TN131 Helpful handover documents

First published on this website in April 2021 and last updated in April 2023

Synopsis

Whether you are a Minister or CEO moving on, an employee who is leaving, or a volunteer handing over a major responsibility, it makes good sense to prepare a ‘handover paper’ of some kind to help your successor get off to a great start. These notes provide seven principles to follow.

1. Provide information more than opinion
2. Avoid too much ‘how to’
3. Take care over what you pass on
4. Refer to other files
5. Write it now
6. Arrange a handover meeting
7. Remain available.

These are followed by seven areas to cover in this document.

1. The big picture
2. Annual schedule/deadline lists
3. Monthly/weekly tasks
4. Current and major projects
5. Processes, systems and passwords
6. Resources lists
7. Locations and people lists

These Notes were updated in April 2023 with some minor amendments to the text and the formatting.