Letting People Go

Hey Bob, great to see you. Come on in. How're
things going? You getting on OK? Great suit by the way. I've, er,
asked to speak with you today because, well, you know. The, er,
company, hasn't had a great year. You've been great, it's just the
profits you know, they're really down. That darn highway
construction has stopped business short. We just don't have the
visibility we used to. And, well, I'm really sorry, but the
decision has been made to let you go. Like I say, I really
apologize. I know this is a shock. I went to bat for you but they
just wouldn't budge. I can't believe I am sitting here saying this
to you. Trust me, if I could do anything I would.
Sound a bit familiar? When you have to give someone bad news, you
feel bad yourself. Your first instinct is to make the other person
feel good, deflect some of the blame, and be seen as a good guy
despite what you are saying.
Whether the person is being fired or laid off, it's an emotionally
charged time. However, if you allow emotion to dictate how you
deliver your message, you risk not sending the right message.
You need to be clear and focused. You need to have a plan in place
to deal with the person's exit. If you aren't focused and
prepared, possible unwanted side effects include:

A wrongful dismissal suit filed by the worker.
Potential sabotage of business equipment and information.
Fear and distrust amongst remaining co-workers.
Loss of a potential rehire in redundancy situations if or when the business climate changes or improves.

No matter what your personal feelings are, no matter who made the
decision, and no matter how the termination will affect the rest
of the workplace, when you are talking to the person in question,
you owe it to him or her to be direct, honest, and fair.
Beating around the bush, talking about everything
but the real reason for the meeting, or trying to deflect blame
are not helpful behaviors. They prolong the inevitable and only
provide more fodder for the terminated worker to find a grievance
with the process. A wronged former colleague is a dangerous person.

While you can't be sure the person won't seek revenge, you can
mitigate the risk by being well prepared for the conversation that
lies ahead. Prepare for what lies ahead by planning what you need
to do before, during, and after the termination conversation.
Before the Termination Meeting

In a well managed company, a termination
or lay-off should not come as any surprise. The decision to
fire is that much easier and straightforward when people know
what is expected of them.

Hold regular performance reviews and
prepare development plans. This provides people with the
information they need about what is expected of them.
Establish clear company standards and
write policies that spell out exactly what constitutes grounds
for termination. With a clear theft policy in place, the
person caught stealing office supplies should expect to
be fired.
Have a progressive discipline policy
in place to address deviations from the expected standards.
With progressive discipline you have a record of your attempts
to turn around performance.

If the termination is a result of a lay-off
or a position being made redundant, this too should not be a
shocking revelation.

Communicate honestly with workers about
the state of the company.
To the extent that's appropriate, share
market information on a regular basis. When you are honest
and upfront with people about the state of their employment,
they can begin to prepare for is coming. Remember, no one
wants to be caught off guard in a termination situation.
It makes the conversation much more difficult for everyone.


Discuss the situation on a need-to-know basis
only. This minimizes potential leaks. You are also respecting
the person's privacy by keeping the details contained to a small
group of people. Prepare a plan to deal with leaks just in case
they do happen.
You should speak with an expert about your
legal duties and obligations as an employer regarding severance,
notice, and potential reinstatement. It's much better to know
what the financial costs of a termination will be beforehand.
You might also avoid attorney fees down the road if/when you
have an unlawful dismissal suit filed against you.
Back up computer data and files the person
has access to. Some people are vengeful and will try to damage
your business by destroying the work they have done for you.
Ensure you have all the data and files you need before you deliver
the final termination news.
Schedule the meeting as soon as possible.
The less time you leave between your decision and the meeting,
the less chance there is of leaks and second-guessing your decision.



If you are making a position redundant,
don't delay the termination until this month's accounts are
finished, or the sale they are working on goes through. If
the person is this important to your business, they can
easily argue that their position is not redundant and you're
not treating them fairly. When you are preparing for a
redundancy you want to be sure you can immediately manage
your business without the person's services.

During the Termination Meeting

Have the person's line manager deliver the news. This is no time for delegation.
Choose the meeting location carefully. You want it to be free of
interruptions and in a place that won't make a spectacle of the
person being terminated. They may want to be left alone or not
want to be seen immediately upon leaving.
Choose the time carefully. When is the office least busy? The
fewer people around the better, especially if the person is
expected to pack up his or her belongings and exit immediately.
Perhaps give them the option to return immediately after work
hours and you will supervise the clearing of their things.
Have at least one other person in the meeting with you. Ask this
person take notes of what is said and, if you think it's
necessary, both you and the person being terminated should sign
this as an accurate record. Someone from the HR department can
help you with any process issues during the meeting.
Be direct and lay out the facts of the termination quickly and concisely.

Stick to the topic and purpose.
Don't engage in small chat or talk about other issues.
Be specific and honest about why the person is being let go.
Explain the grounds of the dismissal however don't get into the
small details. You want to avoid an argument or an appeal to
change your mind.

Allow the person to express himself or herself. Don't get
dragged into a debate over the merits of your decision, though. Be
strong and resolute in your decision.
Avoid apologizing for the termination. When you are at this
point, you should be very sure of your reasons and there is no
need to be sorry. This doesn't mean you can't be empathetic.
Be calm and understanding. It is possible to be firm and kind at
the same time. If you approach the conversation in the manner you
would appreciate being treated chances are your demeanor will be
appropriate. Regardless of the history, this person deserves
respect.
Follow the HR policies set out.

Review the benefits and severance they are entitled to.
Where possible, provide the person with their immediate monies
owing (final paycheck, severance, holiday payout). What you can do
may be limited by payroll processes and dates, however, if you can
speed the process up all the better.
If you aren't able to provide money owing right away, explain
when it will be paid.
In cases of redundancy, provide a reference.



After the Termination Meeting
If you think the hard part's over, it's not. You still have the
remaining co-workers to deal with. In the event of a lay-off you
might also have to do this in stages and repeat the sequence a few
times.

One of the most important things after the
meeting is to make sure the terminated person does not have
the means or opportunity to sabotage your business. If the termination
meeting goes poorly, you may need to escort the person back
to his or her desk to collect their belongings and leave immediately.
Hopefully this won't be necessary and you can leave things on
better terms than this. Be prepared for this eventually, however.

In a redundancy situation, consider offering outplacement
services to help employees find new jobs and training. This shows
goodwill and puts you in a good position to rehire your top
performers if that is ever possible. It also stops the flow of
negative publicity about your company as terminated workers talk
about it with their friends and family.
Acknowledge the impact that the termination
will have on the remaining co-workers. Will they have to pick
up extra responsibilities? In the case of a termination for
cause, will the position be re-filled and when? Perhaps this
is an opportunity to promote someone within the team? Communicate
with them and make sure to let your team know that you will
provide whatever support you can to help them get through this.

Allow the team to express their emotions without fear of any
reprisal. Some will take the person's side and be angry for a
while. Others will be frustrated by the impact it has on their
workload. There might be a period of distrust and apprehension. Be
aware of this and keep the lines of communication open. The best
thing you can do is be as transparent as possible. When the
termination has been a redundancy, no one wants to feel like they
are waiting for the axe to fall again.
Be honest about the reason for the termination. If it's because
of a decline in business, talk about the reality of everyone's job
security. If the termination is based on performance, remind
people of the expectations. If it is for a blatant violation of
policy, remind them of the company policies.



Key Points
Terminating someone's employment is never enjoyable. There is much
you can do to lessen the discomfort for yourself and the person
being let go. This starts with having good policies in place to
communicate expectations and business realities to your team. Then
by being well prepared and very clear about your intentions you
can avoid an ugly scene and lessen your exposure to a lawsuit.

By handling a termination the way you would
like to be treated, you preserve the morale of team. You create
a work environment that says you value everyone's contribution
even if they have to be terminated at some point. When you are
well prepared and able to communicate honestly with your team,
the person exiting leaves with dignity and the people who remain
are free to carry on, secure in the knowledge that their workplace
treats people fairly and respectfully in good times and in bad.