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As an employer, you may face difficult moments while running your business. Dismissing employees is going to be one of the toughest parts of the job. There are procedures to follow when terminating employment, but there are ways to do so that maximize politeness and empathy too.
Dismissing an employee shouldn’t be a decision you come to lightly. Before that step is taken, you should make sure that it is the best thing to do. If it is a result of continued underperformance or disciplinary action, you should have exhausted all other avenues before proceeding with a dismissal.
If you’d like to prepare for an employee dismissal so that you’ll be able to do it in the most polite way possible, follow these guidelines to make the experience easier.
Prepare Before Committing
Your employee should not be taken by surprise when the time for their dismissal comes, no matter the reason for it. You should also make sure that the decision is the only correct one left.
If you have any doubts, you should iron them out either by consulting with others or by studying all the facts on the matter, as well as predicted projections for the employee’s performance. Also, take into account whether you’ve done all in your power to provide support throughout their time working for you.
Important disclaimer: Always ask your attorney and professional advisors to make sure you are not going against the law.
Plan the Meeting in Advance
Once you’ve decided to dismiss an employee, you should plan in detail how you will tell them. You should consider every aspect of the dismissal meeting to remain in control of them. Think about your tone, your wording, and the way you’ll present the information.
These meetings may require additional witnesses, union representatives, and board members, as necessary. You may also want to have the meeting recorded and to prepare the necessary documentation. If you prepare everything in advance, the meeting will be easier. You’ll be able to focus on delivering the news and on managing your employee’s termination process without distractions.
Consult with Human Resources
Your Human Resources consultants will advise you on the necessary paperwork and procedures to follow. This will help you ensure that everything is done by the book and that everyone’s best interests are being considered, from the employee to the business.
Once you’ve consulted with them, you can arrange the meeting around the advice you’ve received. HR will be able to help guide you through how to efficiently and politely deliver the news while covering the administrative duties that a dismissal entails.
They will also be able to direct you to your employee’s union, if applicable, and you’ll be able to arrange the presence of a union rep at the required time. The union rep will help your employee feel supported in this complicated situation.
Create a Safe Environment
Dismissals can be cold and impersonal, but if you want your employee to still feel respected and heard despite the nature of the action, create a safe space for the meeting. You should be polite during the meeting, but also leave space for the employee to have their say.
The employee shouldn’t feel silenced or unwelcomed during the meeting, despite the news. If others will be present, make sure that they are familiar to the employee or at least properly introduced.
Even if the employee can no longer change the outcome, they should still get to communicate their response to it in a civil matter. Their reaction and their reply can be helped by making them feel safe in this context, which will encourage dialogue and resolution.
Be Direct
There is no way to sugarcoat a dismissal, so you shouldn’t try to do it. Be as direct as possible without seeming harsh. It will be easier for the employee to deal with their dismissal if they are told without any detours.
There is no reward in trying to approach this situation with hints or evasions. Don’t spend too much time leading up to the news. It’s best to start by making them aware of the dismissal immediately, and then to deal with the rest of the steps.
Your employee won’t have to wonder why they’ve been called into the meeting, which will help their stress levels. Be straightforward with them, and the rest of the meeting will be easier to deal with on both sides.
Remain Kind and Attentive
While a dismissal can have many reasons, you should remain as kind as possible during the meeting where you deliver the news. This can be a highly uncomfortable situation, but it doesn’t have to be an ugly one. Parting ways can be done in a civil matter, and empathy is instrumental in achieving this outcome.
Even though you are representing the business, you should take into account the employee’s needs and assist them through the process of dismissal.
Offer Support
Once you’ve delivered the news, continue the kindness by offering them support to deal with this change in circumstance. Help them with telling their coworkers and managing the procedures. If you don’t have the time to properly listen to them once the meeting is done, refer them to their manager, union rep, or consultant.
Above all, make sure they are heard and that you don’t impose your point of view above theirs. It can be easy to offer shallow platitudes, but the fact remains that this is much more of a destabilizing change for the employee than for you.
Make Them Aware of the Process
After the dismissal has been delivered, take the time to inform the employee in full detail about what they will need to do to follow it. Each business will have different procedures, but there will be an established process involving the time the employee has before leaving.
If the workplace is a secure site, they may have to be escorted by security personnel off the premises. They will have to clear their desk or office of all personal effects and sign the required paperwork to make the dismissal official. Knowing exactly what they need to do will take some of the stress of the dismissal away from the employee.
Conclusion
Dismissing an employee is not an easy task, but at times it will be a necessary one. The only way to make the process more bearable is to prepare for it properly and to be as polite and empathetic as the situation allows.
Remember to exhibit the qualities of a good leader and treat your employees humanely even while dismissing them.
Also read this article about the duties and responsibilities of a restaurant.
Sources:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2018/06/22/how-to-fire-someone-nicely/
https://inside.6q.io/how-to-fire-someone-nicely/
https://hbr.org/2016/02/a-step-by-step-guide-to-firing-someone
