Handling an Employee Layoff or Dismissal with Compassion
Whether due to COVID-19 or employee misconduct, no manager enjoys the process of firing or laying off an employee. Knowing the trauma that inevitably follows losing one’s job, there are usually feelings of anxiety and uncertainty on the manager’s part in being the messenger to deliver bad news, even if your budget requires it or you’re convinced the employee is no longer a good fit for the company. Emotions run even higher if the employee causes a scene when being informed of their dismissal.
Beyond the obvious necessity of treating the soon-to-be terminated employee with tact and respect during the process, here are a few practical suggestions for ensuring compassion is present when dismissing an employee.
Consider logistics before making it official
In this scenario, location is important. According to Andy Molinsky, professor of organizational behavior at Brandeis University International Business School, it’s vital to ensure that the physical environment in which the manager delivers the news is quiet and chosen with several key factors in mind. First, he suggests that managers focus on “maximiz[ing] your comfort in delivering the message” while granting “dignity to the person who’s being laid off.” Allowing privacy for the interaction ensures that the person being laid off or fired is not surrounded by fellow co-workers, causing increased embarrassment or animosity.
As for the best time of day or day of the week to inform the person that he or she is being let go, there really is no perfect time. Many managers choose Friday so that the person being dismissed will have the weekend to deal with the emotions of losing their job. Making the choice on Monday leaves an entire workweek in which the employee stresses over lost wages, so waiting until Friday at least provides some respite for the mind to recuperate from difficult news.
Another problem with dismissing someone on Monday is the fact that there will be office chatter and rumors. While any termination is disruptive to the workflow, letting an employee go at the beginning of the week only complicates those issues.
Offer assistance or a reference
If the employee is being dismissed due to company restructuring or layoffs, it’s a good idea to focus on the severance that is being offered during the meeting. Remind the employee that his or her work was important to the company, but what is happening is beyond control. This will help the person keep a more positive mindset about an event that, for many, can be truly traumatic. If the employee has demonstrated a good work ethic and the manager believes that the employee’s talent can be used successfully in a different organization with a better outcome, offering a reference and/or introduction is another way to ensure that there is minimal emotional impact.
Obviously, if the employee is being fired for inappropriate actions on the job, especially if these actions are serious (such as theft or harassment), providing a reference might not be something a manager feels confident about doing. However, it’s important that a company considers legal ramifications of providing a negative reference when the terminated person seeks employment elsewhere. Unless there is documentation of wrongdoing, and the employee feels enough animosity over the decision, hindering their ability to secure another job through a negative reference could provide enough fodder for a lawsuit against your company. When in doubt, it’s always best to speak to the company attorney before taking any action.
Inform your team without revealing details
Jodi Glickman, author and founder of communication consulting firm Great on the Job, suggests that after the person you’ve fired or laid off has left, it’s important to gather the employees who will be affected by the decision to address any questions they might have about future workflow in the office that will change in the former employee’s absence. Be careful here, however, to avoid any negative commentary as to why the employee was fired if there was a breach of company contract or action performed by the employee to cause the termination.
“The message should be direct and straightforward,” says Glickman, “it sets a bad precedent to badmouth a former employee.” As a script, Glickman suggests something along these lines: “As some of you may already know, [employee’s name] is no longer part of the organization. I can’t go into details because that’s confidential information and I want to ensure her privacy. If you have suggestions about how to minimize the impact of her absence, let me know.”
The ultimate break-up
Ultimately, you should think of an employee’s termination as a type of break-up, because a relationship was indeed ended. As with relationship break-ups, it’s always a good idea to remain as positive as possible and avoid making it more traumatic than it needs to be, if it is within your power. Losing a job is a traumatic event, and understanding that will go a long way in making the transition easier—for both you, as a manager, and for your former employee.