Step 1: Credential Revocation and Access Control
In cases where an employee’s departure is planned and occurs under friendly terms, the IT department should have a standard account-deprovisioning process. This should take place on a predetermined timeline, usually set to coincide with the employee’s final day of work. During this period, the employee should be informed about the offboarding process, including the schedule for revoking access to email accounts, institutional networks, databases, VPN access and any other digital resources.
Under this standard process, the IT team collaborates with HR and the employee’s department to ensure a smooth transition, allowing for the secure transfer of work documents, projects and any institutional knowledge necessary for operational continuity. Tools like Okta or OneLogin can be used to schedule deactivation of the accounts, ensuring that access concludes simultaneously with the employee’s tenure. This organized and respectful approach not only maintains security but also fosters goodwill, enhancing the agency’s reputation as a desirable workplace.
Sometimes, however, terminations are not amicable, and those require immediate action. In such cases, the IT department must implement an emergency revocation procedure that involves the instantaneous deactivation of all the employee’s access credentials across the agency’s systems. Immediate action minimizes the risk of retaliation or data breaches, which are heightened concerns in such scenarios.
Under these circumstances, real-time synchronization and access control tools are not just beneficial, they are crucial. Platforms like Okta or OneLogin can facilitate immediate, systemwide access revocation, precluding any potential for the terminated worker to compromise data or systems. Additionally, the IT department should conduct a prompt audit of all digital access, ensuring the former employee hasn’t created any backdoor entry points. This emergency process, though occasionally necessary, underscores the need for robust security protocols that can swiftly respond to high-risk situations.
READ MORE: Cities authenticate employees with single sign-on portals.
Step 2: Comprehensive Data Management and Archiving
The next critical task involves managing the digital footprint left behind by former employees. IT personnel should work with representatives from the departing employee’s business unit to comb through files, emails and other forms of data, identifying information that requires preservation. This task, though daunting, is crucial for maintaining operational continuity and complying with legal and institutional data retention policies.
Document management systems can automate part of this process, enabling an agency to uphold data retention standards without the burden of manual sorting. If the employee’s department uses a document management solution, IT can configure that system to classify, retain or purge files based on the institution’s policies, ensuring that no essential data is lost and that all legal obligations are met.
Step 3: Reassessment of Licenses and Subscriptions
Departing employees often leave behind a trail of licenses and subscriptions for various software and online services used during their tenure. IT departments need to undertake a thorough reassessment of these digital assets. This involves determining which licenses are still necessary, which can be reallocated and which should be terminated, based on current and anticipated needs.
Tools like ServiceNow’s asset management solutions can provide invaluable support in this area, offering a comprehensive view of all software licenses, their assigned users and usage levels. This not only ensures efficient reallocation or cancellation, aiding in compliance with software licensing agreements, but also presents an opportunity for cost optimization.
