When to Fire an Employee

Analyzing when it is time to accept that a performance improvement will not happen

© Joni Rose

Nov 2, 2006

Woman leaving office, Stock xchng

Firing an employee is never easy. To be sure you are making the right decision, make sure you have done all you can to support their development first.

Making the decision to terminate an employee can be agonizing. Be sure they are the wrong person for the bus by ensuring that you have done all you can as their supervisor.

The following list is meant to give an objective perspective of what can be done with poor performance. As each situation is unique, you may not be able to provide all of the options listed. However, using this list as a guide will help you gain perspective especially when personalities are clashing.

  1. Have I provided all the necessary training so that this person is successful?
  2. Have I considered transferring them to another department or role?
  3. Is their workload reasonable?
  4. Do they have all the resources they need to be successful?
  5. Have I coached and supported their development along the way?
  6. Have I communicated my performance expectations clearly (in writing with a deadline for improvement and clear consequences)?
  7. Have I communicated both positive and negative feedback in a constructive manner?
  8. Has this employee been welcomed into the team?
  9. Has my boss approved my decision to terminate this employee?
  10. Have I documented all the incidents that have lead up to this point?
  11. Do the human resources and legal departments believe I have handled the situation appropriately?
  12. Have I made the necessary preparations so that the team can function without this individual?
  13. Will I be able to sleep at night knowing I have done the right thing?
  14. Is there anything on this list I can’t say yes to?

If the answer to question 14 is yes, you may need to consider trying to manage their performance a bit longer. If your answer to question 14 is no, it is time to accept that the decision to terminate is your best option. Sometimes it is best to recognize that the employee is better off looking for a new job that is a better fit.

If you have comments or suggestions on this article, please start a discussion

If you liked this article, try other articles on performance management

Copyright © 2006, Joni Rose and Suite 101. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized use will constitute an infringement of copyright.


The copyright of the article When to Fire an Employee in Training/Professional Development is owned by Joni Rose. Permission to republish When to Fire an Employee must be granted by the author in writing.



Comments
Nov 16, 2006 2:48 AM
Daniel Workman :
Great article, shows keen insights on how to research, analyze and take emotions and personality out of the "de-hiring" process as much as possible. Managers, supervisors and team leaders across Canada and the U.S. should have your list stapled to their monthly planners. My experiences with large companies has been particularly problematic in that the management staff has been bureaucratic bumblers. Too removed from the actual work and too arrogant to accept that they need help, if truth be told they would answer NO to most of the 14 questions on your checklist. And it becomes a self-perpetuating culture, with no one daringto question the emperor without clothes. Since effective employees with in-demand skills will move on rather than tolerate the pain of mismanagement, leaders who have talked their ways into positions of authority will wish that they had asked themselves question #12 on your list: "Have I made the necessary preparations so that the team can function without this individual? ". Thanks again for your well-conceived article.
Nov 16, 2006 8:46 PM
Joni Rose :
Thank you Daniel for you post. I could not agree with you more that egos get in the way of good business, that this naked emperor syndrome creates a culture of "afraid to question" and that good people leave out of frustration.

How can this be turned around? First of all, leaders need to check their egos at the door and humble themselves. In the classic book, Good to Great by Jim Collins, a great leader was shown to be one that is down to earth and isn't afraid to hire intelligent subordinates. Being humble is a key ingredient in powerful leadership.

The second thing is to encourage dialogue with staff, including challenges to decisions. A leader who can be open to criticism and alternative suggestions can learn a great deal and empower staff to help achieve strategic goals.
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