The world of business is hard, but since the arrival of the pandemic, business has become even harder. People have had to make cutbacks on spending and this has caused many businesses around the world to close their doors for the last time. Sometimes, for the sake of the business, you may find yourself in a position where you have to let an employee go. This might be due to the pandemic, or simply because their position is no longer making any profit for the business. Either way, this can be a difficult process, so take a look at these steps you should take when letting an employee go.
Be compassionate
Losing your job, no matter what the circumstance, can be very difficult and disrupt someone’s life exponentially. After all, they’re making their living by working for you! While you don’t want the process to be dragged out any longer than necessary, it’s important to take the time to be compassionate about the task at hand. Find kind things to say and think about how your message is coming across – especially if your employee hasn’t done anything wrong.
Protect your company
Letting someone go means that there’s a chance they will make an unemployment claim, and if the state grants this, your company will have to pay. This could damage your business more than keeping them on as an employee. However, if you really need to let someone go for the sake of your business, you may not have much choice! You can protect your business by taking out unemployment insurance software and avoid the headache of sorting out unemployment cheques.
Offer help where you can
Whether you want to or not, releasing someone from their job means that their income is going to change dramatically. While you may not be able to provide them with a job anymore, you may choose to help your employee find other work. You could write exceptional references to help their chances of finding another job and assist them by speaking to other businesses to see if they have any positions available.
Praise hard work
Losing your job can take its toll on your employees mental health, and it’s important to take the time to praise them for all of their hard work during their time working for you. Outline achievements they’ve made and do this in private away from eavesdroppers. This will help save the dignity of your employee and allow them to leave feeling confident about everything they’ve achieved so far.
Try to leave things on good terms
Finally, it’s never a nice task having to say goodbye to a member of the team, especially if they’ve been with you for some time and worked hard to help your business. Make time for your employee to process the news and allow them time to chat with you on a personal level. This will help you leave things on good terms and avoid any harsh reactions towards you and your business.