A client recently asked me how I know when it is right to fire someone. She was investing considerable time into a difficult employee with no apparent positive results.
Deciding to terminate someone’s employment has always been my most difficult task. I believe sincerely that any employee who does not perform adequately is at least in part my failure to deliver the proper training and/or guidance to steer him right. Nonetheless, I also believe that if I don’t have the skills to turn around that employee then I am doing the right thing for both of us by letting him go.
Some believe that a poor performer isn’t worth the investment of time, attention and patience needed to turn her around. I believe in giving people chances to succeed and I take personal interest in helping them do so.
There are many considerations that go into deciding that the time has come to cut the cord. Here are the ones I use:
- Has the employee’s performance changed? Was he a much better performer in the past? See if you can determine a cause for the change and if there is a solution within your control. For example, if the person is having marital problems it is not within your control to solve the situation. Depending on your level of compassion and the extent of the effect of the poor performance on your business, you may give this person more time to recover than someone who was never a good employee in the first place.
- Have you been clear about your performance expectations? It’s surprising how often poor performance is really about poor communication. Are you sure the employee understands what you expect? For example, have you provided a clear and detailed job description? Do you provide regular feedback so the employee knows good from not so good?
- Have you provided the training and guidance necessary for the employee to succeed? Some employees will take to a job with minimal effort on your part. Others won’t get it until you spend time showing them how to do it. We all learned how to tie our shoes at different ages and with different amounts of practice, but we all learned.
- Have you made it clear that termination is likely if performance does not improve? Sometimes people need a fire lit under them before they will change. Some people always need a fire lit. The former usually deserve a decent chance at getting better. The latter probably need to find another line of work, one where they will light their own fire.
If you’ve done all these things and you still have a problem employee, then it is time to let them go. Some employees are in the wrong job. Some employees are in a temporary down period. And some employees are lazy or of bad character. Terminating the latter is relatively easy. The others deserve our thoughtful consideration.
