How to Tell Your Employees You’ve Fired Someone

How do you tell your employees you’ve fired someone? The topic makes most entrepreneurs very uncomfortable. But, there are certain situations which call for this type of action. Previously, we’ve talked about how to fire someone. However, what happens thereafter? It’s not like people won’t notice he or she is gone. So, how do you deal with remaining employees in a way that moves your company forward? The truth is, there is no such thing as a perfect transition. However, there are ways to make it go smoother.

Signs it’s Time to Terminate an Employee

Before you do take the final step of termination, you should be totally sure it’s the only recourse. For instance, a team member who consistently drags down productivity (and, won’t take steps to correct their behavior). Or, an employee who drains morale or constantly stirs-up drama are also toxic — don’t let your organization suffer unnecessarily. Also, an employee who is apathetic doesn’t care about their work product or customers isn’t worth keeping around.

One thing we know about human nature is that when there’s a mystery, people will solve it themselves: They make up the ending, and it’s almost always worse than reality. And that’s the problem–if you don’t tell people why, they’ll make up why. And the wrong why is almost always destructive. Information vacuums fill with rumors, and rumors lead to anxiety. —Inc.com

Then, there’s the serial rule violator. Someone who just refuses to play by the rules. It’s time to stop banging your head against the wall and do your business a favor. These situations are typically the most disruptive and harmful to a company.

How to Tell Your Employees You’ve Fired Someone

Now, if it’s time to let a team member go, you’ll have to navigate your employees through a weird experience. Here are some helpful suggestions for how to tell your employees you have fired someone:

  • Make a simple announcement. Convene a meeting or send out a memo. Simply state, “Bob no longer works here. Our transition steps are 1, 2, and 3. If you have any questions, please see Sue.” That’s it. Straightforward and to the point.
  • Don’t share details or communicate negatively. After terminating an employee, the human temptation is to share your reasons for the termination in order to rationalize your decision. And, sometimes this leads to making negative comments about the terminated employee. Do not fall into this trap! Be a leader. Otherwise, any other communication is destructive and deteriorates your culture and you lose respect with your existing employees.
  • Don’t tolerate rumors. Rumors are inevitable in these situations. Keep your ears open and if you hear one, nip it in the bud. Be polite but direct and firm. Do not let rumors become a distraction.
  • Give people a chance to step-up. Since there’s an open position, you can ask who is willing to step-in and fill the void. This is a great chance to see which team members are the most eager and loyal.
  • Seize the opportunity. This is likewise an opportunity to reset the company narrative. You might want to take it in a different direction or get back to fundamentals. Whatever change you’d most like to make, now is a prime opportunity.

How do you tell your staff you’ve let someone go? What other suggestions do you have for these situations? Please share your thoughts by commenting!

Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

Like this article?

Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on Linkdin
Share on Pinterest

Related Posts

Ways Business Owners can Deal with Personal Crisis

May 18, 2017 No Comments

Entrepreneurs, by their very nature, are self-reliant. They set goals and achieve them with confidence. When a personal crisis strikes a business owner, it can be very damaging to their corporate environment and even its micro-culture. Suddenly, the dynamics change and can lead to irreparable harm. We’ve all heard the advice not to bring personal problems into professional space, but, some are so large they have a nearly uncontrollable effect. It’s best to bring the situation into perspective, but, doing so might be difficult to accomplish. Ways Business Owners can Deal with Personal Crisis In some instances, it’s possible to prepare a business for a crisis. When it’s impending and inevitable, business owners should prepare by speaking with their team members about delegating and assigning responsibilities, seek legal advice (if applicable), and focus on what’s most important. There will be difficulty in maintaining balance but by being proactive, you’ll have less to worry about. Eventually it happens to the best of us. Something occurs in our personal lives that is so devastating, we have difficulty concentrating at work. It may be the death of a loved one, a divorce, a financial crisis, or serious damage to our homes. When our personal lives are in chaos, it can be hard to focus and get what we need to do done. —Inc.com Unfortunately, it’s often the case that a personal crisis strikes without warning. When it does occur, it can be very burdensome to get through. Even the toughest entrepreneurs will have difficulty trying to deal with upset in their personal lives while continuing to run their businesses. Here are some ways business owners can deal with a personal crisis: Outsource and be willing to ask for assistance. It’s okay to let go and farm-out work during turbulent times, especially if you’re having trouble staying focused and concentrating. Also, there’s no shame asking for assistance from your team — it’s actually a smarter choice. Be upfront with customers. As soon as possible, let your clients know about the situation. You don’t have to go into details, but you ought to alert them to what’s going on, particularly if you’re not able to work as usual. You’ll find most to be understanding and that helps to give you some peace-of-mind. Surround yourself with positive people. This is something that successful entrepreneurs naturally do but it’s very important when you’re going through tough times. Personally, I lean on others as well as my faith and prayer to shoulder the burdens of crisis. It’s uplifting and it can be a way to see the silver lining knowing others are walking with you. Give team members more flexibility. Your employees are huge assets to your business and during a personal crisis, can be the best go-to source for carrying-out day-to-day operations. Give them the flexibility that’s needed to keep your company running smoothly. Do not put undue pressure on yourself. If there’s one thing entrepreneurs struggle with, it’s the fear of not getting the job done. When you are dealing with personal issues, give yourself permission to lighten your workload. Take time to reflect on what’s most important. This is an ideal time to put everything in perspective. Give yourself time off and reflect on what’s truly important in your life. In addition to these, you should be honest with yourself about your life’s direction. Some business owners who experience a personal crisis use it as a learning tool advantageously, but others allow the event to cloud their judgment and make rash decisions. When you’re not thinking clearly, be willing and ready to ask for advice from someone you trust. In my life, I have found great opportunity comes from crisis because of my willingness to reflect and make changes. How have you overcome crisis and remained focused and successful with your business? Want to find out about what a business coach can do for you? [shareaholic app=”follow_buttons” id=”26833294″]

Read More »

5 Effective Ways to Increase Team Motivation

March 15, 2018 No Comments

Team motivation. It’s an ongoing challenge in some organizations. Team motivation is actually more about the role of management than employees themselves. In fact, a study by Harvard found that the majority of companies demotivate their employees. Now, that sounds strange at first but it’s completely sensible. So, let’s take a look at both team motivation and employee demotivation. Why Employees Lose their Motivation According to the Harvard Business School Working Knowledge, a full 85 percent of employees’ morale decreases after just six months on the job. (That survey included a whopping 1.2 million team members from 52 Fortune 1000 companies.) Perhaps most surprisingly, that same study reveals it’s actually management which is squarely to blame for the loss of motivation. There are a number of benefits to having highly motivated employees in your ranks but for business owners, all roads eventually lead to the bottom line. High levels of employee motivation are intrinsically linked to high levels of employee engagement, which is something that organizations are paying much more attention to these days, and with good reason. —Business.com That’s an incredible fact. And, it means you’re probably (albeit unwittingly) inflicting more damage than you are creating a productive workplace. It’s all about the dynamic between employees and managers, when it comes down to it. 5 Effective Ways to Increase Team Motivation So, how do you motivate your employees? What do you do to keep them upbeat and ready to tackle the next challenge? It’s really not that difficult. Team motivation just requires a bit of self-awareness and a few changes in your day-to-day work life. Here are five effective ways to increase team motivation: Forgo useless meetings. Did you know the average company wastes 3.8 hours every week holding truly unproductive meetings? That’s a significant amount of time that could be otherwise spent much more wisely. So, only invite the necessary people and keep the meeting on-track. Don’t micromanage. Micromanagement is one of the biggest demotivators in the workplace. One survey even reveals 38 percent of employees would actually prefer performing unpleasant activities than deal with a micromanaging boss. Provide them with a pleasant environment. There are a number of ways to create a more pleasant work environment. For instance, allowing pets at work. Or, giving employees more flexibility with their work hours. Simply put, the more pleasant the environment, the more happy your employees and that’s good news for everyone. Quickly forgive mistakes. Everybody makes mistakes. It’s just part of life. And, it doesn’t help to ruminate over an error. It’s also unhelpful to go so far as to punish an employee for a mistake. Forgive mistakes quickly and move on with a healthy dose of encouragement. Pay employees what they’re worth. Here’s a disturbing statistic — 26 percent of productive employees report they’d leave their companies for just a 5 percent pay increase. The lesson, of course, is to pay your employees what they are worth. How do you motivate your employees? What methods make your team members more effective? Please share your thoughts and experiences by commenting! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

Read More »

My Customers are Cancelling Orders Over Rising Prices and Long Delivery Times — What Steps can I Take?

April 7, 2022 No Comments

Small business owners are always looking for ways to keep their customers happy. When prices go up and delivery times get longer, some customers may choose to cancel their orders. This can be a major problem for small businesses, as it can lead to lost revenue and decreased customer loyalty. In this article, we will discuss some solutions that small business owners can use when customers cancel orders over rising prices and long delivery times. Biggest Small Business Advantages One of the first things you can do is to gain some reasonable perspective. Put another way, think about the innate benefits small businesses have compared to large, corporate chains. You’re able to make independent decisions. Plus, having a small organization means being more nimble. What’s more, you can not only have but use personal relationships with your customers to your advantage. No one wants to lose customers. You work so hard to acquire each and every one. After they sign up for your product or service, you pour your energy into meeting and exceeding their expectations. So when you get that call or email, it can be devastating — both financially and emotionally. A recent study by the Harvard Business Review states that a five percent reduction in customer defection has the potential to double profits. How could such a small decrease in cancellations result in a doubling of profits? Those customers that stay with you make more purchases, take less of your time, and refer other new customers. —Invoiced.com The very fact that you have one-on-one relationships is a huge deal. This, not to mention the fact that you’re part of a shared community. So, you also share many of the same experiences. Basically, your small business might not have the monetary resources big companies do, but still have other means that can help you get through such challenging times. In other words, you do have some advantages and it’s very helpful to stay in a positive mindset. Steps Small Businesses can Take to Deal with Customer Order Cancellations When customers cancel orders due to rising prices and/or over long wait times, it can be frustrating (and of course, bad for the bottom line). Fortunately, there are steps you can take to either minimize or regain customers for your small business: Offer discounts. One solution that small business owners can use is offering discounts. This can help to offset the increased prices and make it more affordable for customers to continue doing business with your company. Offer VIP upgrades. Another solution is upgrading customers to VIP status. This can give them access to exclusive deals and discounts that they would not otherwise be able to get. They can pay a small fee for priority treatment, such as being the first when deliveries ship. Offer referral rewards. Finally, small businesses can offer referral customer rewards bonuses. This can encourage customers to refer their friends and family to your business, which can help to increase your customer base. Implementing one or more of these solutions can help small businesses keep their customers happy, even when prices are rising and delivery times are getting longer. By taking steps to address these concerns, small businesses can stay afloat during tough economic times. While no one solution is perfect for every small business, each of these solutions can help to address the issue of customers canceling orders due to rising prices and long delivery times. By taking action and implementing some of these strategies, small businesses can keep their customers happy and loyal, even during tough economic times. Do you have any other tips for small business owners who are facing increased prices and longer delivery times leading to customer cancellations? Let us know by commenting! Interested in learning more about business? Then just visit Waters Business Consulting Group.

Read More »