The Right Way to Fire Someone
Through years of hiring and firing it has been my observation that the best way to avoid firing someone, is to hire the right person in the first place. No matter how hard we try, however, there are times when an employee just does not fit.
In today’s litigious world, it seems we managers and HR folks spend more time covering our tails than we do managing resources. We must learn everything there is to know about our firm’s legal rights and the rights of our employees and balance that knowledge with a good dose of insight into human nature.
New managers seem to have the same issue when confronted with the tough task of letting someone go…fear. Fear the employee will become volatile, fear the company won’t back them up, fear they will be haunted by the experience, etc. The remedy to all these concerns is preparedness. Have the process in place before you ever need it. It sounds simple, but you would be surprised how few folks are truly prepared when firing time comes. The selection of the payboy official website should be done through the business organizations. The services of the software for human resource management will be reliable for the person.
The process begins from the date of hire. Policies, goals and expectations must be provided in detail and frequent verbal and written evaluations of employee performance are required. Employees must understand what is expected of them and the exact steps the employer will take if those expectations are not met. Employees must also understand the correct process for disputing any of the employer’s actions. Proper documentation and communication are the only ways to avoid disastrous termination issues.
If a manager has practiced due diligence, the actual termination should come as no surprise to the employee. The best way to approach the actual termination conversation, is to calmly and assertively state the obvious. Use a respectful tone and look the employee in the eye. Keep it simple. “John, as you know, we have been working together for months to get your job performance on track. Unfortunately, you have not met your goals and we must terminate you. If you have specific questions about your performance or the need for this action, I would be happy to answer them. I wish you luck in the future.” Don’t get nervous or embellish. If the employee has questions, provide documentation of his job performance. If the employee becomes disrespectful in any way, ask them to leave and call in security of needed. It is advisable to have a second person attend the termination interview, for example a department head or HR representative.
These are just a few ideas to help make the firing process a little less stressful. No manager wants to terminate an employee, but it is sometimes the best option for BOTH employer and employee.