Jobs & CareersCommunity discussion

The best handover is useful when the person who wrote it is unavailable

Anonymous

A handover can be a long document that nobody reads or a short note missing the one detail someone needs. Useful instructions need enough context to explain the task without assuming the next person already knows the usual shortcuts. Where do you draw that line? A list of current work, deadlines, contacts, and the location of essential files seems like a good foundation. It also helps to mark what is uncertain rather than making everything sound settled. What would you want to find on your first morning covering another person's responsibilities?

Replies 2

Had a similar experience? Tell us what helped.

Replying as Anonymous
Anonymous

Test one set of instructions with someone who does not normally do the task. Their questions quickly show which steps were too obvious to the writer.

Anonymous

Keep passwords out of handover documents. Describe the approved access process and who can grant permission instead of copying private credentials into a shared file.