University of Kwazulu-Natal

11 Strategies To Prevent Problems From Resulting In Termination Forbes

Bonisiwe Shabane
-
11 strategies to prevent problems from resulting in termination forbes

Terminating an employee isn't a fun process for anyone involved, and most would agree it is favorable to prevent ongoing issues from resulting in termination in the first place. By reevaluating how they address ongoing personnel challenges, leaders and employees may be able to avoid that dreaded meeting. We asked members of the Forbes Human Resources Council for their best ideas on how to prevent a situation from reaching the "about to terminate" stage. Here are their best suggestions: A sign of an outdated operating model later in a business cycle is increased employee turnover, whether through resignation or termination. Employees aren’t happy or aren’t performing to the organization’s expectations, revealing a communication gap.

Managers should hold periodic reviews, aligning the company’s evolving goals with employees’ expectations of their roles to increase retention. - Mark Lascola, ON THE MARK I believe in the power of human interaction. HR leaders should continue to foster an environment where they speak with employees often, position themselves in an office where they can interact with people, and continue to have touch bases throughout the organization. This will ensure they have the pulse of the organization, hear conversations and view behaviors. This coupled with surveys is powerful.

- James Banares, ValiMail Flagging sub-par behavior as soon as it happens can help an employee change sooner, and maintain your support. It can be easy to let things go as a one-off, but you need to show someone your non-negotiables, long before it is a real problem and your confidence in that employee has evaporated. Ultimately, this strength will earn you more respect, cause you less stress and improve retention. - Karla Reffold, BeecherMadden Adding a team member with new experiences, specialties and fresh ideas can help diversify and expand the company.

However, there may come a time when this employee isn’t putting in the necessary amount of effort to continue progressing in their role. Moreover, the employee's poor attitude may become detrimental to the rest of the company. While letting the employee go may seem like the best way to solve the issue, there are other potential ways to handle this situation. To that end, 15 members of Forbes Human Resource Council shared the best ways to handle employees with issues before resorting to termination. 1. Make Sure Job Expectations Are Clear From The Beginning

Use onboarding and training processes to ensure employees are clear about behavioral and performance expectations. Evaluate managers on their ability to set clear goals and to communicate effectively on an ongoing basis with their teams. Leverage one-on-one discussions with employees as opportunities to course correct. This is effective because it can be preventative. - Phyllis Wright, Council for Inclusion in Financial Services (CIFS) We have all made mistakes in our careers; however, solid coaching that models the behavior, or appropriate abilities, can be transformational.

In the past, I had a leader who did not want to take the time to coach a referral from the owner but wanted to terminate them instead. After the employee was patiently trained, he went on to become an assistant manager. - Tish McFadden, Maryland Oncology Hematology One of the unpleasant realities of being a manager is that occasionally, an employee doesn't work out or business needs dictate a reduction in payroll costs. Letting an employee go is never easy, especially when you consider that what you're about to do will have a long-lasting impact on someone and perhaps their family. Approaching the situation with the employee in mind, rather than your own feelings, will minimize the damage that can occur because of an employee termination.

Here are six tips to help you manage this difficult situation. Companies should keep their employees in the loop regarding what's going on financially to prevent people from purchasing a new car or house they can't easily get out of. I understand that you may be hesitant about sharing all your financials, but a simple email or meeting explaining that you're not hitting your targets or that you expect this dip in your earnings... Cheryl Contee is the Author of Mechanical Bull: How You Can Achieve Startup Success, CEO at ImpactSeat.org & Founder of DoBigThings.today. In a nation that is both litigious and still adapting to new standards of workplace conduct—including diversity, equity and inclusion—letting go of an employee can be hazardous to your bank account and possibly your... The fact is that, according to The Violence Project, workplaces are the most common sites of mass shootings.

And most of those shooters had been fired from their jobs. Whether accurate or not, most of us are familiar with the slang term "going postal" that's been around for decades. While this is an extreme conclusion, it's important for us to recognize the sensitive nature of letting someone go. I've been a CEO of small tech companies for a while now and before that, I was an executive with reports inside other companies. So I've hired a lot of people and sometimes have had to fire some people. It's unpleasant for everyone involved.

To date, I've never faced legal action or had any other escalation from an employee I've had to let go. I believe that is because the approach I've taken endeavors to be humane and respectful of each person's dignity. Here are my ten tips to terminate team members safely, effectively and thoughtfully: You might be using an unsupported or outdated browser. To get the best possible experience please use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge to view this website. When a valued employee leaves a company, the impact can be felt long after their last day, and far beyond their team and department.

The cost of recruiting and onboarding a replacement merely scratches the surface of the financial damage such a departure can inflict on the organization. It can safely be said that an ounce of retention is worth a pound of replacement. Our 13 approaches to enhancing your business’s employee retention rate begin with a commitment from managers to heed and address the reasons valued workers resign voluntarily. This is the first step in creating a work environment that employees thrive in. SMB owners and managers facing high employee turnover rates are apt to blame any number of external causes, from a worker-friendly job market to an inability to meet their salary demands. Yet according to iHire’s 2024 Talent Retention Report, the top three reasons cited by departing employees all relate to poor management:

This may sound like an indictment of current management practices, but in fact, it’s good news for employers because hiring and training quality managers is within their control. The myth of the natural-born leader is dispelled by the success of leadership training programs for managers such as those offered by the American Management Association. During tough economic times, companies may be forced to make difficult decisions about staffing levels. However, layoffs can be detrimental to both employees and the organization as a whole and should be avoided if possible. Instead, companies can explore strategies to prevent layoffs and increase job security for their staff. Below, 15 Forbes Human Resources Council members share some tips for companies that want to keep their teams together during tough economic times.

Follow their recommendations to help minimize the impact of a downturn on your workforce. Companies should focus on their core purpose by involving their staff in decision-making. Companies can also shift their focus to training employees for higher-level skills instead of seeking outside hires. By putting people first, companies are better equipped to move forward during tough times without sacrificing job security or triggering mass layoffs. - Jennifer Patterson, Patterson Consulting Group Use a hire tough, manage easy approach to recruiting; cross-train employees and build interdepartmental collaboration into all jobs and projects.

Implement and leverage technology to automate manual processes allowing for easy reallocations of people power. Always focus on process improvement and efficiency. This practice will allow you to run lean but never understaffed. - JacLyn Pagnotta, Rose Associates Inc. Speaking from a mid-sized firm background, a focus on revenue is pivotal for a company's health and growth. Understand which individuals from supporting staff and non-revenue generating departments are interested in client-facing work, business development and marketing.

Shift their capacity towards those goals. - Nick Frey, Avomind In a perfect world, employees perform optimally, enjoy high job satisfaction, and stay with one company until retirement. This type of perfection rarely exists. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median employee tenure with a single company is 3.9 years.

While some staff members resign voluntarily, others are involuntarily terminated. Improper or illegal terminations expose companies to consequential legal issues and financial risk. Employers must attempt to close all possible doors to post-termination litigation to avoid lengthy and expensive legal battles, adverse publicity, and any detrimental impact on employee morale. Make sure your employees understand their job responsibilities, the company’s policies and code of conduct, any performance issues, and ways to improve their performance. That said, the most important way to avoid litigation is by adhering to all applicable federal, state, and local laws concerning employment. Never fire an employee for an improper or illegal reason.

Doing so leads to accusations of discrimination, retaliation, or breach of contract. Emotions run high following an involuntary discharge and some ex-employees are just looking for a fight. While nothing can totally bar former workers from pursuing legal action, employers can take steps to take the wind out of these individuals’ litigious sails. Get a free trial of Practical Law, the how-to resource with termination best practices, protocols and practical tips for employers on legal risks. The best way to escape a lawsuit it to avoid its inception. Implementing and following proper termination practices minimizes the risk of encountering a wrongful termination claim.

Before initiating a dismissal process, employers must understand all applicable federal and state employee termination laws and policy requirements. To protect confidentiality, only include critical individuals in discussions. The uncomfortable and legally challenging aspects of terminations can be ameliorated with careful forethought and planning, write Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP attorneys. Meredith Gregston is a senior attorney at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP. Dan Butler is an associate with the firm. As human resource practitioners know, terminations can be one of the most difficult parts of the job.

People Also Search

Terminating An Employee Isn't A Fun Process For Anyone Involved,

Terminating an employee isn't a fun process for anyone involved, and most would agree it is favorable to prevent ongoing issues from resulting in termination in the first place. By reevaluating how they address ongoing personnel challenges, leaders and employees may be able to avoid that dreaded meeting. We asked members of the Forbes Human Resources Council for their best ideas on how to prevent ...

Managers Should Hold Periodic Reviews, Aligning The Company’s Evolving Goals

Managers should hold periodic reviews, aligning the company’s evolving goals with employees’ expectations of their roles to increase retention. - Mark Lascola, ON THE MARK I believe in the power of human interaction. HR leaders should continue to foster an environment where they speak with employees often, position themselves in an office where they can interact with people, and continue to have t...

- James Banares, ValiMail Flagging Sub-par Behavior As Soon As

- James Banares, ValiMail Flagging sub-par behavior as soon as it happens can help an employee change sooner, and maintain your support. It can be easy to let things go as a one-off, but you need to show someone your non-negotiables, long before it is a real problem and your confidence in that employee has evaporated. Ultimately, this strength will earn you more respect, cause you less stress and ...

However, There May Come A Time When This Employee Isn’t

However, there may come a time when this employee isn’t putting in the necessary amount of effort to continue progressing in their role. Moreover, the employee's poor attitude may become detrimental to the rest of the company. While letting the employee go may seem like the best way to solve the issue, there are other potential ways to handle this situation. To that end, 15 members of Forbes Human...

Use Onboarding And Training Processes To Ensure Employees Are Clear

Use onboarding and training processes to ensure employees are clear about behavioral and performance expectations. Evaluate managers on their ability to set clear goals and to communicate effectively on an ongoing basis with their teams. Leverage one-on-one discussions with employees as opportunities to course correct. This is effective because it can be preventative. - Phyllis Wright, Council for...