Terminating Employees with Grace- HR Minute

Terminating employees can be a difficult task. Claudia St. John from Affinity HR Group shares her thoughts on how to handle this tough process to make it successful for both the employer and the employee.

It is important to understand that people who lose their jobs go through stages of mourning. We know when employees are surprised by a termination they may stay in the stages of denial and anger longer.

Discipline is a stepping stone process. Help employees see early on how their actions and responses to discipline affect whether they will be successful in your company.

Listening and empathy are important during a termination conversation. Give your employees the dignity to know how their actions contributed to the termination.

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[valeriemckenna]

You mean there is an HR who care about grace and dignity

[DaveTalksBusiness]

You have to be willing to let people go when they become a problem for the company or they no longer fit - you will find more people who have a fresh passion and this can breathe new life into your business with new ideas and new energy.

[alanstevens]

I have watched at least 10 videos from various authors about how to terminate an employee.

They all cover either substandard performance or layoff.

None for standards of conduct offenses. I would like to see this addressed, as the grounds are very different.

[flournoymason]

When I got fired i decided not to remember the date of my termination so that when the date came around again it wouldn't be such a horrible memory. Walking out the door during normal working hours is really a bad experience. A waking nightmare. I lived several miles from work and I couldn't evn listen to my raidio because of my horrible feelings. Yes I made the mistakes and maybe it needed to happen but that didn't make me feel any beter.

[kevinspurling]

I have been in leadership 35 years and never fired anyone. Every employee terminated themselves. The employment cycle begins when you accept an application, then it is the employer’s responsibility to be as clear as possible about job expectations, on boarding and continued training. As with parenting, children will give you behaviors you expect, if you are specific with your expectations. A phrase like “be good” has many interpretations. Catching an employee doing things correctly and pointing out that behavior is what you are looking for, means the employee will give it to you. Documentation has many personalities. Writing out a training agenda, personal goals and actually documenting behaviors that are unacceptable are ways of showing concern that you care about an employee. Confrontation occurs when you haven’t been clear with what is expected from an employee. Termination occurs when the employee knew what was expected and chose not to do the tasks. This also imitates “malicious intent” and an employee will know why they no longer have employment with your company. Ergo not firing anyone, you hired them to help you, they chose not to the work.

[cassiASMR]

We just discovered an employee lied about going to the ER and being hospitalized. We have solid proof to back it up. We contacted HR and they told us termination is required. We were also informed by HR to “play dumb” and go alone with her lies until she came back into work and we could fire her in person. We’re torn on how to handle that conversation.

[wendymcconnochie]

Sometimes you have to let someone go due to restructuring. In this scenario, an employee will also feel shocked and surprised. And it cannot be helped

[gregggoldstein]

I see the possibility of termination coming and hoping it doesn’t involve going to court or arbitration. I am guilty and i want them to make it as painless as possible without fees. I have never suffered termination before but i acted like a complete ass and want so much to leave with grace, to stay away from such toxic social behaviors at this facility. And while they have the option to seek HR my presence at this facility creates in others a passive aggressive way to horass me. And my termination will be a win win for both myself and my employer.

[TonyFromSyracuse]

You could tell them “Anybody who ever built an empire, or changed the world, sat where you are now. And it’s because they sat there that they were able to do it. That’s the truth.” now heres your packet, I'm going to need your key card.
Ryan Bingham

[wendymcconnochie]

Also when you have to let a manager and an employee the manager has not been managing go. …that will be shocking for the employee

[marcogenuardi]

Gotta love how much of a rat HR are...

[jayviensam]

It's not even mostly the problem of the employees. it's the MANAGERS!!!

[phish_]

I don’t like to work really! I’m not inspired…

Also, I have everything I needed so why I need to sacrifice by working in a stressful situation.

I will let my husband work and me sit at home