Letting go of a problem employee is definitely easier said than done. Before you can fire someone, you need to make sure you have everything in order and are going about it in the right way. Firing someone too hastily or without taking the proper steps can lead to an uncomfortable situation, or even legal issues that could do major damage to your business.
If you are faced with releasing an employee from your company, follow these best practices from human resource experts as shared with Business News Daily.
Give the employee the opportunity to improve (or leave) first. “Realizing that you’ve made a bad hire, or that the candidate you had high hopes for is less-than-enthused with his current position, is tough—especially for small businesses. The best thing to do is have a conversation with this individual and express your concerns. Give him the opportunity to realize that perhaps this job is not the best fit. In some instances, after just that conversation, the employee may quit on his own.” – Rikka Brandon, recruiting and hiring consultant
Get everything in order beforehand. “Practice what you plan to say to the employee and have all the required documentation in order so that you can make the process as smooth as possible. If you’re afraid that your nerves will get in the way, jot down a few talking points. At a minimum, you’ll need to explain the process to the employee about leaving the building, returning company-owned items, how long benefits will continue, etc.” – Amanda Haddaway, human resources consultant and trainer
Choose a proper time and place. “Plan the date, time and place—I prefer earlier in the week, [and] never on Friday. [Do it] during lunch or at another time when business impacts are minimized. Conference rooms are good places.” – Greg Syzmanski, director of human resources, Geonerco Management
Focus on the facts (and the law). “When firing an employee you need to focus on specific facts and not attack the employee as a person. You also need to follow laws specific for your region for notice and, in some instances, severance pay.” – Chantal Bechervaise, author and publisher of Take It Personel-ly
Protect your business. “Document, document, document. Without proper documentation of company rules, position requirements [and] expectations, infractions and disciplinary policies, you will lose most lawsuits.” – Aaron Ziff, vice president, International Strategy and Consulting
Don’t go it alone. “Don’t fire an employee alone. A firing is an emotional and sensitive situation, and so you never know how someone will react. It would be wise to have an HR representative present during the meeting. If you don’t have dedicated HR staff, just make sure you have someone else you trust in the room with you when the firing takes place.” – Lisa Brown Morton, CEO, Nonprofit HR
Source: Brittney M. Helmrich joined the Business News Daily team in 2014 after working as the editor-in-chief of an online college life and advice publication for two years.