Returning Equipment After Quitting: A Hassle-Free Guide for Managers

With a growing number of today’s employees working either remotely or hybrid, it’s common for IT assets like computers, tablets, and other devices to be used off-site. The main issue with this arrangement, however, is that it can create challenges once an employee quits. 

In this guide, we’ll tackle everything you need to know about returning equipment after quitting so you can make it as hassle-free as possible. 

What Are the Options Available to Retrieve Company Equipment?

Your business can take three main routes to retrieve equipment—do it yourself, outsource it to a third party, or simply let employees keep the device. 

The choice you make will depend on a few things:

• Whether or not you have a dedicated in-house IT staff
• How much time you have to dedicate to retrieving company equipment
• Your budget
• The value of your IT assets 

With that said, here’s how to know which option is right for you. 

Have the In-House IT Team Do It

This choice may make sense if you have a mostly local, hybrid workforce and a dedicated in-house IT staff that can handle the logistical complexities involved in retrieving equipment.

If, however, you mainly employ remote workers or don’t have a proper in-house IT staff, the logistics can quickly become a headache. And while you may save some money, it’s not usually ideal in the long run. 

But in certain cases, this may be a realistic, cost-effective option. 

Use a Third-Party Service

If you don’t have the manpower, employ a largely remote workforce, or simply don’t want to deal with the complexities of equipment retrieval yourself, this is likely your best choice. 

A third-party provider like allwhere, for instance, offers an employee laptop retrieval service, where we take care of the entire process from start to finish. 

More specifically, we:

• Allow you to order a return kit, which includes a box, packing materials, instructions, and a prepaid shipping label
• Handle employee communication
• Let you know when a kit is dispatched, delivered, and received
• Provide updates throughout the entire delivery process

That way, you’re free to focus on more pressing areas of business and don’t have to deal with the headaches of handling equipment returns internally. 

Let Employees Keep the Device

The main scenario when this last option makes the most sense is when you’re dealing with older, low-value equipment that you’re planning on disposing of soon. Say, for example, an employee has an Apple MacBook Pro that’s nearing the end of its lifecycle. 

Instead of going to the trouble of retrieving equipment, it may be easier to simply let the employee keep the laptop. An added plus is that it could serve as a gesture of goodwill for the time an employee has put in at your company. 

Equipment Return Process After an Employee Quits

1. Have a Remote Employee Equipment Agreement or Policy in Place

Ideally, you’ll have a clear-cut agreement or policy before a remote employee officially begins working for you. Or at the very least, you’ll have one in place once they resign. 

In it, you should outline who’s responsible for what during the equipment return, the timeline, the condition the equipment should be in, and what happens if it’s lost or damaged. This should ensure that both parties are on the same page. 

Once the employee agrees, have them sign a document so it can be referenced later on for clarity or if there’s an issue. 

2. Start the IT Offboarding Process

After an employee has officially quit, you’ll want to initiate the IT offboarding process as quickly as possible. To streamline offboarding and create a consistent flow, it’s helpful to have a checklist. 

Here’s an example:

• End employee access to company systems and software
• Backup critical files
• Wipe devices of sensitive information
• Disable the employee’s user accounts
• Change passwords to shared accounts
• Identify which specific equipment an employee has and needs to be returned
• Cancel subscriptions that will no longer be used

Also, document each step from start to finish, as this will provide accountability and show you which step you’re at along the way. 

3. Send Shipping Materials

Next, send the employee a return kit that contains everything they need to return their equipment. As we mentioned before, an allwhere employee laptop retrieval kit includes:

• A box for equipment and accessories
• Packing materials
• Instructions
• A prepaid shipping label

The key is to make the shipping process ultra simple so there’s no room for error. 

For example, you should be specific about exactly how equipment should be placed in a box and how packing materials should be positioned to prevent damage.

Also, set an exact number of days an employee has to send the return kit back based on your policy (e.g., a maximum of seven days). 

4. Inspect Equipment

After you’ve received the return, you’ll want to perform a thorough equipment inspection to look for any signs of damage (both to the device and accessories). 

Look for: 

• Dents
• Scratches
• Cracked screens
• Missing keys on keyboards
• Other missing parts
• Frayed chargers or cables

Also, ensure that all sensitive data has been properly removed and document your findings. Hopefully, no issues will be found. But if they are, you’ll have a detailed record that you can use for future reference.  

5. Store Devices Back in Inventory

Once the equipment has been inspected and, if necessary, data has been wiped, the last step is to return it to your inventory. Note that having a centralized inventory system is a vital part of efficient IT asset management. 

This provides you with a single location for storing and managing IT assets, which gives you maximum transparency for easy tracking and redeployment for future employees. 

Note that it’s best to use a centralized software dashboard in conjunction with inventory so, at a glance, you can see what you currently have on hand at all times, equipment condition, the stage of its lifecycle, and so on. 

Enjoy a Seamless Device Retrieval Experience with allwhere

If your company has a fairly robust in-house IT team, it may make sense to handle device retrieval on your own. But if you lack the time or simply don’t want to bother with the logistical hassle, partnering with a professional third-party service like allwhere is a smart move. 

At allwhere, we offer comprehensive IT asset management services and can make remote employee device retrieval smooth and friction-free. 

We send out a detailed return kit, handle employee communication, and keep you notified every step of the way. You only pay for the retrievals you need, and there’s no recurring fee. 

Get started here. 

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