The first time I had to fire someone, the conversation lasted an hour and a half. Now, I know what you’re thinking, “Wow, what a dedicated professional! She took her time to ensure the entire process went smoothly!”
Although lovely, that sentiment is entirely wrong. The conversation lasted that long because I did everything wrong. I got flustered, my (soon to be ex) employee cried, and I immediately abandoned the script I made. By the end of the conversation, we were both exhausted and more confused than when we started.
To help you avoid the same fate, we compiled this helpful guide on how to fire someone professionally. In this blog, we’ll cover all the vital topics, such as:
- What steps you need to take to fire someone,
- What are the valid reasons to fire someone,
- What are the illegal reasons for termination,
- What to say (and not say) when firing an employee, and
- How to tell other employees you fired someone.
Aside from that, we’ll also go through some helpful scripts for how to fire someone.
Let’s get into it!
Table of Contents
How to terminate an employee
Terminating an employee is arguably the toughest task a manager can have. Given that 69% of managers are uncomfortable communicating with their employees in general, firing someone is probably at the very top of their list of difficult conversations they don’t want to have.
However, it’s still an inevitable part of the job.
No matter what type of leader you are or how good you are at your job, firing an employee for one reason or another will find its way to your to-do list. In fact, you might even have to do it because you’re good at your job — after all, as the leader, the burden of ensuring all your employees perform well and your team succeeds falls on your shoulders. Sometimes, reaching that goal requires you to make tough decisions, and fire employees who are underperforming or don’t fit well with the team.
But, that’s easier said than done.
Just like anything else in life, there’s a right (and a wrong) way of firing someone. So, let’s take a look at all the steps you need to go through in order to fire someone professionally and make the process easier on them (and yourself).
Step #1: Think it through
The first step of firing someone is thinking about whether that is necessary or not. Firing an employee should never be one of the first measures you take — in fact, in most cases, it should be your last resort.
So, if a thought about firing a particular employee pops into your head, before following up on it, make sure you did all that you could beforehand. Unless the employee in question did something that requires immediate termination, you, as a manager, need to do everything you can in order to see whether they can improve or not.
For example, check whether the employee received enough support from you during their time with your team. Also, ask yourself the following:
- Did you communicate your expectations clearly?
- Were you assertive in your communication?
- Did you offer constructive criticism?
- Did you point out their mistakes and give your employee the opportunity to correct them?
- Did you offer your employee all the necessary resources for them to succeed?
All of these questions should be a vital part of your thinking process.
Why?
Well, for starters, between hiring, training, and transitional costs, hiring a new employee to replace the old one can cost you up to 33% of the old employee’s yearly salary.
And, although significant, money isn’t the only motivator here. As a manager and a leader, you should aim to treat your employees as valuable assets to the team, not as something that’s expendable. That’s the moniker of a true collaborative leader.
💡 Pumble Pro Tip
Although being a collaborative leader has its advantages, that isn’t the only style of leadership that you can explore. To find out more about other as well as different types of leadership communication, check out the following posts:
Step #2: Do an assessment and gather all the documentation
After thinking your decision through, it’s time for an assessment.
That includes gathering all the information about the employee in question. For example, pull all previous performance reviews of the employee and assess them thoroughly. If there were any assessments following the feedback you gave to the employee that show whether they improved or not, go through those as well. Finally, pull any complaints that might have been made against the employee.
The termination shouldn’t come as a surprise to either the person you’re firing or the rest of your team. That means that there should already be evidence of poor performance, excessive tardiness, or other, valid reasons for the termination.
Professor and Chair of Organizational Leadership at Utah Valley University and member of the Forbes Coaches Council, Jonathan H. Westover, states that documenting everything should be your first step when it comes to firing someone.
“The first step is to clearly document the reasons for the termination. This documentation should include any warnings or disciplinary actions that were given to the employee prior to termination. This documentation will be important in case of any legal issues that may arise.”
So, you’ll want to have all the necessary documentation in front of you and prepare what you want to say according to that. Put together a thorough plan of what you’ll say (and in which manner) to the employee.
💡 Pumble Pro Tip
Doing an official assessment isn’t something that comes easily for managers, especially if they are in charge of a remote team. To get the best tips on how to do it properly, check out this Pumble blog:
Step #3: Make sure your decision is consistent with past behavior
One of the most important steps in firing an employee is making sure you’re going by the book. Unlawful terminations can cost your company a pretty penny. We’re not talking about the cost of replacing an employee here — although employee turnover costs U.S. companies $1 trillion every year — but about a potential unlawful termination lawsuit.
To avoid that, you should ensure that you’re doing everything according to the law and your company’s rules.
Moreover, you also have to ensure that the decision to terminate an employee is consistent with your past behavior.
For example, you can’t fire Paul for being late 4 days in a row when you didn’t fire Mary for the same reason last month. Similarly, you also can’t fire Paul for being annoying or disruptive — his transgressions need to be bigger and, more importantly, against the company’s code of conduct (or the law).
So keep your emotions out of it, and make decisions based on the rules at hand and previous behavior.
Step #4: Pick the right time and place
Once you’ve made the decision to fire someone, you might be eager to get it over with as soon as possible. However, patience is a virtue, and, in this case, absolutely necessary.
Patience allows you to not only think things through (as we already mentioned) but also pick the right time and place.
For example, you don’t want to fire your employee in the middle of the work day, in front of the entire office. That would cause unnecessary strife in your team, as people would deem it unnecessarily cruel (because it is). It would also damage your managerial reputation as well as your company’s reputation.
That’s why you have to think about the time and location of the event beforehand. Find a private spot (like your office or a conference room) where you can have a professional conversation with the employee and ensure your actions aren’t impacting the business procedures. When you start the meeting, ensure you’re positioned in a way that the employee’s back is turned toward the door — in case you’re interrupted, the employee won’t have to face the person who interrupted you, which will come in handy if they are having an emotional reaction.
Step #5: Be clear and keep it short
Once you have found the appropriate time and place, try not to dilly-dally. The meeting you have with an employee in order to terminate them isn’t the right time for small talk.
Instead, be clear about what’s about to happen. For example, you can use one of the following openings:
“Hello [Name], thank you for coming. I’m afraid this won’t be a pleasant talk as I’ve got some bad news for you.”
“[Name], please take a seat. I’m afraid I have some bad news.”
By doing this, you’re setting the tone as well as the employee’s expectations, making them aware of what’s about to happen.
Aside from being clear, you also have to try to keep things short. Delivering a whole speech about what you’re about to do and making them sit through it is unnecessary (and also a bit cruel). Instead, say what you need to say and then pause in order to leave some room for them to react.
💡 Pumble Pro Tip
If you’re struggling with having difficult conversations at work, you aren’t the only one. For a few extra tips on how to conduct them, check out this Pumble blog post:
Step #6: Enlist HR’s help
When going on about the difficult task of firing someone, it’s always smart to ask for help. The best department to turn to in your time of need is HR.
As a leader, you have the full authority to fire an employee on your team. However, consulting with HR beforehand is a smart idea. Firstly, they’ll let you know when an HR rep will be available to sit in with you at the meeting with the employee in question. It’s always a good idea to have someone from HR there as a witness and a potential mitigator.
But, more importantly, they will be able to offer you some information that you might not have.
For example, they’ll be aware of all complaints filed by other employees against the person you’re considering terminating. That information might be helpful. On the other hand, they might also be aware of other things that you should take into consideration. The constantly-tardy-Paul from our previous example might have a wife who’s having a difficult pregnancy, which explains his constant tardiness. That doesn’t excuse him, but it is something that other teammates might also know. So, firing Paul for being tardy at that moment would paint you in an unnecessarily bad light.
The HR department will be your best ally during this daunting task, so don’t shut them out.
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Step #7: Don’t make a spectacle
No matter the reason behind your decision to terminate an employee — be it one huge mistake or a string of small ones — you should never aim to “make an example” out of the firing. In other words, don’t turn this private situation into a spectacle. Allow the person you’re firing to leave with dignity.
If you don’t, and you do end up making a spectacle out of it, you might find your team’s morale affected by that display of negative communication. That, in turn, can greatly affect their productivity and engagement.
If the employee in question made a mistake that you don’t want anyone on your team repeating, you can set a separate meeting with the entire team to explain the whys and hows of their mistake.
💡 Pumble Pro Tip
If you do end up scheduling a meeting to discuss the mistakes that got someone fired, make sure that meeting is as effective as possible. To learn how to make your meetings more effective, read the following blog post:
Step #8: Be kind and respectful
When terminating an employee, it’s important that you communicate effectively. It’s also vital that you’re completely transparent when it comes to your delivery.
However, that doesn’t mean that you should be rude or blunt.
That was, after all, someone who contributed to your team and worked under you. Even if they did mess up, show them the kindness and respect you’d want people to show you.
Try to be as compassionate as possible but don’t make it about yourself. As difficult as this task must be for you, it’s undoubtedly harder for them. So, avoid phrases like:
- “I know what you feel like” — even if you do, how is that helpful at the moment?
- “This is one of the hardest things I had to do in this position.” — we’re sure that’s true, but to someone who’s being fired, it means very little.
- “This is harder for me than it is for you.” — it really isn’t.
💡 Pumble Pro Tip
If you’re struggling with effective communication and could use some tips on how to improve it, check out the following Pumble article:
Step #9: List all the reasons for your actions
If you’ve prepared all the documentation as we suggested in step #2, this won’t be an issue.
However, just having the documentation isn’t enough. It’s also important that you present the information you have to the employee. Be clear and unwavering, and explain why you decided to terminate them. Also, make sure you actually say the words “We’re terminating you” or “We’re letting you go.”
Don’t use ambiguous language. It might be tempting — ambiguous language is often overused in business communication — but avoid it at any cost as it might give the employee the wrong impression or even create false hope.
Step #10: Prepare for an emotional response
Given that firing someone is never pleasant for any party, you need to prepare yourself for an emotional response.
No matter how expected the termination is, the employee you’re firing will probably have something to say about it, and they might get confrontational, argumentative, angry, or even violent. That’s especially true if they’ve already been difficult to talk to while under your employ.
If you remember my story from the very beginning of this post, you’ll also remember that I wasn’t prepared to see my employee crying. That led to a complete collapse of my entire plan, which, in turn, led to a breakdown in communication. So, we ended up talking in circles around each other — them begging me to reconsider while crying, and me trying to comfort them while still maintaining my stance that there was no place for them in the company.
When you properly prepare yourself for an emotional outburst from the other party, you’ll be less likely to fall into a trap and respond emotionally. As a leader, you need to be level-headed and not get into arguments with the employee in question. Even if they are argumentative or hostile, listen to them respectfully and answer their questions, but don’t get into a debate.
Step #11: Inform the employee of the next steps
Finally, once the difficult conversation is coming to an end, you need to make sure you inform the employee of the next steps.
If you have an HR rep with you, they’ll probably assist you with that, and give you the necessary information about payroll, residual benefits, and administration. If not, make sure to have a plan about what you’ll say.
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Valid reasons to fire an employee
Now that we’ve gone over the necessary steps you need to take to fire someone professionally (and politely), let’s take a look at the various reasons you might want to do that.
As mentioned, there is a myriad of reasons you might need to fire someone. Let’s take a look at them.
Reason #1: Employee’s discriminatory behavior
While it’s completely illegal to fire someone for discriminatory reasons (which we’ll talk about in more detail later on), you can fire an employee for discriminatory behavior. Employees that consistently discriminate against others based on their gender, race, age, sexual orientation, religion, or disability can’t and shouldn’t be a part of a positive work environment.
Therefore, they also shouldn’t be a part of your team.
Of course, ensure you have sufficient, hard proof that they were discriminating against others before acting out and firing them.
Reason #2: Bullying, sexual harassment, violence, or disregard for safety
Any type of harassment or aggressive behavior (and that includes mental harassment as well) is grounds for immediate termination.
As a leader, you need to create a safe working environment for your employees. That means doing more than just keeping an open-door policy (although that’s an excellent policy to have).
Creating and maintaining a safe work environment means ensuring that everyone on the team is respectful in their interactions, which automatically excludes:
- Bullying,
- Violence,
- Aggression,
- Sexual or other harassment,
- Use of inflammatory and derogatory language, and
- Disregard for safety.
Reason #3: Unethical behavior
Maintaining a policy that your team should engage in ethical communication is a sign of good leadership. But employees should also engage in ethical behavior.
Although the lines between what’s ethical and not can sometimes be a bit blurry (depending on the company’s policies), unethical behavior, in general, is a cause for termination. For example, unethical behavior can include:
- Lying about tasks, progress, or other work-related topics,
- Hiding information that could negatively impact the company or its brand, and
- Falsifying company records.
Reason #4: Poor job performance
One of the most common grounds for termination is poor performance. Poor performance can manifest itself in several different ways:
- Constant tardiness when it comes to task execution,
- Refusal (or incapability) to follow standard protocols,
- Incomplete (or wrong) execution of tasks, or
- Ineffective use of time at work.
Poor performance is a perfectly legal and valid reason to fire someone. However, as mentioned, before you let go of someone for not meeting the quotas or doing their tasks in the wrong way, check to see if there’s anything you could do to get them to improve.
💡 Pumble Pro Tip
Managing a team and assessing its success (both individually and on a team level) can be quite difficult, especially if the team in question is working remotely. To find out more about how you can overcome the challenges of managing a remote team, check out the following Pumble blog post:
Reason #5: Misleading job application
According to a 2023 study by Resume Builder, 72% of applicants admit to “stretching the truth” on their resumes, while 35% of them admit to outright lying about their skills or experience during the hiring process.
Therefore, finding yourself in a situation where you have to fire someone because you found them lacking in areas they said they were proficient in isn’t that uncommon.
Luckily, it’s completely valid to fire someone because they lied on their resume or during their interview.
However, ensure that the punishment fits the crime, so to speak — if their lies make them unfit for the job, then firing them isn’t an exaggerated reaction. However, if they just embellished some of their secondary skills and can still do their job properly, firing them might be worth reconsidering.
Reason #6: On-the-clock drug or alcohol use
If you catch your employees under the influence during their working hours, you have every right to fire them.
Having employees working while under the influence of drugs or alcohol is not only bad for your company’s reputation but it’s also dangerous.
Reason #7: Company property misuse or damage
Theft, damage, or misuse of company property is grounds for termination. However, keep in mind that, according to the 2021 report of ACFE (Association of Certified Fraud Examiners), employee theft costs businesses around $50 billion every year.
So, theft is most likely happening in your workplace — given that some research shows that 75% of workers admit to stealing from their workplace, the “most likely” is probably an understatement.
Still, theft just like any other misappropriation of company assets is grounds for immediate dismissal.
Reason #8: Excessive absenteeism
Taking sick days, going on vacations, and taking leaves of absence is perfectly fine.
However, you might have grounds for termination if you notice that an employee:
- Has been consistently late to work,
- Has been taking a lot of breaks away from their desk, or
- Rarely shows up to work for a full week without asking for a sick or personal day.
Reason #9: Violation of company policies
All company policies should be freely available to all employees and presented to them when they sign on to work in said company.
Therefore, any violation of any company policy is immediate grounds for termination.
However, keep in mind that not all policies are made the same — if an employee makes an honest mistake that doesn’t impact your company’s well-being or reputation, you should think twice about firing them over such a slight offense. Sometimes a reminder about company policy or a seminar that goes over all the major points of said policy is all that’s needed.
Reason #10: Insubordination
Insubordination is an employee’s clear refusal to follow clear guidance given to them by a person of authority. The guidance needs to be lawful and needs to come from someone who actually has the authority to give said employee tasks (and not just someone who’s higher up on the food chain).
Insubordination comes in many forms:
- Refusing to perform a necessary task,
- Refusing to remain on shift,
- Failure to appear, and
- Failure to seek permission to leave work during working hours.
Reason #11: Inappropriate behavior outside of work
Some companies don’t really care what happens outside work hours and their employees are free to do as they please. Others, however, value their reputation dearly and have policies in place that allow them to terminate employees for their behavior outside of work.
This behavior usually includes:
- Illegal,
- Immoral,
- Extreme, and
- Behavior that doesn’t align with the company’s values.
Reason #12: Poor culture fit
Although the vaguest reason on our list, being a “poor culture fit” is quite a common reason for dismissal.
This particular phrase can mean many things — from not showing enough passion for your work to having a different general demeanor that’s distracting other employees.
Illegal reasons to fire an employee
Aside from valid ones, there are also 7 illegal reasons to fire your employee that you should always keep in mind. Let’s take a look at each of them.
Reason #1: Discrimination
As mentioned, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission protects all employees from discrimination.
Companies, hiring managers, and team leaders aren’t allowed to discriminate against employees based on their:
- Gender,
- Race,
- Sexual orientation,
- Age,
- Disability, and
- Ethnicity or nationality.
There are plenty of laws that forbid employers from discriminating against their employees, such as:
- The Equal Pay Act of 1963 protects both men and women from wage and benefits discrimination based on their sex.
- The Americans With Disabilities Act or the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prevents employers from discriminating against their employees or potential hires based on their perceived disability.
- The Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects people against race-based, nationality and ethnicity-based, and religion-based discrimination and invites employers to accommodate their employees’ religious needs (within reason).
- The Equality Act of 2010 forbids any discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Reason #2: Retaliation
Similarly, if an employee calls upon the laws we mentioned and asserts their rights under them or files a complaint for harassment, you can’t fire them in retaliation.
There are many laws that protect employees from retaliation, including the:
- Civil Rights Act,
- Americans With Disabilities Act,
- Equal Pay Act, etc.
Reason #3: Whistleblowing
There’s a clear law that protects whistleblowers — people who report and complain about unjust, unhealthy, or unsafe working conditions — and it’s called the Occupational Safety and Health Act (or OSHA for short). If an employee reports their company for OSHA violations, they cannot be fired for it.
Reason #4: Citizenship
Although somewhat more nuanced, firing someone due to their legal status in the US or their citizenship is against several anti-discriminatory laws. It is another form of discrimination and it is, therefore, illegal.
Reason #5: Unwillingness to take a lie detector test
If you’re unwilling to take a lie detector test at your employer’s request, there are several federal and state laws (the federal Employee Polygraph Protection Act being the first of them) that will protect you against being fired due to your refusal.
Reason #6: Pregnancy
Pregnant workers are protected by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 and it’s illegal to fire them just because they are pregnant.
What’s more, according to the same law, the employer must make reasonable accommodations for the pregnant person and offer paid leave (in accordance with the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993).
What to say and do when firing an employee
Now that you know all the reasons you can (and all the ones you definitely shouldn’t) fire an employee, as well as all the steps you need to take in order to do it, it’s time to get into some deeper details.
Let’s take a look at what you’re supposed to actually say when firing an employee.
Tip #1: DO it face to face
No matter what type of team you’re running (remote, hybrid, or on-site one), always try to fire people during face-to-face meetings. Doing it over the phone or, worse, via email or text isn’t professional and should only be done under dire circumstances.
A face-to-face meeting, even if it’s done through a business communication app like Pumble, should always be a preferred method.
💡 Pumble Pro Tip
If you’re unable to meet with the employee you’re firing in person, set up a video conference meeting with them. That’s much more humane and personal than sending them a text or an email.
Tip #2: DO be clear and unwavering
As mentioned, clear communication is a must.
Don’t beat around the bush — say what you have right away. Also, when speaking to your employee, use the present tense instead of the future one, in order to ensure the employee understands that this is something that’s happening now (and not sometime later).
So, for example, instead of saying. “We’re going to let you go.” say, “You’re being let go.”
Tip #3: DO set time aside to do it right
Firing someone is probably just one of the things you have to do that day. However, that doesn’t mean you should rush through it.
Don’t squeeze in a meeting with a person you’re about to fire into a 10-minute slot you have between other meetings. Instead, take the time to conduct a proper meeting and don’t try to multitask during it.
Remember, your employee might have an emotional reaction to what you say to them, and they might need some time to collect themselves.
Tip #4: DO provide specific feedback
Just like clarity is your biggest friend when firing someone, ambiguity is your biggest enemy. So, make sure you give your employee concrete feedback on what they did wrong in order to get fired. Try to avoid vague statements like “We don’t have the same values” or “We’re moving in a different direction.”
Tip #5: DO show compassion
Compassion is a sign of humanity and you should always offer it when firing someone. Of course, ensure that your compassion doesn’t manifest itself in the form of false promises. For example, if the person you’re firing is a truly good worker, offer to write them a reference letter, but don’t promise them you’ll help them find a new job opportunity.
Tip #6: DO actively listen to what they have to say
Just because the termination is imminent, doesn’t mean the employee’s feedback isn’t valuable. Actively listen to whatever the employee has to say because it might give you insight into why things went wrong in the first place. While that might not help you (or them) in that moment, it can be quite helpful in the future.
💡 Pumble Pro Tip
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What NOT to say and do when firing an employee
Although I doubt you could ever get as fumbled as I did when I first tried to fire someone (I postponed a date in order to stay overtime with the employee I was firing and comfort them because I didn’t know how to finish the conversation), I still think I should offer you advice on what you SHOULDN’T say and do when trying to let someone go from your team.
Tip #1: DON’T do it on a whim
Firing someone should be a consequence that’s been well thought out.
Therefore, no matter how angry or inconvenienced you are, never fire someone on a whim. That will destroy your reputation as a manager, diminish the trust your team has in you, and make work for you generally more difficult.
Tip #2: DON’T harass or humiliate the employee
This should be a given but it bears repeating — harassment is never OK. Preserve both your and your employee’s dignity by being professional and respectful.
As mentioned, even if the employee gets argumentative or even verbally abusive, you mustn’t stoop to their level.
Tip #3: DON’T give them false hope
Around 37% of managers are uncomfortable giving feedback, and that includes the feedback they give when they’re firing someone. That’s why a lot of times, managers try to soften the blow and sugarcoat what they have to say. This leads to miscommunication during the meeting and it might even make the employee believe that they have a chance of keeping their job.
Tip #4: DON’T do it without a witness
Getting an HR representative isn’t just a matter of having some logistical support from the department in question. Having a rep with you also means you’ll have a witness in the room. That way, no matter what happens during the meeting, you’ll have an impartial eyewitness who will, if necessary, be able to testify about what transpired.
Tip #5: DON’T do a long speech
Firing someone often makes you feel as if you’re justifying a decision to someone who’s directly affected by it. That might lead to you talking more and more, in a desperate effort to explain your decision-making process.
That’s unnecessary and counterproductive. Avoid long speeches. Instead, try to relay your point in a brief, clear statement.
Tip #6: DON’T do it in front of other employees
Firing someone in front of an audience, no matter how much they “deserved it”, is never a good idea. Making a spectacle can influence team morale, productivity, and engagement. Not to mention, it can undermine you as a leader.
Scripts for how to fire someone
If you’re doubting your ability to fire someone professionally even by following the step-by-step guide, here are a few example scripts on how to fire someone that you might find helpful.
General script for how to fire someone
If you want to stick to the basics, you can always follow a general script for firing someone and adapt it to your needs. This script includes:
- Introductory phrase or phrases,
- Setting employee’s expectations,
- Listing the reasons for the termination, and
- Relaying additional information.
Here’s one example:
“[Name], thank you for coming to this meeting. I’m afraid I don’t have good news. As you know, we’ve had several conversations in the past about [an issue/issues the employee had]. Even with guidance from me and the rest of the team, you aren’t showing enough signs of improvement. That’s why we are letting you go. Today will be your last day here.”
Another example of a general script would look something like this:
“Hello, [Name]. During the previous [time period], we have done several assessments of your work because you consistently weren’t able to meet [business targets]. Each of those assessments included detailed feedback as well as remarks on what you could improve. Since you weren’t able to progress as quickly as we needed you to, we have decided to let you go. Please leave your key fob, badge, and all equipment on your desk by the end of the work day.”
Script for how to fire someone for poor performance
Although general scripts would work well when you’re looking for a professional way to fire someone for poor performance, it’s not a bad idea to be more specific in those instances.
Offer more examples of poor performance as well as documentation that illustrates what you’re talking about.
For example, you might want to say something like this:
“[Name], I’ve called this meeting with you to let you know that we’ll, unfortunately, have to let you go from the company. We’ve raised several issues with you regarding your performance. You may remember the evaluations we did on [date and time] and [date and time]. Unfortunately, the results of our assessments showed that, although you’re a diligent worker, you simply aren’t able to meet our [daily/weekly/monthly goals].
Your poor performance affects the entire team because other people had to work harder in order to ensure the team meets the overall quota.
Due to that, we have decided that today will be your last day in the company. Your final paycheck will be deposited in your account within [time period]. You’ll also receive an outline of the reasons for your termination from [HR rep’s name].
I’d like you to know that even though things didn’t work out the way we hoped, working with you has been a pleasure. You’re a hard worker and I’m sure you will have a lot of success as a member of some other team.”
Script for how to fire someone who is not a good fit
Firing someone because they aren’t a good fit is a bit of a tricky task. It’s really hard to do it without basically saying, “Your personality sucks.”
That’s why it’s vital that you pick your words carefully here.
Here’s a good example of how you can do it:
“[Name], I wanted to talk to you about your role in the team.
Sadly, I think that your time with us has come to an end. Over the past few months, I’ve noticed that your communication with your teammates has been distant and sometimes even hostile. You often work on your own instead of reaching out to others and even look down on your teammates when they seek help.
As a manager who nurtures a collaborative environment, I came to the conclusion that you simply aren’t a good fit for this team. Your work has been solid and I had very few complaints about its quality. However, fit-wise, I feel like you’d be much happier in some other team that works a bit differently than we do.
I’d be happy to write you a recommendation letter if you need one since I believe your skills will be invaluable to someone else.”
How do you tell employees you fired someone?
When you fire someone, others will notice their absence from the team and, unless you explain what happened, they’ll quickly come up with their own theories. That can quickly spiral out of control and leave you with massive (ridiculous) gossip on your hands.
But, more importantly, the reasons behind your decision to fire a team member shouldn’t be a secret because good leaders communicate with their teams.
So, when you let a team member go, make sure you have a conversation with the rest of the team to explain what happened. Here are a few tips on that.
Tip #1: Don’t delegate the dirty work
You might be tempted to delegate the task of breaking the news to the rest of the team. After all, you’ve already done the hardest part, can’t someone else do the rest of it? They probably can, but they shouldn’t.
Firing a member of your team changes its structure. It’s important that you communicate that to the rest of the teammates and explain how it will impact them. If you delegate that task, you’re effectively delegating team management.
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Tip #2: Be kind, but don’t sugarcoat
Carefully choose your words as well as which details to divulge. You don’t want to badmouth the employee who got fired or go on and on about the mistakes they made. That would just make you look petty and vindictive.
However, you also can’t sugarcoat it — if the employee who got fired made a huge mistake, you have to bring it up with the team to avoid someone else repeating it.
Tip #3: Don’t make it about you
We mentioned this before, but it bears repeating — this isn’t about you.
Yes, you had to fire someone, but what you’re going through isn’t nearly as hard as what the employee in question is going through.
Keep things polite and professional with Pumble
Even when justified, firing an employee who worked for you (maybe even for years) is tough. It’s also a process that takes quite a bit of planning.
But, with a bit of preparation, and by following our 11-step guide on terminating an employee, we’re sure you’ll make it through.
To ensure the entire process goes as smoothly as possible, try scheduling a 1-on-1 meeting with your employee over Pumble.
With Pumble, a team communication app, you’re able to:
- Send direct messages,
- Communicate with team members in group chats and dedicated channels,
- Schedule voice calls, and
- Schedule video conferences.
