Discharging any employee is not a simple task. Discharge meetings can be a devastating experience for both the employee and the employer. The way a leader handles this meeting could make an enormous difference on how things will go later during a dispute. Leaders have the potential to prevent problems altogether if they effectively manage termination meetings. Consider all aspects of the meeting and plan accordingly. Such planning requires contemplation of the timing of the meeting, the location, and what will occur afterwards. The following thirteen items should be considered when handling the discharge meeting:
1.Have everything organized and ready prior to the meeting (utilize a script or checklist if necessary). If possible, have the employee’s final check ready, along with a letter regarding associated work benefits ending dates such as health insurance coverage. At the beginning of the meeting, inform the employee of the organization’s decision to discharge him. A lengthy buildup may cloud the real message. Strive to assure the employee understands the facts before the meeting ends.
2. Decide who will attend the meeting. At least one supervisor and Human Resources representative (if the company has one) should serve as witnesses. A company representative may be present to take notes. The manager may consider inviting security to be present for the meeting or to stand by if there is concern the employee may react violently.
3. A leader has nothing to fear when she is prepared. Simply state the facts and focus on the mismatched relationship, behaviors, or performance issues. Inform the employee this is the best decision for both him and the organization.
4. Prepare all written materials in advance to keep the meeting brief. The meeting should last no longer than twenty minutes or so. A termination meeting is not an investigatory meeting. The company should have completed the investigation prior to the termination meeting. The purpose is to inform the employee of the organization’s termination decision after the employer determined the facts.
5. Consider the location of the meeting, including the seating chart. The best locations are neutral, such as a conference room, as opposed to the manager’s office. The employee should sit closest to the exit door of the room to avoid feeling trapped. The room should be free from distractions such as phone calls, emails, or unanticipated interruptions.
6. Plan the time of day and the particular day of the week. Do not hold a termination meeting at the company’s busiest time of the day where the employee must walk through the work site at a peak period. Mid-week terminations allow an employee to reach out for assistance if she requires support over the next couple of days. The employee may need to call and ask additional questions once she considers the facts. Avoid terminating an employee right before the weekend and placing her in a position where she cannot contact Human Resources or any other company representative.
7. Refer a resistant employee to the grievance procedure or suggest she write a rebuttal. The employee may be in immediate denial, or she may want to debate the company’s decision. Allow the employee to have her input as it may help avoid a fight; however, do not allow the employee to take over the meeting.
8. Collect name badges, keys, uniforms, and request that the employee return any property belonging to the organization, including but not limited to electronic property, such as computer files.
9. Determine where the employee will go or what the employee should do after the meeting, like cleaning out a locker. Offer to clean out her locker and mail her belongings home if she wishes to avoid seeing coworkers. If there is a security risk, prepare for the necessary precautions, such as security escorting the individual off the premises.
10. Remain calm and professional at all times, regardless of a terminated employee’s reaction. Naturally, employees react in different ways. Certain employees pass through several aspects of the grief model: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. A number of employees cry (so have tissue available), some refuse to speak, while others act confused and reject the fact they are losing their jobs. An employee may walk out of the room before the meeting is over, or he may threaten and shout. Conversely, if the organization efficiently handles discipline, the employer’s decision to terminate the employee should not come as a surprise. Proper implementation of progressive discipline reduces the risk of unanticipated behaviors because effective leaders continuously hold staff members accountable.
11. The employee should sign a termination form. If the employee refuses to sign, the leader documents the refusal and a witness signs. After the meeting, managers should take the time to jot down any notes or issues they felt were particularly important during the meeting, such as an employee’s comments, facial expressions, or other general reactions.
12. A company representative may need to follow up with a terminated employee to answer questions regarding benefits or the grievance process. When a company representative contacts a former employee to offer support, such contact demonstrates sincere concern for the employee as a human being, as the organization hopes for the employee’s future success. A termination is a business meeting designed to communicate a business decision, not a battle.
13. An employee may request the opportunity to resign instead of receive a discharge. The organization should consider granting the employee’s desire since a voluntary resignation is often better for all parties involved. If this is an employee’s final decision, the company should require the individual to prepare and sign a resignation letter. In addition, leaders should follow the organization’s risk management guidelines for separation agreements, often governed by legal counsel, if the employee signs a liability release.
Leaders have the potential to direct termination meetings in positive ways and set an employee up for success at her next job. Be firm but courteous. Never insult an employee in a personal way but express sincere wishes for his success in future endeavors. Treat a termination meeting as a transition instead of an end.
