Small Office, Home Office Information |
| Letting Staff Go Sometimes it's a matter of survival One of the hardest things to do for any small business person is to fire someone. We can tell them that we have to let them go and make it sound all nice and sweet but ultimately they are being fired. A friend of ours wrestled with that problem this week. Their employee had worked in the business for several years but I think that had never really pulled their weight and was actually costing the business money to employ her. On top of that there were complaints from customers about the way they were treated by this employee. There should not have been any problem really, the employee was a liability and despite repeated warnings had not changed their attitude in any way at all. But there was hesitation and sympathy and finally it took some cold hard financial facts to be faced before the decision could be made and followed through to the dismissal. I actually have a lot of sympathy for our friend because I’ve faced a similar situation. Many years ago I was tasked with rehabilitating a junior officer. He had fouled up so many times that he was on his last warning and if I couldn’t turn him around then he would be dismissed. I would love to be able to say that I was able to exercise outstanding leadership skills and turned him around, set him on a new course and he’s now one of the best Sheriff’s Officers to have ever worn the uniform in New South Wales … but I can’t. Ultimately he seemed incapable of even arriving for work on time despite knowing that the final report was sitting on my desk and would be signed if he stuffed up one more time. The report was sent, dismissal followed and a few months later he committed suicide. Maybe I’m harsh but if your business is suffering because an employee is not performing to the minimum requirements then you have no real option. Sure you can counsel them but if they don’t change then they are the captain of their own fate. And you should not put up with them for one moment longer than is necessary. Even if your employees are good workers there can come a time when you simply can’t afford to keep them on. Once again, you can’t sacrifice your business for the sake of your employees. If you can’t afford them then they have to go. And that’s
not easy either but sometimes there is just no other way and you’ve
got to do what you’ve got to do.
10 Sep 2005 |
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