It simply won´t work
I think each of us has experienced that "unpleasant" meeting in our lives when you came to your boss's office and something was different.
Suddenly the smile was missing, but the papers in his hand were added. And you knew it right away. You're done!!!
One of the great "traumas" in a person's life is the termination of employment by the employer.
And it's even worse when your results were excellent and you had the impression that you were doing everything right.
Termination of employment is not pleasant. A person struggles with a variety of emotions, be it sadness, fear, anger and others.
And this meeting can be even worse if your boss doesn't know how to deal with it.
Let's face it, as managers we have experienced a situation where we simply had to terminate the employment relationship with an employee. Whether it was due to a change within the company, or because the employee simply did not meet the necessary conditions and his work performance was not up to par.
And yes, such a meeting is also unpleasant for the manager, even though I believe that the employee thinks otherwise.
No instructions on how to terminate an employment relationship are correct, because no matter how hard the manager tries, the other party will be emotional (unless he has long since wished for termination with "severance pay" :-D).
However, as managers, we can contribute to handling this meeting with professionalism and empathy, namely:
1. be prepared -I have always held that when the time came to terminate the employment relationship, I had to be sure that I had really tried everything with the employee to correct his work performance. Of course, there are employees who simply do not want to work on themselves - unfortunately, it is necessary to say goodbye to such people. But with employees who want to work on themselves and improve their work performance, it is appropriate to give them a chance and be helpful.
If you have already reached the stage where you are simply convinced that there are no other options, prepare for this meeting. Gather the facts.
2. be prepared for the facts - gather the facts and situations that led to your decision to terminate the employment relationship. However, it is necessary not to be personal, do not start sentences with the words "You messed up this...", "You couldn't handle this...", etc.
3. be prepared for honesty - avoid unnecessary refinement or, conversely, harshness. Naming the truth with respect is a sign of professionalism.
4. be prepared for emotions and tears - emotions are also part of a working relationship and especially in this type of meeting. There is no need to be afraid of them, each of us experiences them. If the employee cries during this meeting, you need to let them cry and calm down. Empathy is needed.
5. be prepared for questions - the employee can and will ask questions. Therefore, be prepared for the fact that this meeting will not be about your monologue. Prepare to answer questions transparently to the extent possible.
6. be prepared for support - if it is possible for you, offer the employee support. Whether it is in the form of references for a future employer, or help in finding a new job, provide support.
Termination of employment brings with it negative emotions, but it is not an entirely negative situation. Sometimes it is the best solution for both parties. People grow, change, find their place. And if it turns out that it is not "here and now" in your team, it may be "elsewhere and later" - better for everyone.