11 Ways To Gracefully Handle Employee Termination Forbes

It's easy to get excited about bringing a new team member on board. It's a lot harder to garner the same kind of enthusiasm for terminating an employee. It is an uncomfortable situation for all parties involved that, unfortunately, is a part of working life. We asked members of the Forbes Human Resources Council what an employer should keep in mind when preparing to terminate an employee. Empathy and dignity are at the top of the list to guide any other decisions made by HR. Think about the person at the end of the decision and do what you can to keep them in mind as you craft your approach.

Is there a day or time of day that fewer people are in the office and this person could have more privacy during this difficult time? Is there a location that better serves this conversation and gives this employee the ability to not have to walk through the office after learning this news? Think of ways you can add in some thoughtfulness and intent in this process. - Lisa Whealon, GL group, Inc. A culture of consistent enforcement of clear policies and procedures is essential here. This means that either well-communicated progressive discipline has led to the final meeting, or the employee is undoubtedly aware of a zero-tolerance policy.

No one should be surprised by dismissal. The meeting should be kept short and to the point. Arguing the facts at this time is counterproductive and should instead be met with a simple, "the decision is final." - Cristin Heyns-Bousliman, Blake's Lotaburger, LLC No one likes to separate employees from their job. Taking a humane approach can provide a valuable soft landing for the employee and mitigate risk for the organization. Offering severance for all separations (except for cause), out-placement, and above all treating them with dignity and respect will go a long way to making the transition more palatable.

- John Sigmon, johnsigmon.com 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... 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 CEO @StoneAge | Keynote Speaker | Thought Leader | Leadership Blogger | Podcast Host | YPO Member.

Find out more at www.kerrysiggins.com Along with 99.9% of all other leaders on the planet, I hate firing people. It’s the worst part of the job, yet it’s an inevitable part of leadership. One of my most insecure moments as a young leader came when I had to fire a long-term employee. Although he was loved by our customers, he was disrespectful and insubordinate to leadership. He would say one thing to my face, agree to a plan and then do the exact opposite of what we had agreed.

He created a toxic work environment by talking poorly behind my back. I tried everything to turn the relationship around, but it became clear that he wouldn’t accept me as a leader. There was no option but to fire him. But I couldn’t stop questioning myself. Had I done everything in my power to turn it around? Would our customers go elsewhere?

Would I lose the respect of my employees? I was incredibly nervous the day I called him into my office, but I was determined to stand up for myself as a leader and a human. The good news is that after I fired him, none of the awful things I imagined came to fruition. He left quietly, and the sales team stepped up to fill the void. Within a month, it was like he was never there. It’s a conversation no manager wants to have: one that leads to the termination of an employee.

This uncomfortable, but often necessary, step requires leaders to balance empathy with professionalism while ensuring that remaining team members stay focused and motivated. Letting go of an employee can be especially daunting for someone who is new to leadership. To help first-time managers navigate this challenge, 19 Forbes Coaches Council members share their insights on managing dismissals diplomatically, thoughtfully and effectively. Follow their practical advice to make the process smoother and more respectful for everyone involved. Embrace the “red carpet in, red carpet out” philosophy. Even though an employee may not be the right fit for a role or for the company, losing a job can be traumatic.

Allowing the exit to be as graceful as possible will create future allies. Angry former employees who turn toxic reflect poorly on themselves, and they can reflect poorly on you and the company as well. Clarity and kindness are beneficial for all. - Maureen Metcalf, Innovative Leadership Institute Terminating an employee for the first time can be a challenging task for new leaders. Before speaking with the employee, it’s important that you first prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for the conversation.

Recognize that it does not benefit the employee to remain in a position where they are not thriving. When communicating the decision, be straightforward and show compassion. - Keith Leonard, Keith Leonard Coaching, Inc I believe the key to having this conversation is to keep the focus narrow, with clear decisions and concise direction on the next steps. Neutralize the potential severity of the moment with the path, package and support system awaiting the person. From a human perspective, there is a way forward: a professional path and life beyond the intensity of this moment.

- Carrie Moore, Carrie Moore International Telling a team member they no longer have a place at your company is always difficult. But perhaps the most difficult is when you have to lay off people who have done nothing wrong. In our last article, we looked at how to handle firing a really nice person. But what about when you’re faced with a termination that doesn’t have a personal cause? How do you handle parting ways when it’s the result of layoffs?

We have dealt with this at Vanderbloemen as we work with clients who have large teams. We even see it at Christian organizations. Just because a team is faith-based doesn’t mean it isn’t a business that faces challenges. Every year across the United States, several thousand churches close their doors, according to research from Thom Rainer. Five years ago, when Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington closed its doors, our COO Sutton Turner was serving as their Executive Pastor (the church equivalent to a COO). It was one of the more public in modern history because it was widely reported across social media, websites, and blogs.

Sutton says one of the greatest lessons he learned while at Mars Hill was to lead layoffs with grace, and not just as a professional. Here’s some insight from Sutton and our experience as leaders about how to gracefully handle terminations: Kathy Shanley, the Founder of Statice, served 30 years in the C-suite. She helps leaders and businesses level up their leadership skills. I’ve previously written about the four steps employees can take to exit their jobs gracefully, but exiting gracefully isn’t just about the employee who leaves. It’s also about how the organization handles that transition.

I recently got a great question: “What about the organization? How can leaders exit employees gracefully when they resign?” Here are three steps to ensure a smooth process as your employee exits: Leaving an organization is a normal part of an employee’s career path. Avoid criticizing their decision to leave, shutting them out or belittling their work to others. Negative behavior only lowers team morale and creates discomfort for both the departing team member and the rest of the team.

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