Terrified of Terminating?

Though a crucial skill in a down economy, many bosses have a hard time holding workers accountable and firing under-performers. The threat of being understaffed, overworked or even sued by a disgruntled ex-employee may force bosses to stick with a less-than-stellar team.

What can the boss do? “If people are resisting change they’re probably not happy in their position,” Donna Carpenter, co-owner of Burton Snowboards, tells PINK. “If you look at employees as people and not obstacles, the rest of your team will likely step up and you’ll wish you had made the change sooner.”

Carpenter adds that letting someone go is always a risk. But rather than being paralyzed with fear, you’ve got to do what’s best for your company.

Frequent one-on-one meetings and performance reviews can ensure workers know what is expected of them and keep the lines of communication open. If a lawsuit does arise, HR departments probably won’t be blamed – managers will.

Before you fire an employee, make sure you can back up your reasoning. Ask yourself: was this person evaluated and made aware of their performance? Is there paperwork showing the poor performance was persistent?

Lackluster employees lead to lower morale, reduced productivity and lost revenue. If you’ve taken several approaches to make workers aware of the problem, like verbal and written warnings or even suspending them, most will agree that firing is justified.

Bonus PINK Link: If it’s time to fire an employee, here’s how to do it with dignity.

Minute Mentoring: Check out our interview with attorney Melissa Garrett on the right way to fire an employee.

By Caroline Cox

“Doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.” Oprah Winfrey