How to Fire Someone: When It’s Not Working With a New Employee
We all want to be great leaders, inspiring our teams to reach their full potential.
But what do we do when it’s just not working out with someone, especially earlier in the relationship? Here’s some tips for hopefully figuring it out and then gracefully moving on if necessary.
Make sure we understand why it’s happening. A conversation where we ask “I’ve noticed (insert shortcoming or behavior) happened yesterday as well as the Monday before. Can you help me understand better why that’s happening?”
Make sure there’s been enough of the right training and helpful materials have been provided. Too often, we feel people should be able to come in and “figure it out like we did”. Things are usually not as easy as we think for people to learn, so make sure you design training for someone who knows nothing about your product, service and systems when they start.
Ask yourself if you’re dedicating enough of the right person’s time early on. If the assigned trainer is also a functioning team member and is just as productive as normal the first few weeks with a new employee, chances are they’re not spending enough time with them.
When we discuss shortcomings, focus on the specific behaviors and not personality adjectives. “I noticed it takes 15 minutes for you to enter an order, we find most people can do it in 3 or 4 minutes after a month” works a lot better than “It seems like you’re too slow to keep up with our pace here.”
When it’s clear it’s not working out, be sure to say it. No one should ever be surprised. Written warnings and performance improvement plans aren’t just HR paperwork. They’re a chance to have up front conversations and treat people like human beings with families, house payments and feelings when it’s not working out. They put employees on notice that things aren’t going as they should – if they’re at risk of being let go, be willing to say it. It gives employees a chance to move on under their terms with dignity and pride.
If it keeps happening over and over in the same role, ask yourself if you’re really setting people up for success. Good people can succeed in situations where they’re set up for success. Are you hiring people with too little experience due to budget? Are the tools in place for people to succeed? Is the role and training well designed? It doesn’t just keep happening.
