Figure 1: The Best Way to Fire an Employee (HADEN, 2011)
1. Give Them Time to
Change
Understandably, employees who feel blindsided by a
firing and like they weren’t even given a chance to make things better will be
angry and frustrated. So the first step in dismissing someone as politely as
possible is to make sure that you don't jump to conclusions and give them
adequate time to change.
2. Find the Right Time
and Place
The important thing is that there is no right answer
here - and, really, there is no right time to fire someone. Feel your team,
your employees' Schedule and your company culture, and you will probably
identify a moment that will work best.
3. Make Your Point
Explicitly Clear
You need to make the point of that conversation almost
painfully clear: Their employment is ending and they need to move on.
4. Avoid Pet Peeve
Phrases
According
to (Grote, 2016)
“I
understand how you feel.”
“You
should’ve known.”
“I
know that this hurts right now but later on you’ll realize that this is the
best thing that could have happened.”
5. Ask Questions about
the Transition
Ask him what he needs, what would make this
easier, and what kinds of support you can give him in the exiting process. Some
companies, depending on the circumstances, allow employees to choose their own
exit timeline and how the news is shared with peers. This has pros and cons and
is a leadership call; you’ll have to decide what works best for you (Cavanaugh, 2016)
6. Resist an Argument
In some cases, no matter how
smoothly you try to make this conversation, the employee will become angry and
defensive.
7. Stand Firm in Your
Decision
Another possible response from this
employee? A request for one more chance to get it right.
As tempting as it may be to give in, you
must remain firm in your initial decision.
Going back will cause toxicity in this
relationship (how committed and positive will an employee be after knowing that
they are almost laid off?) While making you look like a weak leader.
So while it can be difficult to defend your
position - especially if that employee becomes emotional or begs - you have to.
Reference
Cavanaugh, A.,
2016. How to Fire Someone Without Destroying Them. [Online] Available at: https://hbr.org/2016/01/how-to-fire-someone-without-destroying-them
[Accessed 09 January 2020].
Grote,
D., 2016. A Step-by-Step Guide to Firing Someone. [Online] Available at: https://hbr.org/2016/02/a-step-by-step-guide-to-firing-someone
[Accessed 09 January 2020].
HADEN,
J., 2011. The Best Way to Fire an Employee. [Online] Available at: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-best-way-to-fire-an-employee/
[Accessed 09 January 2020].
Don’t pretend that cutting off someone’s income or firing someone is good for them, even if they are unhappy. It’s presumptuous and attempts to minimize the pain and havoc loosing a job can cause. Be realistic, firing someone is done for the benefit of the company, period. Managers need to accept they might be the last step on the way to homelessness. Great method but no one really cares about being heard when they are being shuttled our the door. The best thing you can do is offer a good or neutral reference IN WRITING as you let them go. This makes it easier for them to move on. This is totally a business decision, not a chance to benefit the employee.
ReplyDeleteYes sameera agree with you
DeleteNeeding to fire an employee will never be an enjoyable experience. However, there are some tips you can implement to make that conversation as smooth as possible.
Put these strategies to work, and you’ll hopefully end that conversation with a handshake and best wishes for the future—rather than tears and a temper tantrum.
Firing an employee is a tough decision. This blog and comments are very interesting. Tips given in this blogs are very useful and eye opening.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mufthas
DeleteAn interesting article! Got a good knowledge! keep up the good work brother!
ReplyDelete