A system and method for clamping a workpiece to an electrostatic clamp (ESC) comprises placing a first workpiece on a surface of the ESC and applying a first set of clamping parameters to the ESC, therein clamping the first workpiece to the surface of the ESC with a first clamping force. A degree of clamping of the workpiece to the ESC is determined and the application of the first set of clamping parameters to the ESC is halted based on a process recipe. A second set of clamping parameters is applied to the ESC after halting the application of the first set of clamping parameters to the ESC, and the workpiece is removed from the surface of the ESC concurrent with the application of the second set of clamping parameters to the ESC when the degree of clamping of the workpiece to the ESC is less than or approximately equal to a threshold clamping value. The second set of clamping parameters to the ESC is further halted after removing the workpiece from the surface of the ESC.