Imagine how you would feel if your boss walked in and said "You're fired!"
Were you surprised or did you know this was coming? Were you hurt or embarrassed about the way you were told? Once you absorbed the news, were you angry or mad about how you were treated?
Put yourself in their shoes. Think about these three questions before firing someone to minimize office disruption. Understand what went wrong to make sure it doesn't happen again.
Good companies:
- hire people with the right fit for the job and organization;
- provide appropriate training; and
- ensure ongoing feedback so everyone knows what they're supposed to do and how they're doing.
Don't assume people know how they're doing; often they're the last to know.
Even when it's obvious that someone needs to go, no one is ever really ready or prepared for the news.
Sometimes, as in a mass layoff or downsizing, the news is a surprise to everyone in the organization, far beyond those being fired or let go. Understand in advance that people will likely feel vulnerable and emotionally raw. Deliver the news simply and clearly with empathy, professionalism, dignity and respect for all.
Long before taking any action, get legal advice to ensure you've done the right thing to treat people fairly. When done poorly, the shock and awe of firing can have a devastating impact on an entire organization.
Learning how to fire with empathy, dignity and respect is an important yet often overlooked leadership skill.
First, don't assume firing someone will cause office disruption. While those "doing the deed" worry about negative repercussions, often the rest of the team respond to a dismissal with a sense of relief and mutterings of "it was about time."
However, whether or not it was justified in the eyes of the rest of the team, the manner in which the dismissal takes place can go a long way to minimizing disruption. At times like this, company and personal values must be honoured. All too often, those receiving their walking papers are suddenly turfed with little respect or consideration for their needs. That approach does little to build trust in the organization for those left behind. The most important thing is to do it thoughtfully and carefully. When circumstances permit, allow the people being terminated to conclude their employment in a way that meets their needs. That is rarely being summarily escorted off the premises by security. Instead, consider giving employees a few weeks' warning of what will be coming so they can wrap up their work and end their relationships with dignity. People do not always react in a way that necessitates a brutal eviction.
Pay attention to the rest of the team. Allow them time to grieve, to process and make sense of the dismissal. Don't ignore it, but instead provide an opportunity for others to talk. Bring up how they're feeling in the team meeting, conduct one-on-ones with everyone, and really try and empathize with them. If you've taken time with the dismissal, terminated the person respectfully and have a well thought-out plan for handling the workload of the person you have let go, then the disruption should be minimal.
A fact of life (and work) is that sometimes things just don't work out. There is no perfect way to end someone's employment, but the entire event will be easier for all involved if you strive to protect assets – human and capital – and keep the following in mind.
Human assets include the dignity of the individual being terminated as well as the rest of your team.
This can accomplished by:
- planning the logistics of a termination meeting;
- delivering the message in a private setting;
- where possible, having the discussion early in the day and in the middle of the week;
- allowing the individual some say or input into what will be communicated with co-workers;
- allowing the individual time to process the news before working out logistics like return of work-related items;
- agreeing on a time when the individual can discreetly and out of the eyes of colleagues have a chance to collect personal belongings;
- letting the rest of your team know; and
- when speaking with clients, customers and external stakeholders, saying nothing other than that the individual is no longer with your company.
As for protecting your capital assets:
- determine when to disable access to internal communication vehicles and IT systems and then make sure to do it;
- collect company property, keys and corporate cards; and
- determine the pros and cons of asking the person to close off work in progress.
