Firing people in one of the worst job hats an owner of a field service business must wear. It is an uncomfortable process but at times must be done for the greater good of the company. So you have decided to fire someone…now how should you do it?
Melissa Korn, staff reporter for The Wall Street Journal, wrote an entire article on “The Best Ways to Fire Somebody.” Since the firing process can be difficult, I felt this was a good article to share because Korn does a good job of explaining the do’s and don’ts of firing. I will not touch on every point Korn makes so to read the entire article, click here.
- Say It Yourself – When firing someone, the person directly in charge of that employee should be the one to do it. Put yourself in their shoes. Would you want to be fired by someone who hasn’t truly seen or known the work you have done? If someone besides the manager fires the employee, they may wonder whether the supervisor even supported the decision, and that could raise concerns over the merit of the termination.
- Have a Witness – Hopefully things do not get this out of hand, but have a witness in case legal actions are taken against you and your company. A witness can verify how exactly the firing occurred and that it was done in the correct manner. Like the saying goes “better safe then sorry”.
- Be Specific – Don’t leave any confusion or doubt on the employee's mind. Tell them exactly why they are being fired. Give examples as to what lead to this decision and explain why this is an issue for the company.
- What day do you fire on? – There is no determined “right” day to fire someone. Some say Fridays are the best because then the employee doesn’t have unfinished appointments in the week. Some say Monday because it gives the employee the whole week to start searching for a new job. The best day to fire someone is as soon as you make the decision. This eliminates rumors going around the office of the firing and ensures the employee does not have a full schedule that will need to be dealt with.
It’s a crappy job, but someone has to look out for your company to make sure you have the best team possible. A company is only as good as its team. Next time you are faced with the task of firing, look to these tips to soften the blow and ensure it goes as smoothly as possible.