By Rachel Jackson
Termination is a frightening word and one that is stressful to both the employee and the employer. For employers, terminating a subordinate is something where many try to take the easy way out, but there are many things that can go wrong when terminating someone if certain steps are not taken. Emotions, circumstances, the future of the company and the person being terminated are all factors that come into play. There are right and wrong ways to go about the termination process, but with the proper preparation and tactics, termination procedures can operate smoothly.
Act Early
Preparing employees for success within the company starts by communicating clear and concise work expectations. Colin Brooks, managing director with Brooks Restaurants Inc., starts off his new hires with an employee handbook that details the policies maintained by the company. “We train our managers to set clear goals and expectations for all new hires,” said Brooks. “The employee handbook is given to each new hire and clearly indicates performance requirements and the disciplinary process.”
Before terminating an employee, think carefully about the reasons why you are letting them go, where they failed to meet expectations and always give them some form of warning. “Managers must always document all bad behavior and poor work performance for future use,” said Alex Salguerio, president and CEO of Savannah Restaurants Corp. “We always try to salvage all employees through additional training and counseling. If that does not work, then it is necessary to make a final decision on termination.”
Coach the Employee
Brooks Restaurants Inc. uses a progressive disciplinary process before making its final decision to terminate. Brooks’ process consists of verbal warnings followed by three written warnings within a three-month span. By honoring a 90-day probation period, the employee understands that, if they are not able to meet expectations, harsher consequences will follow.
Industry experts advise managers to implement a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) during the probation period. These PIPs are a great opportunity for struggling employees to succeed or redeem themselves without being penalized for previous performances. More specifically, these plans should be made available to the employee in question, highlighting how they can better improve themselves and setting a strict goal path for the employee to follow.
If the employee falls short of the requirements during the probationary period, keep track of what they can improve on. Once the probationary period is complete, keep a check list so that during the termination, you can provide specific examples of misconduct.
“By providing feedback on performance and education on company policies, we strive to give all employees a clear understanding of our standards so that they can be successful at GPS,” said Lisa Grier, marketing and communications manager with GPS Hospitality. “If we have to part ways, we hope that they leave with a clear understanding of where they didn’t meet standards, as well as feel that they’ve been treated fairly.”
Firing should never come as a surprise to the employee. The termination process is a sensitive one that could potentially have significant repercussions. Make sure that the reasons you have for letting an employee go are legal and don’t have roots in emotion or discrimination. Be sure to talk to key parties about the situation, and always keep your company’s HR guidelines in mind.
Make HR Your Ally
Once you come to the decision to terminate an employee, HR can and should become your best friend. The HR department is there to mitigate liability and risk, and you shouldn’t be afraid to use the department as a tool. Staysee Wolff, director of human resources with Meridian Restaurants, advises that when a situation arises with a team member that may warrant termination, it is a best practice to send the employee home before acting. This allows managers time to consult with HR representatives and supervisors before approaching the employee.
After you’ve done everything in your power to aid the employee in improving their performance, you’ve given them verbal and written warnings, you’ve conducted a probationary period, you’ve talked to your team and you’ve discussed the situation with HR, you may be justified in letting an employee go.
Parting Ways
When the time comes to terminate an employee, never do it without a witness and only do it face-to-face. Sit the employee down with another team member or your HR representative and make sure you are armed with notes on the employee’s performance. Start off by telling them why they’re in this situation and what will happen next. Go over everything you’ve documented and be sure that the employee feels as if the process is fair.“Make sure that all expectations were 100 percent clear prior to termination,” said Wolff.
Be firm, yet sincere when talking, and make sure the employee knows your decision is final. Never over explain yourself and the decision you have made, but make sure the employee understands why they are being terminated and what they can improve on for future jobs. Since you have already gone through the process of coaching the employee on how to perform their job correctly, there is no need to rehash everything again.
Make sure to listen to the employee on any of their concerns, and try not to react poorly if the conversation gets heated. Losing a job is stressful, and your employee will most likely be filled with emotions – most commonly anger, shock and denial. If the conversation becomes too intense, ask for the employee to go cool off and come back or ask your HR representative to counsel the situation.
At the end of it all, keep the golden rule in mind. Show compassion to the employee, and treat them how you would expect to be treated. Letting someone go is never an easy feat. Aside from terminating an employee, you have to be sure that their workload can be covered by other employees until their spot is filled. Delegate the former employee’s tasks to a variety of employees to lighten the workload, and keep the former employee’s work habits and ethics in mind when searching for a new employee.
Rachel Jackson
Rachel Jackson is the NFA Communications Manager. You may reach Jackson at 678-797-6209 or rachelj@nfabk.org.