Well, letting go of an employee is easier said than done. You might be already aware of the fact that you can not fire someone just because you want to. Hiring and firing an employee, both stand on valid perimeters and strong grounds. So, firing an employee should be the last resort without making a hasty decision. A mistake can lead to legal issues and awkward situations for your business.
To avoid those potential crisis-like situations, here are all the ethical bounds and legal grounds when you can fire an employee. Some of the potential reasons can be,
- For the cases of bullying, sexual harassment, violence, and disregard for safety; an employee can be subjected to immediate firing and termination. Such employees are a nuisance to the company as well as other employees of the foundation.
- Employees who are intoxicated or under substance abuse within the work hours should be handled within strict guidelines.
- Unethical behavior inside office premises should considered strictly.
- Any employee who is causing company property damage, theft, or misuse should be fired immediately to keep the company safe from further damage.
- Poor job performance and excessive absence are a fireable offence as well.
- Violation of company policies and guidelines can be a leading cause of firing someone.
- Downsizing due to a short budget and other business conditions is also a valid reason for employee dismissal. However, some benefits are given to the employees in this case.
How to Terminate
Regardless of the reason behind the firing, the termination process should take place respectfully and tactfullyandserve the purpose without causing any hassle or chaos that affects the impression or the workforce of the company. Let’s take a better look at a proper termination process.
- Communicate with the concerned employee tactfully while addressing them respectfully by mentioning the need for discipline or termination. If you can talk them through, there are chances that employee chooses to leave on their own.
- Every official activity should take place at a proper time, place, and date. So, make sure to set a schedule for it and the place should be somewhere private where other staff cannot barge in.
- Prepare from beforehand the meeting takes place. You can create a script for the job that clearly states that it is a company decision and it is final.
- Have someone with you and it can be your colleague as well. However, ideally, it is better suited for HR employees, supervisors, and business partners.
- Keep it as formal as possible as you are talking on behalf of the foundation. Don’t make it personal that makes it seem like a result of a personal grudge.
- Keep it short and make sure to retrieve company data from the employee that includes devices, keys, ID cards, and other access.
- In case your company is providing severance benefits for the employee, you should explain to them how it is going to help them in the future. You must pay for all the work done as an employee who is being fired can ask for their final wages.
Firing is a Tricky Job, Follow the Right Way!
There is no doubt that firing an employee is not a pleasant job and often, it can get complicated from both ends. Make sure you have the right cause to terminate someone from the work and discuss the issue with your HR team and legal advisers who can help you take the final call. Be careful when you fire someone and go for termination only when it is needed.
