It’s never simple to do employee termination.
There is always the possibility that the incident will go south, even when you know they have to leave. The ideal termination is similar to a no-fault divorce in that both parties just agree that it is done and go. But there may be instances when parting ways with an employee isn’t a straightforward, clean depature, just like in a divorce. To maintain a positive reputation in the community and shield your company from any legal action, it’s crucial to manage employee terminations carefully.
Here are six indications that it might be time to let an employee go.
- Productivity is down
A successful business is one that produces results. Although it might not be one employee’s fault—perhaps your team is overworked—if production is down, it’s still a clear indication that something is wrong. It may be a hint that an employee’s output isn’t up to grade if they consistently struggle in comparison to other staff members or repeatedly miss deadlines. In instances like this, most businesses permit warnings and reminders, but after time has passed with no improvement, it could be time to let go. - They are always the main figure in office drama
Some people thrive on office drama, rumors, and commotion. When people are pitted against one another, it produces a toxic and challenging work atmosphere that, if it persists, can result in insubordination, a lack of trust, and difficulties upholding the teamwork attitude. They enjoy spreading rumors, are always disparaging management, and look for opportunities to cause trouble. No matter how many cautions you give them, these folks are simply toxic and will never change. - They’re static and not looking to grow
Employees that are unwilling to learn new skills or advance themselves in order to keep up with the group will fall behind, which also implies that you will be negatively impacted by them. Let them go if they don’t want to correct their errors or work to resolve problems that are hindering their usefulness. There are occasions when people lack the abilities necessary to advance your company, which means they are holding you back. - Customers, vendors or co-workers are complaining.
An unpleasant and unprofessional experience will drive 86 percent of customers to stop doing business with a company or stop patronizing you, according to Loyalty360, and the typical client will complain to 10-15 other individuals. Only a small percentage of people will actually contact management, so if you are hearing about it, you are probably only hearing a portion of the issue and losing revenue. A tough or mediocre employee needs to be let go. - They’re violating company policy.
Employees may occasionally inadvertently violate the rules, but if they continue to do so even after being warned, it is clear that they don’t care. You can impose a three-strikes policy in some circumstances, but in others, a single infraction is sufficient to force someone to leave. No employee should be shocked if they are fired for criminal charges or safety issues. They should still be well aware of the rules and the consequences of breaking them. Examples include bringing weapons to work, stealing, and abusing drugs. Since it shouldn’t come as a surprise that such activities result in termination, no court will view such a termination as being unconstitutional. - Their time management is poor.
Everyone is occasionally late, but if it’s occurring frequently, if they aren’t contacting to let you know they’ll be away, or if the same grandmother has passed away three times, you have every reason to be suspicious. Even though you ought to have an absence and time off policy that calls for warnings, every absence costs you money and harms your company.
Some tips on how to terminate an employee
- Determining their departure time is the first step. It’s advisable to act quickly after you’ve decided to terminate. The time of day you decide to fire someone may have an impact on how they depart; if you fire them first thing in the morning, they may start looking for work straight away, but they may also take the walk of shame and resentment because they wasted their time coming to a job they no longer have.
- The least disruptive timing will be Friday toward the end of the day, giving them the weekend to think things through. You may want to start hiring or seeking for an internal successor before you let them leave because it’s crucial that the transition be as seamless as possible. The ideal time to fire someone is towards the end of the day when other employees are also leaving and there might be less individuals around to generate a commotion.
- To avoid giving them optimism that they won’t be fired, be direct and always speak of their employment in the past tense when conducting the exit interview. Don’t tell them that this is a good thing or use platitudes like “I understand what you’re experiencing.”
- Pay attention to what they have to say. Your response is crucial because they’re probably going to be upset and stunned. Before concluding the interview, express gratitude, shake their hands, and wish them well. Be sure to cover all the necessary information, including references, current projects, benefits, etc.
Bottom Line
Although it can be challenging to manage a problematic employee, but the law is on your side. Consider engaging an employment lawyer or human resources consultant to design a policy that safeguards your company if you’re concerned about the consequences or don’t presently have enough regulations in place.
SW HR Consulting has been helping companies to build their teams and values for over 10 years. Contact us to find out more about our unique hr outsourcing services and see how our expertise can benefit you.
