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PLANET Trailblazer Jeffrey Scott, Landscape Success Systems A: Though extremely stressful, this type of meeting is best conducted in a concise and straightforward fashion focusing on three goals: (a) presenting documented evidence that warrants employee termination, (b) minimizing the likelihood of a wrong termination claim and (c) showing appropriate respect to the employee during this difficult event. The following five-step sequence outlines the basic process to help ensure a successful employee termination meeting: Meeting Preparation. Never conduct a termination alone; always have a witness in the room with you at all times. Have all administrative forms and documentation at the meeting. Do not lie to the employee or stretch the truth; always show the employee respect. The meeting should not exceed 20 minutes. The Decision. Remain calm and confident and maintain appropriate eye contact with the employee. The less said, the better the result will be. Once the employee arrives, explain the purpose of the meeting. Following are two examples of statements you can use: Statement 1 (for a chronic performance problem): “As you know, you and I have had several meetings over the past several weeks/months to discuss your performance-related issues (e.g., interpersonal skills, accuracy of work). Despite that coaching, your performance has not improved to the required level of your position. As a result, today will be your last day of employment with this company.” Statement 2 (for a major policy violation): “An investigation has provided us with evidence that you violated company policy (e.g., sexual harassment, alcohol use, timecard fraud) on (specify date). As stated in the employee handbook that you signed on (specify date), that policy violation has the consequence of employee termination. As a result, today will be your last day of employment with this company.” Employee Response. Be prepared for any possible response from the employee (e.g., swearing, verbal attack, crying). Let the employee vent, express shock, or ask questions; remain calm regardless of the response. While stressful to you, it is potentially catastrophic for the employee (e.g., lack of income). Present the documents (e.g., paychecks, COBRA, 401(k) information) to the employee. Have the employee sign a Termination Form acknowledging the administrative details. The employee may either consent or continue to respond (e.g., explanation, accusation, sarcasm, victimization); maintain poise in both scenarios. Your rebuttals to the employee’s responses should restate the comments made earlier. Exit. As the meeting comes to a close, state “I wish you the best as you continue in your career.” Escort the employee to his/her workstation to retrieve personal belongings or to the exit. Never leave the employee unattended (this could result in fake workers’ compensation claims, theft or an IT virus being installed on your system). Once the employee has left the premises, debrief the meeting with the witness. Document any noteworthy comments, responses, and/or actions. File all documentation in the employee’s personnel file. Steven Cesare, Ph.D., Industrial Psychologist, The Harvest Group |
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