Letting go of an employee is one of the most difficult parts of an organization’s human resources team. It’s a sensitive event that can go awry when not handled in the proper way. If you have an upcoming termination to deal with, read through these helpful tips from Prescott HR before approaching your employee. 

Come Prepared

One of the worst ways to handle a termination is to come unprepared to your meeting. Before you even set a time to sit down with your employee, you and your executive team should gather documentation for why you are letting your employee go. Sit down with the employee’s personnel file and compile a list of reasons for the termination. You want to make sure that you are thinking through the termination in an unbiased way to avoid employment discrimination in your decision-making process. That’s where having documentation to back up your decision can help.

Don’t Catch Them Off Guard

In a sensitive situation like a termination, you want to show respect for your employee by not catching them off guard. Before you let an employee go, there should be procedures in place to warn the employee of potential termination. Make sure that your team has tried to effectively communicate any issues to the employee before termination in order to give them a chance to correct their output. If the employee continues to underperform after several warning meetings, then they should not be surprised or caught off guard during their termination meeting.

Be Direct

If preventative measures have unfortunately not worked with an employee, then it’s time to let them go for the good of your organization. In these circumstances, you have to be clear, concise, and direct. There should be no room for drama or lingering questions. When you sit your employee down, give them a brief and direct communication that they are being let go and the decision is final.

Always Be Empathetic

Keep in mind that termination is a very difficult topic and the employee you are letting go is a human being. Always practice empathy and respect, even in the event of a difficult termination. How you handle a termination will also reflect on your other team members’ willingness to stay on board at your organization. If not handled properly, this can put a sour taste in the mouths of other team members. 

Don’t Skip Offboarding

Even in heightened emotional states, it’s important to not skip out on offboarding practices. After you make the announcement that you are letting an employee go, be sure to collect all necessary company property and remove employee access to company assets. 

Work with Prescott HR

Does your organization need help to handle a team member’s termination? We are here to help! Prescott HR offers a wide range of services that can help your organization evaluate your team’s current skills, plus offer ways to improve. Our stringent HR practices allow us to be focused and effective, providing your business with precisely what you need. Give us a call today at 443-351-8818 or contact us online.