Announcements

First days

New teammates should post a message in #teammate-announce on their first day introducing themselves to the company! They can include pictures of themselves and/or loved ones, pets, hobbies, or anything else they choose.

Org changes

If you or your team are planning any organizational changes– this includes promotions, title changes, team switches, reporting structure changes, team name changes, etc., please notify People Ops in advance of the change going into effect. Any change that affects the company org chart or someone’s title should be communicated to People Ops by submitting the change via this form prior to announcement. People Ops will review the changes and make any necessary to any impacted systems.

Important: Notifying People Ops of any org change is crucial to maintaining our HRIS/teammate database (BambooHR) up to date. Many key systems such as our Impact Review platform (Lattice), our PTO platform (Roots), and even our cost centers/budgeting all rely on our HRIS being accurate and up to date.

Promotions

Managers should post notes celebrating internal promotions in the #teammate-announce channel. We believe that culture is defined in part by who is celebrated, rewarded, and promoted internally, and these announcements are an opportunity to both reward a deserving individual and to remind the rest of the team what behaviors are rewarded.

These posts should cover:

• What the promoted teammate has done to merit promotion
• How the teammate’s performance and actions embody our values
• What the teammate’s new responsibilities and role will be

Switching Teams

When a teammate switches teams, the teammate’s new manager should post a brief note in the #teammate-announce channel announcing the switch and what the teammate’s new responsibilities and role will be.

Departures

When a teammate leaves Sourcegraph, the individual’s manager will communicate the news with the indivuals and teams that work most closely with the deaparting teammate (immediate teammates, broader department, and cross-functional partners). If the departing person would like to say goodbye and share contact details with a larger group on their last day, they can share a brief message in #thanks.

For Director and above roles: The comms team and People Partners will be more heavily involved with messaging development and comms strategy. This will likely include broader communication to the full company via #announcements. Please loop them in before comms are shared. See comms template here

Cadence / Checklist:

DRI: Manager of departing teammate

1. ASAP: Manager and teammate align on the final day and transition plan
2. Within 24 hours of notice: Manager drafts messaging points and shares with the departing teammate for alignment
3. Within 48 hours of notice: If departing person is a people manager: Departing person notifies direct reports (this can happen live via Zoom call, but should also include written follow-up via slack to align with async focus)
   • Manager then follows up with the team to show their support.
4. Within 48 hours of notice: If departing person is an IC: The manager of the departing person notifies their team (via slack message in team channel)
   • Departing person follows up with a message of support and commitment to a smooth transition.
5. Within 48 hours of notice: Manager of departing person notifies broader department (via slack message to public department channel)
   • Message template
6. Departing person follows up in the thread of the above message to express support and commitment to a smooth transition.
   • Message template
7. Within 64 hours of notice: Departing person notifies their cross-functional partners and includes manager as FYI
8. Within 64 hours of notice: Manager notifies #manager-team as FYI and tells other managers to cascade info as needed.
9. Optional on last day: Departing person sends brief message in #thanks to say farewell and share contact details (like Linkedin and email).
   • Message template

Guidance on tone:

• Be Brief - We keep things short and sweet, and avoid writing “eulogy-esque” messages.
• Be Factual - We may be limited in what we can share, but we focus on the facts and help people understand how work will transition in the interim.
• Be Considerate - We wish people well in all cases. We respect people’s privacy and follow legal guidance by not sharing the details of involuntary departures.

FAQ: Departure Communications:

Q: Can you provide details about someone’s departure?

A: No, teammate departures are sensitive and should be treated with absolute confidentiality. We recognize it can be difficult and even confusing at times when people leave the company, but our focus should be on supporting the teammates who remain at the company and ensuring they have what they need to do their best work.

Q: When a manager is the one communicating a departure, is it safe to assume that that teammate is leaving involuntarily?

A: No, in fact, this communication process was created to have more consistency of message for ALL teammates, regardless of their reason for leaving Sourcegraph. All departure communications are driven by the manager of the departing person. This will ensure that every departure is communicated consistently and does not allow room for speculation or gossip.

Q: Do all departing teammates need to send a message in #thanks?

A: No, this step is optional and up to the discretion of the departing teammate.

Q: Why do Director+ roles require additional communication support?

A: These roles are highly visible across the company and typically have an outsized impact on teammate morale and company strategy. To ensure we take a thoughtful approach to the comms strategy, and ensure we support the departure process, Internal Comms and the People Partner team will be more involved in these departure processes.

Q: What is the difference between a voluntary and involuntary departure?

A: A voluntary departure is one that is initiated by the teammate. An involuntary departure is one that is initiated by the manager/company.

Q: Can I provide information to teammates about whether a departure was voluntary or involuntary?

A: No, this information is sensitive and should be kept confidential. Managers should only share additional details on a need to know basis. We aim to create consistency in how all departures are shared to protect the privacy of all teammates. For example, revealing when departures are voluntary would inadvertently reveal when departures are not voluntary.

Q: How soon after receiving a resignation should I communicate the news?

A: Departure announcements should happen within 24 hours of receiving the resignation. This allows for a thoughtful transition and communication plan.

• Note: If a departure is involuntary and/or if the person is leaving Sourcegraph immediately, aim to communicate the departure as quickly as possible (same day if possible) while still following the cadence outlined above.