Informing an employee that he or she has to leave the company is definitely a hard task. But business is business, and sometimes such decisions must be taken for the company’s greater good. Having a “bad apple” in your team can definitely affect your team’s productivity and work environment. Here are some tips that you can follow to help you terminate an employee in a smooth and professional manner.
Timing is Important
Schedule the termination meeting in the morning at the beginning of the work week. This will allow everyone on the team to adjust to working without the employee and will give you more time for handover matters and off-boarding procedures. It also allows your employee to begin pursuing other career opportunities right away.
Do it in Person
Avoid terminating your employee over the phone or by email. Make sure that you have a face-to-face meeting to discuss what went wrong and make sure that you listen to what the employee in question has to say. Avoid name calling or labelling the employee as a person, and stick to quantitative facts and performance reviews.
Stick to Facts
Make sure that you provide solid evidence of the shortcomings of the employee in question. Provide proof of tasks that were not executed properly and make sure that the employee is aware of the performance standards that are accepted at your company. Explain what went wrong in a calm manner and avoid heated discussions that could only backfire in a negative way. It’s best to have your reasons for termination documented in an email.
Prepare for a Smooth Off-boarding
A smooth off-boarding process can ease the termination process substantially. Check for company belongings that need to be returned, send the employee any documents that have to be signed, and finalize any pending payroll matters. Keep in mind that planning your off-boarding process properly can help you avoid any potential data theft or leak, which is often associated with terminating employees.
Mohannad Alqudah