvenient, and difficult to track. In the case of unexpected or involuntary departures, the process becomes even more stressful and time-sensitive.
To safeguard company data and deliver a smooth, positive offboarding experience, HR teams must establish a standardized, automated device retrieval workflow.
Beyond paperwork and payroll, HR teams often handle a significant volume of technical admin as part of the offboarding process, including:
Device retrieval, in particular, introduces friction. HR often lacks clear visibility into who has which device, where it’s located, and what condition it’s in. Chasing former employees, arranging shipping, and tracking returns can consume hours of valuable time — especially when relying on email threads, spreadsheets, or manual follow-ups.
When these IT-driven responsibilities are handled on an ad hoc basis, the risks escalate:
Fortunately, HR teams don’t need to become IT experts to manage offboarding remotely. With the right foundations in place, device retrieval and access removal can be efficient, consistent, and secure.
The groundwork for effective device retrieval begins long before an employee exits. HR should have centralized visibility of which team members have which hardware at all times. Mobile Device Management (MDM) provides this transparency and allows HR to remotely lock and wipe devices at the appropriate stage of offboarding.
Similarly, establishing centralized app management is the first step in streamlined account deprovisioning. This allows HR to monitor access levels, update permissions when an employee changes role or leaves the organization, and prevent unauthorized logins or compliance issues.
A location-agnostic retrieval process removes obstacles for both HR and departing employees. QR-based systems, for example, can automatically generate shipping labels and instructions, allowing devices to be returned quickly while giving HR full visibility into status and timelines.
Once devices are returned, they need to be tracked, stored, and prepared for reuse. Transparent warehousing prevents devices from sitting idle or being forgotten, reduces duplicate purchases, and ensures equipment can be reprovisioned in time for the next hire.
Disconnected systems are a leading source of offboarding errors. When HRIS and IT tools are integrated, offboarding workflows can be triggered automatically, keeping data consistent and reducing manual steps when it comes to access removal to device updates.
Incomplete offboarding can open a business up to a variety of security risks. Automated workflows, centralized oversight, and clear audit trails reduce reliance on manual checks, helping HR maintain compliance and minimize exposure during employee transitions.
Fast, secure offboarding demands clear visibility into devices, instant access removal, and retrieval workflows that scale. For stretched People teams operating in distributed environments, manual processes are no longer enough. In 2026, HR must embrace a centralized, automated approach to eliminate friction, reduce risk, and reclaim time for people-focused priorities.
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