Terminating an employee is a stressful job for all parties involved in the process. Besides the employee losing their job, the supervisor or manager tasked with giving them this news also has to be careful and responsible about the way they relay this information to them.
In an organization that cares for its employees, you would want the termination process to be as smooth as possible, without any major hiccups in the process. Firing an employee can take some time, especially because you are trying your best to not make them feel victimized during the process. You also want all financial responsibilities to be met in time, so that the parting process is simple and the employee is well accommodated without any complications.
In this article we discuss some of the things you shouldn’t do when terminating employees. Learn from the mistakes of others, and avoid these errors.
Do Not Fire Electronically
Never fire an employee through electronic means of communication. You should make sure that you meet your employee face to face when delivering the news. Electronic methods such as emails, voicemails, phone calls and even IMs should be avoided at all costs. Sending a letter out of the blue should also be avoided because it sends the wrong signals.
If you approach the situation in a careless manner, you will risk gaining and maintaining the trust of your other employees. Your other employees should trust you for an unbiased attitude that is focused on a fair and judicious assessment.
Do Not Act Without Warning
Don’t blindside an employee and fire them all of a sudden. The one thing an employee deserves after months or years of servicing you is to be kept in the loop before you decide to fire them. The employee should get appropriate performance feedback and coaching over time, so that they get their fair chance at excelling on the job. Only if they fail to improve their performance after the appropriate number of warnings, should they be given the dreaded news.
Don’t Elongate the Conversation
If you have properly been coaching and documenting the warnings that you have sent to your employee, then you don’t need to elongate the conversation any longer than it has to be. You shouldn’t rehearse your dissatisfaction again, because it just sounds cruel and has no point.
If the parting employee does ask about the possible reasons behind the termination, have an answer in your mind, which honestly summarizes all that led to the decision. Remember not to place blame on them, as that just destroys the camaraderie you shared.
We at JS Benefits Group have worked with numerous clients to discuss the importance of right termination methods. You can get in touch with JS Benefits Group immediately to discuss and devise a policy.
