Hiring and firing is part of
the territory of owning and managing a business, and while hiring may bring celebration,
firing can be awkward, emotional and an altogether unpleasant experience. When
the time comes to be the bearer of bad news, there are certain considerations
to be mindful of.
Provide appropriate performance management
When informing an employee
that they are being dismissed, it should never come as a surprise to them. The
employer should have provided adequate performance management throughout their
employment to explain the outcome. This may involve regular meetings to discuss
strengths and weaknesses and where they need to improve, with realistic targets
set and monitored. The employee should have the sufficient support to enable
them to perform to their best ability, with the opportunity to fulfil the
expectations of the role.
Give constructive feedback
An employer must never be
afraid to tell an employee the real reason that they are being fired. Too often
now, companies are hiding behind covid-19 and cost-cutting to lay people off. A
good employer will endeavour to grow and develop their workforce, and even in
the case of an employment termination, it is good practice as a business to
offer constructive feedback to allow the worker to learn from the experience.
It lies with the individual whether they accept the advice, but it means they are
offered some value from the company.
Choose the right place and the right time
Firing an employee should
happen in a private setting away from colleagues, and it must be in person as a
sign of courtesy. It’s a difficult conversation and the employee may feel
embarrassed or get emotional, so it’s best to be out of eyesight of others. It’s
also important to pick the right moment. It may seem there is no right time,
but by having the conversation at the end of the day the employee doesn’t need
to worry about talking to colleagues and having to carry on working distracted.
They can go straight home to process what has happened and seek support if
needed.
It’s tough, but it’s business and not a charity. Quite simply, if the worker fully understands the expectations placed on them in the role and they are still not performing, then they cannot expect to be employed. However, there are right ways of going about it to ensure that the employee is treated respectfully and given the appropriate information and advice to help them in the future of their working life.
Lezly D’Limi, Managing Director, Tailored Resources
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