Definition
The stages an employee goes through in their relationship with an organisation, from initial attraction and recruitment through onboarding, development, retention, and eventually separation. Understanding the lifecycle helps organisations design appropriate interventions at each stage.
UK Context
UK employment law creates specific obligations at each stage of the employee lifecycle. These include right-to-work checks at recruitment, day-one written statement of particulars at onboarding, ongoing health and safety duties during employment, statutory notice requirements at termination, and data retention rules after departure under GDPR.
Best Practices
- Map the employee lifecycle for your organisation and identify key touchpoints for engagement
- Ensure compliance obligations are met at each stage, from recruitment through to data retention after departure
- Use employee lifecycle data to identify where attrition occurs and develop targeted retention strategies
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main stages of the employee lifecycle?
The typical stages are attraction, recruitment, onboarding, development, retention, and separation. Some models add a seventh stage of advocacy, where former employees become ambassadors for the organisation.
How can organisations use the employee lifecycle model?
Organisations can use the model to ensure consistent processes at each stage, measure engagement and satisfaction at key touchpoints, identify where employees are most likely to leave, and design targeted interventions to improve the employee experience.