It may not be the most pleasant part of running a business, but sometimes you might be put in a position in which you need to fire an employee. There are a lot of reasons why businesses are forced to terminate an employee’s contract prematurely, such as because of their incompetence or a poor attitude. Either way, though, it isn’t nice to have to tell someone that they no longer have a job.
To ensure that you don’t come across as an insensitive boss when firing someone, be sure to follow these steps.
Speak To A Lawyer
First of all, you will need to make sure that you can legally terminate the employee’s contract. If you do get legal help, it’s important that you choose a commercial litigation lawyer as they will have plenty of experience of working with breaches of contracts. If you explain the situation to them, they will be able to inform you if the employee is in breach of contract of not. You will usually only be able to fire them if they have breached their contract.
Always Give Them A Warning
It is also essential that you give the employee in question a warning that they might indeed be fired. This will give them the chance to turn their behaviour and attitude around. After all, everyone deserves a second chance. Make sure you give them this warning in writing so that you have it on record. A written letter or email will suffice.
Be Short And Sweet
When you do eventually have the meeting in which you tell the employee that you will be terminating their contract, it’s really important that you are short and sweet with them. You should also get straight to the point as well – don’t drag it out as it could be very embarrassing for them. One other great tip for this kind of meeting is to also have a third person there who can act as a witness. This is important in case the employee gets quite angry and aggressive towards you.
Don’t Fight Benefit Claims
The employee will likely be eligible for some unemployment benefits now that they are out of work. If they do make a claim, then try not to fight it or else you could be giving them a reason to take you and your company to court. And we’re sure that you don’t want to go to all that stress!
Don’t Delay With Reassigning The Employee’s Duties
Once the fired employee has left, you should call a meeting with others in their department to start reassigning jobs and roles. This ensures that no work gets held up as a result of the contract termination. If you need to hire a replacement, be sure to start the recruitment process straight away as well.
It is never nice to have to prematurely terminate an employee’s contract, but sometimes it will be necessary to do so. If you do find yourself in this position, then be sure to follow all of the steps above.
