To have expected there to be a handover?

[TigersAndLionsRoar]

I’m going on adoption leave for a year from the first week of December. I’m a senior member of staff, my work are saying that there won’t be an official/formal handover between me and the person (she’s currently working for the same company but in a different department) who will be covering my job when I’m off. I had expected there to be a handover and as part of that I would also talk her through the projects that I’m working on and what needs doing and what has already been done as well as other things. But my work are saying that they’re will be no handover and that she will just be expected to start covering my job when I go and leave, no handover or another. I think this is really poor practice to be honest. I know it’s not really any of my business what happens whilst I’m on leave but I’ve worked really hard on these projects and expected that I would be able to hand them over properly when I go on leave instead of her just taking my job over and continuing to work on these projects without her having any information on them whatsoever, I feel quite nervous to be honest about handing my projects over to someone who hardly knows anything about them due to the lack of a handover. Is it normal for there not to be a handover of any sort in these situations? AIBU to have expected a handover? They literally just want me to go on leave and then the next day she starts covering my job and managing these projects without her having any information about them and no handover or anything so that’s why I’m surprised that there’s not going to be any official handover between us or anything. It all just screams very poor practice to me, normally the company is good and very well run in my experience though besides this lack of handover. Also, there are other external companies involved with these projects that it would be good for me to introduce her to as well before she starts covering my role but I can’t because of the lack of any handover between us.

Could you put together a handover document for her anyway? I’m on mat leave and my cover didn’t start until the last minute so we had a very brief handover, really should have been longer, but I’d put together a document with all the info in and left that with them. Worked out well as the cover left a few weeks later and a new cover was then brought in who could read over the document too.

I’ve raised it with HR and management above me as well and I have basically been told by them not to worry but that there still won’t be any handover between us.

That’s a good idea, I hadn’t thought of that to be honest. Yes I could do but it’s just finding the time to put it all together though. This might work well though so I’ll try and put some form of document together for her before we go on leave. I still don’t feel confident or comfortable with the lack of any handover between us though.

I'd literally contact her, introduce yourself and just try and do it anyway. Without the others noticing! She will definitely thank you. Even just a couple of hours.

Even if there was an official handover it would include you writing that document, and then having an hour to talk her through it. Could you just set up a call anyway directly with her?

With external companies I’d like to introduce her to, I don’t mean clients, I’m mostly talking about contractors or other companies involved with the projects. They are all very complex and large scale projects too so that’s not helping with me feeling comfortable about the lack of handover.

I would contact her directly to set something up as well.

I'd just contact her directly to arrange your own handover.

I was thinking about this today actually, I was wondering if I should just contact her anyway and set up a meeting between us to go over everything? I did think about that today but I wasn’t sure if I should given works stance about they’re not being any handover.

I think this sometimes happens when there are internal transfers. The dept she's leaving may need her to cover her workload with them right up to the point of your leave starting. Releasing her to have time with you first could be a problem for them.

Agree with creating a handover document.

I really wouldn't worry about it. They're probably going to scrap your projects or something

I agree to contact directly - you can always make the meeting at ‘lunch time’ l so it’s not taking her away from her other work if that’s the concern.

Then maybe ask if you can start copying her in.

I think you need to tell your boss/hr that there has to be a handover as it won’t be possible for her to cover otherwise.

I wouldn't. There might be a reason they don't want any contact between you

The expectation at the moment seems to be that she will just take over my role and that the team who I manage will help her settle in and take over the projects but I’m not sure it’ll actually go that smoothly when the time comes? Even before it was suggested here, I did wonder if I should just contact her directly and set up a meeting? I did think that may be best but it just surprises me that work don’t want us to have a handover.

They’re definitely not scrapping them, I’m sure of that. I am anxious about this lack of handover though.

If you make your own arrangements you are going behind your superiors back.
jist do a document and stop worrying. When you go on leave, it is no longer for you to worry about.

When are you so anxious about something you will not be responsible for?

I can't really understand why you need to involve HR/your boss in a handover meeting? This is completely normal for any period of leave surely? If I go on holiday for a week I handover my work to whoever is covering me, likewise anyone in my team if they are going to be off, just sorts it out between themselves. Usually an e mail, outlining all current work, where we're up to/next steps and relevant contact details, with a follow up call to discuss it.

My guess would be HR are expecting you to have that sort of handover, but think you're asking about something more 'formal', like a period of shadowing or something? There's no way they are expecting you to just down tools and disappear for a year!

This

This will all pale into insignificance once you start your adoption leave and welcome your baby/child into your home. THAT will be the most important thing.

Canbyiu tell us a bit more about the adoption or not? I wish you well with it, anyway ❤️

Reading this I'm wondering if HR think you mean 'overlap' when you say 'handover' as opposed to what you are talking about, just some time together to prepare her for cover/providing a doc etc.
I only learnt this recently myself, 'handover' meaning a different think from a logistics point of view in different companies. Is that maybe what's happened here, they think you want the new person to work alongside you for days/weeks?

I’m still not sure what to do for the best. I’m going to speak to HR again this afternoon and then I will decide. I still think contacting her myself and arranging a handover meeting could be the best thing to do? I’ll speak to HR again though and then decide what to do.

I'm a worried and a planner so from about 35 weeks I kept a headline document of where things were up to and what was the next thing that needed doing in case I have birth early. I was mid project for two projects and I think I just sent them a quick message on my last day where the projects were up to and that was that.

Absolutely write up a summary of your projects, key stakeholders, priority actions for her to start with and your team members to go to for delegation/more info. Ask her whether she'd like a call or lunch to run through. Then it's over to her to step in and get going.

Try not to get too stressed, it probably seems massive now but in a few weeks you won't give a flying fart.

So I’ve spoke to HR again today and they’ve just said to leave a document for her which they’ll ensure is given to her once I’ve gone on leave. But I’m not sure how I feel about just leaving a document and not having a proper handover!