How to Write an Employment Termination Letter With a Gracious Tone

Employment termination letters are obviously hard to write, but they happen a lot lately. Stay gracious and encouraging if you want to see your former employee fare well and leave with as much good will as possible.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Internet access
• Computer
• Time

1. Given that the reason for termination is non-disciplinary and economic or restructuring, your task is to convey those facts. Make a not-too-revealing list of the consolidation or layoff plans, and seek to convey that the whole company is undergoing similar cuts.

2. Begin with the customary protocol for your organization, and any legal/termination-related papers that need to be addressed. Start the notice by using metrics such as percents or numbers of cuts that had to be done. If restructuring, state something about the plans, and the common nature of restructuring in modern employment practice.

3. This is a little more challenging. You are now moving from larger reasons and common layoff occurrences to your employee's specific case. And nobody's work performance was perfect. Sometimes, no specific reason is necessary. A transition such as "your position will end on [date] as a consequence of the aforementioned cuts." is ok. If you must mention the employee's fit, something like "we have given careful thought to the requirements of the position you currently hold, and have decided to restructure it based on Corporate needs at this time."

4. Continuing in a careful vein, if the reason for termination is fit, you may provide valid but, I contend, gracious rationale: "Although you possess some of the traits required for our restructured position, we believe that your particular skill set could be best utilized and rewarded in another position." That is one possible wording framework.

5. Offer outplacement assistance and the opportunity to express disagreement in accordance with your policies. Restate the difficult nature of the termination, and assure of your wishes for their success, and any concrete help you can provide.

Tips & Warnings

• If the employee did provide a little drag on the workforce, wait to serve the letter until you can remember something they did well recently, and cite that for balanced encouragement.
• No matter the reason, try to imagine them succeeding six months down the road as a guide for gracious text and accompanying comments.
• Obviously, comply with all legal requirements necessary, and take a deep breath, as the news will provoke a tense meeting environment.

[Summersile]

on 12/17/2009 good article. this is a really tough one. rec.