How to Terminate Employees Gracefully

Termination is a stressful action not only for employees who lose their jobs but also for leaders who have to fire a team member. Remote terminations, in particular, can be a very isolating experience for employees be it for those working remotely or those who work from the office. However, it may be necessary to lay off some team members for a variety of reasons. To help make this a better experience, this Inc. article outlines some effective methods to gracefully terminate employees without causing them undue distress.

The article encourages thorough preparation as the first important tip. According to the article, in order to terminate employees remotely, the stakeholders involved, namely HR, legal, and management, must develop a thorough, competent plan. It is critical to figure out who will deliver the news to the affected employees, as well as the reasons why. It is critical to have a legitimate, non-discriminatory reason for terminating employment. Another effective and necessary method to terminate employees is to have a one-on-one conversation with them, whether they are remote employees or work from the office. Face-to-face interaction is preferable to a phone call or email because it allows you to better control the situation and interact effectively. You can refer to scheduling a video call in a remote setting. Thank the employee for their efforts and explain why they must be terminated. Then go over the details of offboarding and severance pay. To avoid awkwardness, keep meetings as short as possible. Avoid build-ups and instead, speak directly to the point. The article also suggests that you call a meeting with the remaining employees soon after you fire some of their coworkers. Following one-on-one conversations with terminated employees to explain the situation and answer questions, schedule a virtual all-hands or team meeting with remaining colleagues. Remove employees from any technology related to their job during or shortly after that conversation. Since it is clear that terminations are a traumatic experience for employees, your support as their senior and a representation of the company is vital. According to the article, the best thing employers can do for terminated employees is to help them reduce their unemployment time by providing a healthy severance package, career counseling, and outplacement assistance. The article suggests that the most important and last method to use when you have to terminate employees is to make sure they have a way of contacting anyone within the company they may need to contact after their termination.

Terminating employees is sometimes necessary, no matter how difficult it is. Leaders must concentrate on specific points in order to gracefully hold the situation and avoid making it awkward. If you follow the advice in this Inc. article, you will definitely be able to gain a better perspective on how to terminate employees gracefully.