No one, except perhaps Donald Trump, likes to fire
\npeople.\u00a0 Typically it is a stressful,
\nscary and upsetting experience for everyone involved. \u00a0So is it possible that there is actually an \u201cart\u201d
\nto firing an employee?\u00a0 In a word, yes.<\/p>\n
There are not enough fingers and toes in my entire household
\nto count the number of people I have had to fire over the years.\u00a0 It has never been easy and I fret before each
\nand every one.\u00a0 But as unpleasant as terminations
\nare, I have learned a few things along the way that have made the process less
\ndifficult for everyone involved.\u00a0 Here is
\nmy best advice:<\/p>\n
Plan the Termination
\nWell<\/b><\/p>\n
It is always important to be confident that terminating the
\nemployee is absolutely the right thing to do.
\nI always seek the advice of others before proceeding and take the time
\nto make sure I have the facts right.\u00a0 I
\nmake certain I have sufficient documentation to support what I am about to do,
\nand that there are no other alternatives to firing the employee.<\/p>\n
Once I decide to
\nproceed, I carefully plan out the best time and place to conduct the
\ntermination in order to minimize humiliation for the employee and disruption
\nfor others in the workplace.\u00a0 And,
\nimportantly, I plan to have someone join me in the termination discussion \u2013
\nthis provides another set of ears and eyes and can add to the safety of the
\ndiscussion.<\/p>\n
Be Committed to your
\nProgressive Discipline Process<\/b><\/p>\n
The key benefit to having a progressive discipline process \u2013
\nwhere all infractions and issues are logged and reviewed in disciplinary meetings
\nwith the employee \u2013 is to help employees know at all times exactly where they
\nstand in terms of discipline.\u00a0 If done
\ncorrectly, by the time you have to terminate someone he or she should have received
\nmultiple warnings and the termination should not come as a surprise.\u00a0\u00a0 No one likes surprises like this, and a progressive
\ndiscipline process ensures that employees know that the path they are walking
\nis likely to lead out the door if their behavior does not change for the better.<\/p>\n
Be Compassionate and
\nBe Honest<\/b><\/p>\n
No matter how much it is deserved, losing a job is a
\nprofoundly unsettling experience for anyone.
\nKnowing that and treating the employee with dignity, respect and
\nunderstanding \u2013 even if you are not feeling charitable about it at the moment \u2013
\nis highly critical.\u00a0 Also important is being
\ncompletely honest about why you are terminating the employee.\u00a0 Resist the temptation to say it is a
\ndownsizing when the real reason is the employee\u2019s own behavior.\u00a0 This will help the employee to process what
\nis happening to them and it will help keep the company out of trouble if the
\ntermination is ever legally contested.\u00a0 In
\nthe end, it comes down to the basics.
\nFollow the Golden Rule.\u00a0 Be nice
\nand tell the truth.<\/p>\n
Help Them Look To the
\nFuture<\/b><\/p>\n
Once they are let go, employees who respond with anger and
\nindignation are often likely to suffer depression, to have a difficult time
\nfinding a new job and to take legal action.
\nThe more assistance you can provide \u2013 a severance package, not contesting
\nunemployment insurance, providing a positive reference \u2013 the more likely they
\nwill be to focus their energies on their future rather than on retaliating
\nagainst you.<\/p>\n
Remember Your Other
\nEmployees<\/b><\/p>\n
Sometimes we focus so much on the needs of the terminated
\nemployee that we overlook the needs of others who are remaining at their posts
\nand doing their work. Sometimes the termination is a shock and can leave other employees
\nupset, confused and in a state of mourning.
\nIn such cases, do and say what you can (without harming yourself, the
\nterminated employee or the company) in order to reassure your employees that
\nyour actions were just, necessary and appropriate, and that you understand
\ntheir feelings.\u00a0 But don\u2019t go into
\ndetails \u2013 everyone will want to know why, how, when and what happened.\u00a0 Don\u2019t over-share.\u00a0 What they need to know is that you care about
\nthem and are a fair employer.<\/p>\n
\u00a0Document Everything<\/b><\/p>\n
Employees who are fired can become emotionally and financially
\nstressed to the point that they will sue you even if there is no basis for their
\nlawsuit.\u00a0 Even if you\u2019ve done everything <\/i>correctly, you could still
\nfind yourself in a court of law.\u00a0 And if
\nyou do, as in every HR challenge, the best defense is a really well prepared
\ndefense. \u00a0By documenting all of the
\nconversations and actions that lead to the termination and having a clear
\nrecord of the termination itself (including a statement by the person who
\nparticipated in the termination discussion with you), you will be better able
\nto press your case and successfully defend your employment action.<\/p>\n
Firing people is never easy.
\nThat\u2019s why one of my proudest professional moments occurred when someone
\nI had terminated called me six months later to thank me for the way I conducted
\nthe termination and for helping him move out and move on.\u00a0 I\u2019ve never forgotten that experience and it
\nis why I strongly believe that firing someone is an art \u2013 and a very important
\none to learn.<\/p>\n
By Claudia St. John, SPHR, President – Affinity HR Group<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
No one, except perhaps Donald Trump, likes to fire people.\u00a0 Typically it is a stressful, scary and upsetting experience for everyone involved. \u00a0So is it possible that there is actually an \u201cart\u201d to firing an employee?\u00a0 In a word, yes. There are not enough fingers and toes in my entire household to count the number […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7334","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\n