Five Tips for the Firing Manager

Although sometimes necessary, firing an employee improperly can end up the messiest parts of running a business or any other organization. Not having sufficient back up for a defendable employee termination has the potential for severe negative blowback on a company or organization. While readers may also have their own suggestions, here are five tips to help a firing manager cover their own tracks, so to speak.

Five tips for the firing manager number 1: Instruct the employee to sit between you and the door. It might seem like a simple thing to consider now, but let it be easier for the terminated employee who desires it, to just leave. This suggestion might sound like a joke, but any employee who feels "hemmed in," could conceivably make an accusation of unlawful detainment of some sort.

Five tips for the firing manager number 2: Have all supporting documentation, relating to the documentation of the termination, there for everyone to witness and/or sign. Be able to demonstrate in writing the various infractions and counseling sessions with the fired employee. This suggestion protects the company from discrimination claims.

Five tips for the firing manager number 3: Make no response to emotional reactions/threats/jibes. Make no personal comments. Not only is it good to not get drawn into highly emotional exchange with an ex-employee, personal comments at this time, are just cruel. If there's anything that needed to be said about the termination, it should have been said before.

Five tips for the firing manager number 4: Have a witness with you, for the entire time. In fact, on the day of the event, have a witness with you at all times, the entire day. Noone but you, and your witness need know why they're tagging along. A live witness in a court-room is ideal, but a camera system works wonders just as well. Witnesses are cheaper, though.

Five tips for the firing manager number 5: Be meticulously fair, and upfront, but still invite them to show themselves out, at the end of the notification. On the off-chance the employee becomes emotional, retain control of the meeting by managing when an ex-employee is brought into the encounter, up until they're invited to leave.

As long as the reasons for any particular termination, are for the sake of the success of the company or group, then a firing handled professionally, and with dignity all around, isn't something anyone should lose sleep over.

Source:
Personal experience