Quote:
Originally posted by baltassoc
I've never delivered the news myself, but I've recently been in the room during a couple of terminations handled by our HR people.
It is not fun.
But here's couple of things I've observed about our HR people:
You have to put on your game face. Not be mean, but very, very firm. Our HR people are the happiest, shiniest people I've ever met (they're "people people"), but when it comes time to let someone go, it's like a switch gets flipped and you're talking to a bouncer at a hot nightclub. All business.
Tell the person that the company has decided to terminate their employement.
If there is a specific "for cause" reason, and the person can be terminable only for cause, be prepared to disclose it. Otherwise, the less said the better (anything you say will be used against you in the descrimination suit, if there is one). I assume you have the causes well documented. Generally, you are going to have a laundry list of reasons for termination, but if you mention only one and don't have the others documented, they will be taken as trumped up post termination excuses for a discriminatory firing. Do not fall into the trap of wanting to not hurt his feelings by listing one or two reasons and omitting others. Others may have suggestions about how to navigate this part of the conversation; in my cases, the cause has been pretty obvious and unquestionable (think theft, although it wasn't that).
Be prepared to answer questions about accrued vacation days, sick leave, severance (if), COBRA, etc., including when and how his last paycheck will be delivered. You should have the paperwork ready to hand over.
If appropriate (and it probably is, even if you like and respect the employee), escort (or have escorted) the person to his desk to clean it out. If possible, have his computer account and office access cards disabled while you are in the initial meeting with him.
Wish him well and escort him out the door.
Try to time everything so as to minimize the possibility of people gossiping until he is out the door.
It all sounds pretty cold and heartless, but if your aren't efficient about it, you send mixed signals and invite argument. In my experience, the people kind of know it may be coming, and seem to appreciate it being dealt with in a businesslike manner. Allow him to keep his dignity, and most times he will behave in a way necessary to preserve it (no scenes).
I do not envy you. Best of luck.
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Jesus Christ. This is all wrong.
Call said person and 5 of his colleagues to a conference room with their suitcases to review the results of their latest project. Make sure you have two of your most trusted (and most likely, useless) employees flanking you. Ask someone why the team lost the latest challenge. Then ask the team leader to select two of their colleagues to return to the conference room with them.
Once they are back, encourage them to point their fingers at each other in a pointless attempt to defend themselves for the mistakes of the team. Ask the target if they think they deserve to be fired and no matter what they say, purse your lips and retort, "Yah fired."
Make sure they don't have to wait long for an elevator to the ground floor. And remember (and this is vital), a taxicab with a camera should be waiting for them when they exit the building so they can have the last word on their firing.
Any other way of doing it just isn't realistic.
TM
