Firing an employee is easier said than done. However, there are a lot of reasons why you need to let go of some people.
It might be a performance issue —or worse, unethical behaviour. Or sometimes, you just need to lay off people because of business reasons. It’s a necessary evil.
Whatever you do, just avoid the sudden mass firing of people like what Twitter workers are experiencing today. A lot of these employees deserve better.
Let’s start with the elephant in the room. Twitter owner, Elon Musk, fired thousands of employees over email and Slack.
How would you feel if you were suddenly locked out of a system without proper notice?
Why should you avoid this practice? Well, firing people this way makes your company look bad. Just look at Twitter now.
Not only does it taint your reputation, but imagine how the remaining employees are feeling? Will they have higher hopes for the company? I don’t think so.
Most teams will have low morale.
Heck, they’re probably looking for another job as we speak.
And would your company still attract (and retain) the best people when you have this sort of culture? No, right?
Now, let’s talk about how to do it properly. Here are some tips you can apply when you have to let people go to lessen the blow on everyone involved.
Give Them the Opportunity to Improve
Most employees want to grow in their careers. But some don’t know how to do their jobs well, especially new hires.
Do you fire them for their poor performance right away? Not yet.
You can coach them first by giving them good feedback. Let them grow.
What if it’s not about performance? For example, what if it’s about how they treat their colleagues? Depending on the case, there could still be room for improvement.
When you give them the opportunity to change and they still fail, that’s the time you let them go.
Don’t Do Quiet Firing
What if you’re non-confrontational and you just want to fire your employee? Well, as the owner, you have the right to fire the people that you aren’t aligned with.
But some employers, instead of being straightforward about it, practice quiet firing.
Quiet firing is when you don’t make the effort to manage your employees anymore. No more feedback. You just do the bare minimum, hoping that your employee would just quit.
But what if they don’t quit? What if they haven’t realised that they’re doing a bad job? Then you’re stuck with a low-performing employee.
And when it does work, it can diminish your existing employee’s morale. It can even damage your company’s reputation.
How can you hire top talent to replace your employee/s when they don’t want to work for you?
Focus on the Facts
Firing should be based on facts. What do I mean?
When you fire someone, you should not focus on the person, but on their performance.
Based on the performance reports and evaluations, how did your employee fare? Do they have a lot of missed deadlines or subpar work?
If it’s about their character, do you have email trails and memos as evidence of their misbehaviour? Were there complaints from their colleagues? And after the appropriate evaluation and coaching, did they change?
Seek Help from HR
Wrongful firing is dangerous. A disgruntled employee can sue you for it.
So it’s best to seek help from your HR. They can assist you with the legalities and the proper documentation needed.
They can also accompany you during the meeting when you deliver the bad news and serve as mediators for a smooth turnover.
Keep It Short
Now, it’s time to do the hard part. Set a schedule for the meeting either via Zoom or Google Meets.
And when you’re face-to-face virtually, keep it short. Explain why they’re getting fired, based on the evidence you gathered.
And then, deliver the bad news.
If you genuinely think that s/he’s a good person, you can offer them introductions or prospects for other jobs after.
Hire the Best Workers
Firing your remote workers is a challenging task. But sometimes, it’s necessary because you want the best for your team.
You can view our candidates of pre-qualified Filipino remote workers for the best talents for your business. We have roles like virtual assistants in the Philippines and more to help you achieve your business goals.
Call us or schedule a callback for any questions. Cheers!
Leandro is a content creator and digital nomad who started his career as a remote working content writer. He is an advocate of location independent sources of income. And he believes that everyone has the ability to be one as well. If you have any content requests and suggestions, feel free to email him at leandro@remotestaff.com.
