I have been in management roles for years, however I have never gotten used to letting someone go. It is always a difficult task for me. I will be faced with this task again in the next few months; do you have any tips on how to dismiss an employee?

One of the most difficult tasks for any manager is to inform a staff member that they are no longer needed. This is a delicate topic that requires heart and detail.

I say heart, because it is a person that is being dealt with, not a number, but a person who may be responsible for supporting other people; a person who may define him or herself by the job s/he is about to lose; a person whom you, as the boss, may know intimately; a person who is a contributing member of your community.

This person may colour how others in the community and field view your organization. This person may have influence over who will want to work for your organization in the future. This person may have influence over the success of your organization in the future.

How you handle the termination of an employee can have an enormous impact on your organization’s status, success and finances.

Some terminations are easy decisions. The person has demonstrated time and again a complete disrespect for the organization, their role within it, your funding bodies or their peers. In these cases, as long as you follow “the book” and ensure that you are not in contravention to employment standards, laws, or your collective, you will be pleased to let the person go.

This doesn’t necessarily make the act of letting them go easy. Here are a few tips on how to prepare for and hold your next termination meeting that I hope will ease your termination anxieties:

• Consider the timing of your meeting. Holding a termination meeting at the end of the day on a Friday (or their last scheduled day of work for the week) or on a holiday may not allow the individual to process the event and have closure. A Friday meeting may be more challenging if support people or services are not available on weekends.
• Prepare beforehand. Plan the timing, the space, and the language you want to use. Be aware of your own emotions and how your emotions may sway the conversation. Prepare the letter of termination outlining any severance in advance. Consider what items the person may have in her or his personal possession that belong to the organization, and make a list as a reminder of what to ask for before s/he leaves the premises.
• Plan for how and when you will inform your funders, clients, other agencies, or anyone with whom the person may have had professional relations.
• Develop a plan for informing the rest of the employees. Plan what you will say and set a timeline for informing remaining staff members. Informing staff shortly after your termination meeting will help reduce the likelihood of the “gossip chain” distorting facts.
• Ensure you choose a location for the meeting that is private, with no likelihood of interruptions. Interruptions in this meeting will only prolong the painful process for the person being terminated, as well as the person doing the terminating. Privacy is also important to eliminate the workplace “gossip chain”.
• If the conversation is difficult for you, it is OK to say so. Don’t expect sympathy from the person being terminated, though, this is much more difficult for them!
• Be honest, clear and concise about the reason for termination, explain without giving excuses.
• Be respectful, allow time for the individual to process the information you have just shared.
• Allow the individual to express their emotions, without engaging in them.
• If the person is expected to leave the premises the day of your termination conversation, allow time for the individual to return any workplace items and pack their personal belongings.
• Have a box or bag available for the individual’s personal items and if possible, give some privacy for packing personal items. Offer a ride home. The individual may be too emotional to be able to drive safely.
• If possible, provide career transition supports and personal emotional supports. Identify professional services in the community or surrounding communities that offer counselling. Align the individual with an agency that will help him or her with career decision making, resume development, job search and services.
• Make notes about your termination meeting. Include who attended, what was said, and behaviours displayed; place these notes in the employee file.

Be kind and respectful throughout the meeting. How you handle this termination will impact how the rest of the employees view the organization. If handled poorly, existing employees may look for opportunities to leave the organization.

If this is a person you would rehire in the future, let them know.

If you had great difficulty with this person, be sure to choose your words carefully and ensure that your words, responses and body language don’t convey negativity. Keep it professional. Allow the individual who is being terminated to retain their dignity.

If terminating an employee is an excruciating process for you, it is OK to find a coach to assist you with the process. Having a confidential support assist you with the planning and debriefing can help reduce the anxiety and make you more confident with the process.

To submit a question for a future column, or to comment on a previous one, please contact editor@charityvillage.com. No identifying information will appear in this column. For paid professional advice about an urgent or complex situation, contact Kathline directly.

For more information about workforce planning, assistance with your workforce planning needs or to attend our upcoming webinar on this topic, please visit www.gailforceresources.com or email: info@gailforceresources.com.

Disclaimer: Advice and recommendations are based on limited information provided and should be used as a guideline only. Neither the author nor CharityVillage.com make any warranty, express or implied, or assume any legal liability for accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information provided in whole or in part within this article.

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