Scenario: Your
employee has been with the company for two years. Despite supervisory training
and coaching on her performance and the company's expectations, her performance
remains sub-par. Her repeated mistakes and lack of productivity are affecting
the rest of the department, both in effectiveness and morale. Unless this
situation changes, her employment needs to be terminated.
Being fired for a cause is handled very differently than being fired in connection with a
reduction in force. A layoff is a one-time event; a termination is a process.
It requires documentation before the termination decision is made. Documentation
throughout the performance improvement plan period, and documentation at
termination.
Before any words
are spoken: (1) review your practice's policies and procedures regarding
termination; and (2) examine and closely review your employee's personnel file,
performance appraisals, and any other documentation regarding her performance.
Recent positive
glowing performance appraisals, high ratings, raises, and bonuses should give
pause, and you should ensure that adequate documentation of sub-par performance
exists.
Your words must
communicate that this situation is a result of unacceptable performance, not
personality. For example, say, "You need to complete all daily call reports by
4 pm" not something vaguer like "You never manage to get the daily reports in
on time." You must also relay your willingness for her to have an opportunity
to improve.
Your employee needs
a timeline for completing her goals, and your communication needs to be clear. An
inability or unwillingness to complete and sustain expected levels of
performance will lead to her termination of employment. She needs to
acknowledge her understanding of what is expected of her, as well as the
seriousness of the situation.
Your communication
in this situation can be a balancing act. Your other employees, who know from
the office grapevine that your employee is "in hot water," need to see that you
are professional, respectful, and supportive during what is a difficult and
awkward employment situation for everyone. Your communication, both oral and in
writing, need to support the performance plan: fair, balanced, accurate, and
about the work.
What Not to Say
These conversations
can be very awkward, which can result in a soft-pedaling of the basic message,
such as:
- "You need to do better "
- "This could be okay "
- "Sometimes, it seems like "
- "I get the feeling that you "
Be straightforward.
Be non-negotiable. Maintain composure and stick to the message.
Awkward
conversations are just one more HR headache. We are talking about intermittent
leave headaches; accommodation headaches; investigation headaches; training,
interviewing, and attendance headaches to name just a few. In HR, if it is not
one thing, it is another. In a small department, it is just that much tougher.
Being your
practice's one-person HR department can give you a real sense of ownership, and
there is certainly never a dull moment. Many solo HR managers report high
levels of stress, burnout, and frustration. It is easy to make compliance
mistakes when you're the only one fielding employee questions and complaints,
handling the paperwork, and dealing with directives from above.