4 tips for letting employees go

The modern office is an interesting culture. While it is necessary to keep a friendly tone and ensure that everyone feels comfortable, you are running a business when all is said and done. Sadly, sometimes an employee can get in the way of a properly functioning organization. Whether that's due to negligence on the part of the worker or a need to downsize, the reality of the situation is that business owners will eventually need to fire someone. 

Of course, this isn't as uncommon or as shameful as some people might think. Inc. profiled a book called "The Millionaire Next Door," whose authors created a survey of 2,600 executives that found that 91 percent of people fired found a job as good or better than their last. Moving on to greener pastures truly is an important part of life, but the process to get there is often extremely difficult. 

To that end, let's explore some tips for firing an employee in a professional and effective manner. 

1. Understand that they're going to be emotional 
People invest a lot of time and energy into their jobs. What's more, employment allows a person to pay their rent, buy food, and generally live their lives. Therefore, it makes sense that a firing is going to be emotional. What's more, there's a good chance the person you're letting go isn't going to agree with your decision. According to a survey of 1,050 people from Forbes, 81 percent felt as though their firing was "unjust."  

So, as the time draws near, you'll need to prepare yourself for an unpleasant conversation. If you expect the worst, anything else is either what you were ready for or better. 

2. Clearly outline what went wrong 
In a similar vein, you'll want a comprehensive list of reasons that the employee is being let go. Again, this person may be extremely emotional, and they're most likely going to demand answers. On top of this, they probably won't want to accept your reasoning or may even attempt to challenge it. Therefore, you'll want to word your complaints in a way that shows your disappointment in the work without personally insulting the employee. 

If you can, discuss specific moments in the past in which you weren't satisfied with the person's work. Additionally, you'll want to bring up second chances you gave to this employee. If you're firing someone for negligence or a poor work ethic, you'll probably want a documented history of offenses. If the person is leaving due to financial issues within the company, make sure to fully outline this to them as well. In this case, you may also want to provide a letter of recommendation to ease the transition. 

3. Don't do it alone, but avoid a group 
Obviously, firing someone in the break room in front of everyone is a bad call. On the same note, firing someone alone can be even worse. The emotional state this person will find themselves in can quickly devolve out of your control, and there's even a chance they may attempt to hurt you. For these reasons, it simply makes sense to have someone else present. A good strategy may be to have the employee's direct supervisor present or an HR professional that can discuss 401(k) plans and severance pay. 

On top of this, you may want to consider the legal ramifications of firing someone alone. Sadly, some people will go so far as to lie about the circumstances surrounding their firing. Having a second party present can give you a witness to testify against any falsehoods that may arise from this process.  

4. Keep it short 
While you'll want to give a detailed reasoning behind this firing, along with any discussions about final paychecks, make sure to keep it as short as possible. This is one of the most humiliating and degrading moments in a professional's career, and dragging it out is nothing short of cruel. What's more, having an elongated process could give the person hope that you're looking for them to give you a reason for another chance. With someone's financial future on the line, anything can happen. 

Firing is one of the most uncomfortable experiences within the office, but it's necessary to continue to grow and flourish. Taking the time now to think about how you handle such episodes can help you prepare for anything that they can throw at you. 

Categorised in: Litigation

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