Company equipment return checklist for departing employees

Equipment that isn’t collected on the last day often never comes back. Know what the person has before they go, and have a plan for each item, especially for people who work from home.

Track it in Handover

Know what they have

  • Check your record of devices, serial numbers, keys, badges and cards issued to them.
  • Ask their manager about anything handed out informally, like a spare phone or a tablet.

Collect it

  • In person: collect everything at the end of the last day and tick it off.
  • Remote staff: send a prepaid return box with a list of what to include, and track the shipment.
  • Get company cards back and cancel or lower the limit on any that aren’t returned.

Before reusing a device

  • Back up any business files still on it.
  • Sign out of their accounts and remove the device from any management tool.
  • Reset it to factory settings.
  • Update your record with who has it next.

Questions

What if a device isn’t returned?

Turn off every account it could reach, ask for it in writing, and if you use device management, lock or wipe it remotely. Record what happened.

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