Very few people find terminating an employee to be an enjoyable moment. So, imagine how stressful it is for a new manager. There are several steps to help in making this process as smooth as possible.
Communicate Beforehand
The first question I always ask when someone talks to me about termination is “Will they be surprised”? In the case of performance issues, the employee must have plenty of opportunity and warning to improve their work before termination. A formalized performance improvement plan is the best method. It serves many purposes by:
- allowing the employee to understand and overcome the performance issues
- adding clarity to the situation and spells out what will happen if goals are completed or not, which is termination
- creating an avenue of goal setting for the employee to engage and be accountable
- opening communication between manager and the employee
- serving as documentation for the process and outcome
Make The Decision
Letting go of an employee is never an easy decision. Once the goals have not been met, or in the case of termination because of just cause, the decision should come quickly. Waiting too long to terminate after the incident isn’t fair to the employee, the other team members, or the company. Once the decision has been made set a date, time, and establish who else will be in the room with you.
Write Down The Reason(s) and Practice
It doesn’t matter if this is your first termination or your 30th, this process is emotional. Create short and straightforward bullet points regarding the reasons you are letting this person go. Make sure the reasons are specific, the employee is aware of the issue(s). and they have been given an opportunity to correct their performance. Have these reasons in front of you during the process. Practice what you will say, keeping the conversation compassionate and short. Speaking only of the bullet-pointed reasons for the termination and what will happen next.
Be Straightforward and Transparent
Start the conversation with the punch line. “I have some bad news; today is your last day to work here” and tell them why. Be straightforward and transparent. At this point, it’s natural to want to say I’m sorry but don’t. If the conversation starts to become escalated or diluted, just continue to go back to your bullet points and state the facts of why they are being let go. Most importantly, stay calm and don’t get caught up in responding.
Letting someone go isn’t easy, and it’s part of being a manager. As a first time manager, this task can initially seem overwhelming. However, with a little bit of preparation it can be done with both parties remaining calm and moving forward.
Give Them Time to Process
As a leader it’s essential to show that you are compassionate. Don’t rush them out of the office and give them the time they need to process. Stay in the room and be prepared to speak as needed. Questions may come up as far as final pay, benefits, severance, etc. and it’s important you have the answers or that you can refer them to someone else for the answers.
Let The Team Know Immediately
Gather together the people whose work will be affected by the termination. Be upfront in communicating that Sam has been let go. Explain that you can’t give details regarding the separation because of privacy reasons. The exception to this is, if Sam was terminated for policy reasons, then the communication could be “As a company, we don’t tolerate harassment. Sam was terminated for violation of our harassment policy”. Ask the team to help you come up with a strategy regarding the workload and replacement.
Consider Working with an HR Firm
From the moment performance or other issues become evident or reported, it can quickly turn into a tricky situation. In these cases, it’s essential that everything is appropriately handled and carefully documented. At Intuitive Strategies, our HR process is designed to help with exactly this kind of situation. As an HR Firm, we can provide suggestions and techniques for managing and developing the employee. If termination is needed, we ensure respect and legal guidelines.
For more HR guidance on how to have those hard conversation reach out to set up a consultation.