Don't Let It ‘Walk’ Away: Dealing with Unreturned Company Equipment

As an IT leader or HR manager, you know the feeling. You've given a departing employee their final paycheck, made sure they have all the documents they need to move on, and said your goodbyes...only to realize that they have left with company equipment. Whether it's a laptop, tablet, smartphone, or something else entirely—you're now in a position of trying to track it down and get it back. But how do you go about doing this?

Issue a formal request for return of the equipment in writing. This should be sent to the employee's last known address and email address (if applicable). Make sure that you outline any penalties for non-compliance in your letter!

If there is no response within two weeks, contact the employee directly via phone or email (again, if applicable) to ensure that they received your request for return of company property. Make sure that you are polite but firm if you reach out directly—keep your goal in mind and remember that respect can go a long way when dealing with this kind of situation.

If the equipment is still not returned within two weeks after your initial request was sent out, escalate the matter to legal counsel (if necessary). Be sure to provide as much documentation as possible; this will help ensure a smooth process when working with attorneys or other legal professionals.

As a last resort, contact local law enforcement and report the missing equipment as stolen property (if applicable). This step should be taken only after all other attempts at recovery have been exhausted—and make sure to keep all relevant documentation on hand for when officers arrive on scene!

Finally, once everything is said and done (hopefully in your favor!), put policies and procedures in place so that similar situations don't arise in the future. Implementing systems such as check-in/check-out forms or tracking software can help prevent employees from taking off with company property without permission!

We hope this guide has provided some insight into what steps must be taken when an employee won't return company equipment after their departure. Keeping detailed records of who has what items at all times is key—as well as having clear policies regarding usage of company property—to help ensure that everyone is held accountable for their actions! That way, you won't ever have to worry about unreturned items again!