Firing an employee is probably the least favorite job of most managers. It’s an uncomfortable and delicate process that much be managed well to protect the integrity of your company and the dignity of the person being let go. Even getting to the point where you know a firing is imminent is difficult. Here’s how to know when an employee has crossed the line.
Five Indicators it’s Time to Terminate Your Employee
1. Productivity lagging
Employee productivity is key to company profits. When employees lag in this area, it makes it much harder for employers to reach their revenue goals. If an employee starts to fall behind in production, it’s a good indicator that they may be struggling in the job. If you have given the employee corrective counseling and they aren’t improving, it’s a good sign that it’s possibly time to let them go.
2. Office gossip and drama
Having one bad apple in an office or team setting can infect the entire company with negativity. Gossip and drama can bring down an entire team, so if it continues, the company can be at risk of having a real cultural dilemma that could slow down productivity. Is your employee at the center of rumors or badmouthing management? Are they always in trouble or just on the fringe of trouble? Toxic workers are bad news, and if you have an employee that seems to be the conduit for a lot of ill-feeling, it’s time to consider terminating their employment.
3. Customer complaints
If your customers are complaining about one of your employees, that is a very bad sign. When you consider that 86% of customers say they’ll drop a company due to even one bad experience, that’s money in your pocket eliminated because of one employee that’s causing problems. While you should always consider that there are two sides to every story, a customer complaint is always serious and may be a sign that your employee is wandering into a dangerous territory from an employment perspective.
4. Policy violations
Unintentionally breaking the rules is one thing, but a consistent effort to break established rules means that the employee doesn’t respect the company or his or her managers. You may be able to run with a “three-strikes” policy to rule out that the employee’s behavior was simply an accident. Some policies are so important that if an employee crosses the line, they should be immediately terminated. For example, substance abuse on the job, theft, or even fighting or bringing a weapon to work are usually egregious offenses of most company policies.
5. Time management
Running late on occasion is one thing, but constant tardiness on projects or even when showing up to meetings is annoying to the rest of the team. Time management is an essential component of most jobs, so if a worker continually runs late on almost everything, it is a problem for the company. Excessive absences are another area where employers may need to take note and, eventually, take action against an employee.
Does Your Team Need Help With a Termination?
Deciding to fire an employee is a decision that has both cultural and legal implications for your business. That’s why many companies choose to leave their hiring and firing processes to an Employer of Record like FoxHire. Talk with our team to find out how we can take the burden of employment off your managers and staff.
