How to fire someone

[Brian Turner]

Nice post by Jeremy Shoemaker on being fired and firing people:
http://www.shoemoney.com/2007/06/07/...omeone-tfs-14/

Always in a firing the person being fired will want you to name a specific reason or example as to why they are being fired. You will want to do this also as it will appear to provide you a “out” to the situation. However naming a specific incident is the worse thing you can do. The fired person will always remember that 1 incident you named as the reason they were fired and they will always chalk up there failure to that 1 incident and come up with reasons in there mind why that 1 incident is bullshit and they should not have been fired. Instead when firing someone focus on the facts that they were not a good fit for the job and how they will be much happier doing something else. Do not get suckered into a debate over a specific incident. Stay strong.

...

I can tell you from being a person who was fired many times that the few times the person firing me stayed strong and told me - I was just not a fit and it was not working out… that I would be so much happier in a position that was a better fit for me - Actually made me take a step back and really look at myself and all the times I think they could have been talking about that was the reason I was not a good fit. I always knew in my mind there was 9000 reasons I could have been fired and being I did not get one specific answer from them I had to consider all the times I did not meet expectations and see how I could better myself.

[SageMother]

The possibility of having to fire any employee is why it's good to keep records of warnings and conferences with the person in question. That way you have a nice list of things that are indicators for their being released.

[Profitxchange]

It also is no real surprise and they should feel they were at least given a fair go. I often find as you go down this dialogue route the person resigns anyway.

[Brian Turner]

I've just followed the advice here to get rid of someone I took on for outsourcing (freelance writer) - the work was a little substandard but that wasn't too big a concern.

However, when it came to paying at the end of the first week, I simply got a string of emails telling me to pay immediately as he needs the money. He also invoiced a higher wrong amount. Even when paid the corrected amount, he emailed that he hadn't received it, and please pay immediately - even though it was to the paypal account he designated.

His attitude wasn't something I wanted to have to keep dealing with, and as I didn't have to, won't. So better to let go quickly, especially as I've taken on a number of others who can deliver a better service with less fuss.

[Nick Dyer]

Crikey Brian,
That guy sounded like a right pest.
I don't blame you for inviting him broaden his horizons with a different company

[Brian Turner]

He possibly wasn't that bad, but I didn't want to have to deal with the lack of professionalism.

If I'd have raised the issues of concern, I'm sure I would have ended up in an argument, which would be even less welcome - so glad I took the advice posted here.