How to Fire Someone With a Poor Work Ethic
Human resources staff and managers dread terminating an employee, even if the reason for firing the employee is completely justifiable. Affecting another person's livelihood and ability to sustain a lifestyle make termination meetings difficult. Handling terminations graciously, respectfully and with the employee's future in mind might make this task somewhat easier.
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Instructions
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Gather documentation to support the employee's termination. Obtain copies of disciplinary reviews, performance reviews and attendance records. Employees who demonstrate a poor work ethic generally have a combination of excessive absenteeism, inadequate performance and repeated displays of negative behavior in the workplace. Telling an employee he has a poor work ethic can be challenged as a subjective assessment; therefore, ensure you have documentation to support your evaluation.
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Meet privately with the employee and her supervisor or manager. Employees who have a poor performance record and ineffective working relationships usually know when they are going to be terminated. That's why you should state upfront the reason for the meeting -- don't make flowery statements about the company's philosophy or mission that just prolongs getting to the point. Simply state the reason the employee has been summoned to your office. An effective way to begin the meeting is by saying "Jane, your department manager and I reviewed your performance review and attendance records. Regrettably, we are terminating your employment based on several documented examples of poor work ethic. We'll explain the reasons why we made the decision to let you go."
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Review every written document or record that supports the termination. If the employee interrupts by refuting every example, give him time to speak briefly about each instance. The employee might be momentarily stunned and just wants to speak up to give possible reasons for his poor performance. Explain the impact a poor work ethic has on the entire organization. Provide guidance to the employee if you believe inexperience, immaturity or other similar factors underlie his poor work ethic. Suggest that he use this experience to prepare for future employment with another company and wish him well in correcting patterns that prevented him from doing well at your company.
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Ask the employee to sign the termination documents and provide her with information about continuing her health benefits, retirement savings accounts, final paycheck and payment for any accrued vacation or paid time off. Some state laws address how soon an employer should process a final paycheck upon termination -- check your state's labor department for final pay information.
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References
- Mississippi State University, Collegiate Employment Research Institute; Moving Up or Moving Out of the Company? Factors that Influence the Promoting or Firing of New College Hires; Phil Gardner
- University of California, Berkeley; Employee Discipline & Termination; Gregorio Billikopf; August 2006
- "Inc."; Employee Termination
