Letting your First Employee Go Confidently

Whether you’re a new small business owner or a human resources executive, there will come a time where you must release your first employee from their position. It’s not something anyone enjoys doing, but if an employee isn’t meeting the standards or cuts need to be made releasing staff is a priority to protect the business. Especially with a start-up business where money isn’t a luxury, releasing an employee can be vital to the survival of the company. If it is your first time firing someone this guide will help you overcome the hesitation and nerves that can come with confronting someone to end their employment. It’s vital that any employer follow a professional approach to the firing process to avoid backlash, legal ramifications and the use of settlement agreement solicitors.

Be Prepared

If an employee is in their probation period the process is easier to conduct, but a good reason is required to end and employees service. Following a strict legal process is key in this situation, all employers need to flag performance or conduct issues with the employee before they can end their employment, giving them the chance to improve before critical action is taken. With these warnings, a paper trail is created to prove that you as the employer has offered several chances for improvement to the member of staff. Gross misconduct is usually the only reason that an employer can terminate employment with immediate effect. An employee’s contract should state these areas and offer fair warning to situations where they can be released from employment immediately.

Be Completely Professional

Depending on what the employee has done to become a liability to the company it can be very personal to a business owner. An employer can take great offence to the conduct of an employee if it has impacted the business negatively, it is imperative that an employer remains professional during the termination process. Setting aside emotion will help the proceeding go smoothly and once it’s over the business can move on and improve. Becoming emotional can release unnecessary feelings and actions and then open your company up to a legal battle where employment solicitors are required. Being polite, informative and firm is key to ending someone’s employment in a constructive manner that leaves no room for backlash. Usually having a third party involved to take minutes and keep everything documented is beneficial if you think the meeting will become heated.

The Contract

There is more to ending someone’s employment than a singular meeting, revising the original contract should occur before entering the meeting to give the employee all the information required. The notice period and the disciplinary processes should be mentioned in the meeting to back up your reasoning and offer a fair warning period for the ending process.

Avoid Fallout