One of the hardest parts of being a business owner is knowing when and how to let go of employees. These types of conversations can be difficult especially for small business owners. Small business owners know their employees on a deeper level than bigger corporations. Knowing employees on a personal level makes it difficult to fire them if they’re not a good fit for your company. The good news is that Clarity’s here to help.
It’s common to hear and recognize traits that deem an employee a good fit. It’s less common to hear about attributes that deem someone as a bad fit, but it’s important to know these as well. Before approaching an employee, think about that person and why they may not be fit for the job.
The most effective way to prevent employees not being a good fit is to focus on who you’re hiring. The ideal candidate for the job will be skillful, thorough, and able to get along with other members of your team. It's important to know what your ideal employee should exhibit to mesh well with your company. Ideal skills, experience, personality, and attitude should always be on your mind. It's helpful to use research, diagnostics testing, and interview skills to choose employees. Background checks are also beneficial in saving employers time and money. In our current world, talented and driven workers are hard to find and harder to keep. You should prepare to make a competitive offer as soon as you find the right candidate for your company. To find inspiration, look at your current staff. The successful people working for you showcase the qualities you desire in employees. Use this to your advantage!
When you’re interviewing an ideal candidate, you’ve already vetted their personality, skills, integrity, and background, the meeting should be smooth as silk. The candidate will answer your questions easily and ask some of their own. They will have ideas about how they will handle their role, and curiosity about their team and the office environment. It's important to stand your ground and remember those characteristics you value. Often, employers trying to find a quick hire overlook red flags. If you're interviewing someone and you sense bad signals or concerns, don't ignore them. Trust your instinct and be patient for the right candidate.
If you see repeated signs that one of your employees is a poor fit for your company, it’s time to make a change. Here’s how to do it in a way that is both respectful and legal.
When it comes to firing an employee, you should use the same care as you do when hiring new employees. This will ensure you're covered on legal aspects throughout the process. If letting an employee go isn't handled well, they could file a wrongful termination suit on you. This is the last thing you want to happen for you and your business! Firing someone with proper measures and respect helps them understand the situation better. It also helps them go in a calmer and more mature manor, which reassures that they won't take legal action. It also decreases chances of them giving you or your company negative feedback. Before finally deciding to fire an employee, give them warnings. Give them chances to understand what's going wrong and to improve their work. This will make the termination decision less of a surprise for them. Document each warning you give them as proof for yourself.
If they've received warnings and you're still not happy, it's time to let them go. When doing this, it's so important to be respectful at all times. Showing a mutual respect will leave them with a more positive feeling afterward. Strive to meet them in person to discuss the reasons for letting them go. You're able to answer questions, provide clarity, and show emotion by doing it this way. Despite warnings, the news of termination may surprise or confuse them. This means you need to clarify what went wrong and led to this point. Always be honest and careful when discussing why you've made your decision. You want to be respectful, but you also want to be firm and honest. Remind them that they received warnings prior. Express how they didn't meet guidelines or how they didn't mesh with company culture. Be prepared to answer their questions with clarity and honesty. Be firm in your decision, you made it for a reason!
Clarity serves as a third party in the relationship between you and your employees. We don’t have that personal relationship with your employees like you do. It's easier for us to recognize when someone is wrong for your business. We see it through a separate perspective, and we can help you see it from a business angle and not only a personal angle. You deserve the best fit employees for your business. Hiring and keeping people who don’t fit your needs will only harm you and your company. Let us help you have those tough conversations in a way protects legality and reputation. The last thing you want, or need is wrongful termination suit or negative feedback. Let us help you brainstorm a respectful, thoughtful way to let someone go. You don’t have to do it alone! If you’re struggling to let go of an employee, contact us to learn more about our services!
