Q: I have to terminate an employee; what is the best way to do that?
A: This is a broad question that deserves a much longer answer than perhaps you were looking for. However, I’ll try to summarize key points to keep this answer as short as possible.
Staying in line with ISM theory, your school should have a process established to help mentor and grow employees who are struggling to reach their full potential. Actually, this process isn’t just for those who aren’t reaching desired goals and outcomes—a mentoring process should be instilled for your entire faculty and staff. Goals and objectives should be set throughout the year and followed by multiple conversations to keep final expectations in focus and address new “concerns.”
If you find yourself in the position where nothing else can be done to help this employee rise up to your school’s standards, then it’s not going to be a surprise to him/her what is coming next—the final termination conversation. Not that his/her awareness makes your job easier, terminating someone can be emotional for everyone involved in the process and on your team. But, if you’ve implemented a solid evaluation program that includes goals, objectives, and regular conversations, the final conversation should be a bit smoother. You’ll have the needed documentation (written summaries of each conversation/meeting) to carry out your final meeting.
However, if the employee has performed an action that requires immediate action, there’s not going to be a paper trail. Here are some key points to keep in mind for termination meetings—both the expected and sudden.
- Be certain you will not reconsider or reverse course (absent a “revelation”).
- Consider having a witness (especially for situations where you’re taking immediate action in response to an incident).
- State reason for the action clearly (e.g., “we agreed you would do this; you did not” after two separate warnings”).
- Never create false documentation (be too nice); be accurate and objective—not subjective.
- Confirm next steps such as timing, COBRA, any payout, etc.
