Dismissing an employee for the first time in your career can be a difficult and emotional process. But whether an employee’s performance has consistently been underperforming or a difficult downsizing decision has been made, sometimes it has to be done. To help you do this in the most effective and friendly way possible, a panel of members of the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) looked at the following question:
“What is a best practice that you would recommend to a business executive struggling with their first employee fire, and why?”
Here’s how they recommend approaching your first fire.
1. Make the decision and stick with it
“The most important thing is that the person making the decision stands in the way and doesn’t influence the decision to discharge. Getting someone rid of a job is not easy, and they will likely beg and beg to keep their position. If the CEO or company director changes his mind, it will ultimately show weaknesses and make future hires and layoffs even more difficult. ”~ Zac Johnson, Blogger
2. Record everything
“Always have a second person in the room and document everything. Document the lead-up to the fire. Document the actual event yourself. Be friendly, professional, and factual. Don’t get personal with the firing and try to understand that the person you fired most likely didn’t see this coming. ”~ Peter Boyd, PaperStreet Webdesign
3. Acknowledge their worth and contributions
“Before you step into the room, think about the value the employee has brought to your company and carry it with you. Even if you let someone go, it’s important to make sure they know they’ve been making a positive impact so they feel empowered to continue their journey. This person can become a customer, partner or an important recommendation in the future. Simply acknowledging its impact can go a long way. ”~ Daria Gonzalez, Wunderdogs
4. Follow the correct procedures
“Organize a paper path and show why you need to fire an employee. Whether you need to downsize or need to solve a problem, you need a reason, and it is important that you face the staff. Some states have free employment and some do not. You must also adhere to your company regulations with regard to the reasons for termination. For all of these policies you need documentation to avoid liability. ”~ Duran Inci, Optimum7
5. Keep calm and be empathetic
“Don’t burn down bridges. No matter what that employee did, be kind and respectful. Firing someone is pretty nerve wracking and it can be easy to get angry or stressed out. Try to see the big picture and treat the employee as you would like to be treated in this difficult situation. ”~ Morissa Schwartz, Dr. Rissy’s writing and marketing
6. Run with a friendly approach
“Keep kindness in mind. A layoff is likely a crucial, memorable moment in someone’s life. Even if the person damaged your business or acted inappropriately, a friendly approach will be remembered. It is important to understand that we are all human. So remember that the person towards you is someone who still deserves respect and dignity. ”~ Beck Bamberger, BAM-Kommunikation
7. Think of a backup plan
“The first time you fire someone, make sure you have someone to do the job. Also, make sure you have completed a knowledge transfer so that it does not interfere with your existing work. Make sure you have a list of passwords and change them whenever you fire someone. It is also safer to give them two weeks’ notice. If you can’t quit them, give them two weeks extra salary. ”~ Piyush Jain, Simpalm
8. Express the cumulative nature of the shot
“Dismissing an employee should be a measure based on a person’s accumulated unprofessional performance. If someone is repeatedly performing poorly, keep well-organized documentation. These documents should detail each incident that occurred, how you handled the deficiencies, what the warnings were, and how this affected future performance (or lack of impact). ”~ Blair Thomas, eMerchantBroker
9. Be on time
“Often, new entrepreneurs wait too long to fire people who are not the right ones. However, the longer you keep them on the team, the more it will cost your company. When you feel the time to let someone go, do it ASAP. ”~ Solomon Thimothy, OneIMS
10. Use concise, fact-based logic
“The best way is to keep your statement concise and factual, and to explain why you are going to end it. If you’re indirect, you could be misleading the person, which can have a huge impact. ”~ Kristin Kimberly Marquet, Marquet Media, LLC
11. Practice your speech beforehand
“It doesn’t feel good when you have to fire someone, but sometimes it is necessary. If at any time you find yourself in this position, I recommend that you practice your speech with the member of senior management who will be present during the resignation. Use this time to refine your choice of words and offer as much information as possible so that the employee understands why you made this decision. ”~ Chris Christoff, MonsterInsights
12. Avoid filling the meeting with “fluff”
“If you have to fire your first employee, don’t fluff the meeting. If you walk in with a bubbly personality and a big smile and then change to a “serious” tone as you let him go, it could destroy your relationship with that employee, which can have a variety of negative consequences. “~ John Turner, SeedProd LLC
13. Try not to let emotions overwhelm your decision
“Don’t let your emotions stop you from doing the right thing. If you are certain that quitting is the only option, then you need to stand firm with your decision. This does not mean that you have to be cold when dismissing the employee; Just remember that it’s not the end of the world and try to mitigate the blow if you can. ”~ Bryce Welker, Testing.org
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