Being on either end of the termination conversation is no fun. But it’s an unfortunately necessary part of business. Managers and HR professionals need to know how to handle this situation because it’s just unavoidable. But it can be less painful for everyone involved when you have the right approach. Here are some tips to help HR professionals and managers get the termination conversation right.
Initiating a termination can be a tense situation to begin with, especially when the employee isn’t taking the news well (understandably). But managers and HR professionals need to remember that even if the employee’s tempers are rising, theirs needs to stay cool and level. Even if an employee knows how this conversation is going to play out, they will probably still be hurt and upset and may let their feelings out in the moment. If this happens, HR professionals and managers should refrain from adding to the tension. You probably have a lot of feelings that you’d like to get off your chest too since you’ve probably been having issues with this employee for a while. But the termination conversation isn’t your platform to vent all your frustrations. Let your former employee tell their side of the story and then put a firm end to the discussion.
It’s natural for HR professionals and managers to shy away from thinking about the termination conversation because it’s so uncomfortable. And it seems like it would be pretty simple, right? A quick “You’re fired” should do. But that’s not the case. In order to have a successful termination conversation that is as painless as possible, managers and HR professionals need to be prepared. Rehearse everything you need to say, and yes, it’s more than just “You’re fired.” Even if you’re cutting ties with an employee, they need to know why so they can’t say you fired them out of the blue for no reason. But you will also need to prepare for topics that are off the table. The employee may attempt to bring up various issues in an attempt to change your mind, but be ready to nip these debates in the bud. Your decision is final.
Believe it or not, softening the blow is actually a mistake when it comes to the termination conversation. Of course managers and HR professionals feel compassion for terminated employees. You may have been working alongside this person for years and may know them well. But expressing this during the termination conversation can really backfire. If you are firing an employee for poor performance, you shouldn’t try to temper the bad news with examples of their good performance. HR professionals and managers may feel better when they do this, but the employee will only feel confused and find a way to challenge your decision. These comments could even be used as evidence against in you in a wrongful termination suit.
Terminating an employee is never easy. But managers and HR professionals need to know how to handle it properly. Stay calm, be prepared, and stick to your guns.