To Fire or Not to Fire? Dealing with Unproductive Workers

Address any situation immediately: Do not wait for review time. Employees should know if they are doing a good job or bad job. That’s managing. There should be no surprises come review time. Review time is to go over the year as a whole and set future goals, not discuss specific problems that took place months before. When a problem arises, discuss what went wrong and how to fix it quickly, before the details get hazy and to avoid a repeat event. Sweeping problems under the rug does not make them go away.

Don’t criticize over email: Most communication is not verbal, according to nearly every study published. Criticizing or reprimanding an employee over email is a bad idea. While you may be trying to be encouraging and your intensions are to supportively correct a situation, the employee will react with emotion. The problem is, that person can’t tell the tone or put into context the message because they can’t see your facial expressions, body language or hear your tone. Most people will react more negatively to a harsh email than to a face-to-face encounter. Do not curse. Do not insult or attack that person personally. Try and meet with the employee to discuss the situation. If that is not doable because of location, then pick up the phone. But avoid email criticism at all costs.

When to bring in HR: In most business situations bringing in human resources is not necessary. Once HR is involved there are fewer options and less flexibility. But sometimes HR needs to be involved. After the initial conversation you need to determine if the employee has indeed changed or continues along the same pattern. If the situation does not change and only animosity ensues, then it may be time to bring in HR and officially get the situation on record. This is to protect yourself, the company and even the employee.
Also, every individual has personal issues going on outside the workplace. You can say these issues should not affect their work, but be real—they inadvertently will, depending on the situation. Managers need to be sensitive to their employees but also ensure they are doing their jobs. Maybe the employee is going through some personal issues that will only last a season. Bringing in HR formalizes the situation and puts everything on the table.
Once HR is brought in, the employee should be given specific instructions on what he or she needs to do in a specific period of time. Sometimes this is a 30-day period, sometimes 60 days, sometimes longer. It depends on the situation and the employee's specific role in the company. Document everything and have it signed.

Letting go: If nothing changes, all the steps fail and you decide to let go an individual, make sure you do it right. Make sure it is not personal, but professional. Employees are extensions of your company. They have relationships, and with today’s social media channels, companies must be careful in the way they dismiss an individual. Again, do not do this over email and do not do this without HR. Give the employee the dignity of a personal meeting explaining what went wrong and the reasons for the dismissal. Soften the blow by providing severance. Extend benefits if possible. Pay any outstanding owed vacation time or bonuses. Allow the fired employee to transfer personal files from his or her computer (yes, employees occasionally use their computers for personal use). The point is to treat them with respect.