Terminating A Employee? The sooner, the better. Here's why.
As a human resource person or small business owner, terminating
a employee should not keep you awake at night. Whatever mantra
you tell yourself, you are running a business and if an employee
hinders your productivity and service level, then you are doing
yourself a disservice by keeping them in a job. You must improve
your business and be on the move towards success, not bogged down
by a lazy or incompetent employee.
Terminating a employee can happen when you are ready. If there
is a rule for terminating a employee, it should be not to fire
them where they may feel humiliated. Remember to leave dignity
and morale intact when letting someone go. It will benefit your
business in the long run.
How to Break the Bad News, Terminating a Employee with Dignity
Would you want to be told you were losing your job in front of
your coworkers? Neither does your employee. Find a way to tell
your employee that you need to speak with them, whether by speaking
to them, sending them an email, or leaving them a note on their
desk. Sure they may have an idea what it is about, but that also
takes less of the stress away from telling them the bad news.
Before the employee enters your office, be certain you know the
concrete details of the situation (if there was one), of their
performance, and of their attendance. When they come into your
office, try not to sugarcoat, pump up, or distort the reality of
the termination. An employee knows that they have underperformed
when you tell them. By telling them white lies to keep their ego
intact, you only take away an opportunity for them to see how they
have acted or performed, and possibly in their next job they can
do better. If you offer them the respect of an honest assessment,
they will be less likely to place blame elsewhere and fail again
in a similar situation.
So we advise you to be honest, up-front, and personable. The employee
will be less likely to cause a stir when confronted with dignity
and compassion. Take a moment before they arrive to put yourself
in their shoes. It could help you tell them in a straightforward
way. Terminating a employee should be done with compassion and
with the company in mind.
The
complete story on firing a employee.
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