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What is worse than firing an employee? Not firing an employee who needs to be fired. Have you or are you having trouble saying "goodbye?" Well, here is the moral and psychological support you've been needing! Dad had an enlightened parenting style that left him with this comforting line, "Young man! If you insist on crying for no earthly reason, I'll be happy to give you a reason!" Poof! Crying excuses suddenly seemed to melt away. Read five minutes further and your reasons for hanging onto a relationship that must eventually end up on the rocks will also miraculously disappear. There may be dozens of reasons for firing, or not firing, an employee who, for whatever reason, is not working out. But, in fact, there is only one good reason for showing an employee to the door: If firing an employee benefits either the business or the employee, do it! Don't Let The Door Hit You, Where the Good Lord Split You! If keeping an employee is detrimental to the long term survivability of the business, then management owes it to the employees, investors and customers who depend on the business to move immediately to make whatever personnel changes are necessary. Too often, we allow our humanitarian instincts to cloud our better judgement causing us to delay the inevitable, a decision postponed that only allows the damages to compound. If an employee does not respond to training and other feedback, there is only one smart decision. Cut him loose. The flip side of the coin is that management has a moral, as well as a legal obligation, to provide the tools and training necessary for the employee to perform. Termination should only be considered if you have been careful to train the employee thoroughly and have communicated your expectations to the letter. It can also be argued that employers have a pre-employment obligation to avoid hiring employees who do not have a reasonable chance of success in the first place. When you are confronted with the prospect of terminating an employee, it's time to reconsider the hiring process. Did you adequately screen candidates in the first place? Did you body snatch out of desperation? Did your gut instincts warn you that this person may not fit? There's only one letter difference between firing and hiring. Is this firing decision the result of a poor hiring decision? How Decisions Delayed Create Disaster Employees who need to go but are allowed to linger are hazardous to your businesses health. They have just that much more opportunity to ruin important customer relations. Employees who are not succeeding are not likely to be happy employees. This general unhappiness cannot help but to infect customers and other employees. Mom was right. One bad apple does indeed spoil the whole barrel. Waiting for an "attitude miracle" only prolongs the agony....for everyone. When one under-achiever is tolerated, it sends a message to the entire crew that sub-standard behavior is acceptable. This makes it dificult to take action if others begin to slide. Worse, by tolerating under-achievers, you send a message to your better employees that perhaps you place little value on their good performance. Employees who are not succeeding after you have attempted to provide training and support, deserve your quick action. They deserve your insistance that they seek employment elsewhere, to search for a work environment where they can achieve their full potential. You've never seen a happy person who was failing at work. Most Employees Fire Themselves Here is the permission that you have been wanting. Employees who intentionally fail to follow policy and procedure, who ignore the standards of quality and service required and, who in spite of your best efforts to train and support, fail to measure up - are, in effect, refusing to keep their part of the employment bargain. They are telling you that their job is of insufficient consequence. They are telling you that they would be happier working somewhere else. Help them consummate their decision. Show them to the door. In the end, they will be happier. You will be happier. And the prospects of long term success and employment will increase for the winners who are left behind. |
