As a business owner, hiring and firing is part of what you do. It may not have been something you foresaw going into things, but it’ll fast become a standard part of your day. You need to do everything you can to get the ideal team, after all. That’ll be impossible if you don’t focus your efforts here.
Of course, hiring is the preferable side of things. Sure, it can get tedious to interview endless candidates. But, it’s worthwhile in the search for that one person who encapsulates your vision. And, at the end of it, you get to make someone’s dreams come true.
Sadly, firing isn’t such a positive experience. In fact, many managers cite this as their least favorite part of the employment process. Regardless of how unpleasant it is, though, letting team members go is sometimes the best plan of action. It may be that they never turn up when they should, or that their work isn’t up to scratch. Either way, there could be someone out there who would fill that position a lot better. As such, this loose link has to go.
The trouble is, dismissal meetings rarely go according to plan. At the worst, an employee could become confrontational, or even accuse you of something in an attempt at revenge. Left unchecked, this could fast undo all your efforts and spiral into a legal battle of wills. You don’t want that to happen. As such, you should take the following precautions to protect yourself through this process.
Have your deputy sit in on meetings
This is a difficult decision for many managers to make. A misplaced sense of loyalty means we feel firings should be a private affair. The trouble is, this is where most managers leave themselves open. By calling an employee into your office alone, you open yourself to accusations. To make sure it doesn’t happen, then, have your deputy sit in on anything like this. They don’t have to play an active part in proceedings. Their presence alone will provide both backup and a deterrent.
Seek legal counsel if things don’t go according to plan
You should be able to judge how this will play out the moment you break the news. Even if they don’t attempt anything at the time, an employee who takes the news badly could come back with legal counsel. If there’s any suggestion this may happen, your best bet would be to seek help from someone like the George Birnbaum lawyer firm. They can then work to resolve disputes before litigation or defend you if things go to court.
Document everything
You also need to document everything during dismissals. By keeping copies of communications with this employee, you add a layer of protection. An injured party may, for instance, accuse you of not providing adequate notice of dismissal. Others may deny receiving communications at all. As such, being able to turn to filed copies of these could be the difference between clearing your name or not.