Employee Insubordination

To Managers Who Want To Stop Employee Insubordination And Poor Performance

Terminating employees is one of the least desirable aspects of being a small business owner or Human Resources Manager. Nonetheless, it is a part of your job if you hold either position. Therefore, you must understand as much as possible when it comes to terminating employees to do it sensitively while avoiding legal troubles.

The Concerns of Terminating Employees

For many people, even the thought of terminating employees is undesirable. After all, once you have worked with someone for a time, you get to know him or her on a personal level. You may know that person’s hardships and struggles, and you may know their family. Just thinking of firing that person and placing an extra load on him or her can be bothersome, even if you know the employee should be fired.

Besides the emotional stress of terminating employees, you must be wary of lawsuits. In our current sue happy world, it only takes one small mistake to find yourself going to court over a wrongful termination hearing. Therefore, it is important to follow the proper procedure when terminating employees.

Always Document When Terminating Employees

The first rule of thumb when terminating employees is to document. As a rule, you cannot document enough. Before you reach the point when termination is necessary, you must document all problems you have had with the employee. Describe, in detail, all actions and behaviors that lead to the employee's discipline. Every incident should include the date it took place.

Following each incident, you must list out the actions you took to reprimand the employee. Then, you must notify the employee that you have placed paperwork in his or her employee file and this person must sign the paperwork to show that he or she has read it. If the employee refuses to sign, document this fact as well and have another supervisor sign that he or she witnessed the employee’s refusal.

Cover Yourself When Terminating Employees

When terminating employees, you must always take care to cover these basics. Not only must you document the problems you have had with the employee, but you also must prove that you effectively communicated your expectations to them. This means that you should also document all training you have provided to the employee as well as all meetings you have had with him or her. To do this, draft an employee warning letter each time you have a problem with that person. This letter is similar to an employee termination letter. It briefly outlines the problems you are having with the employee and spells out what will take place if the employee fails to correct his or her behavior.

By providing substantial documentation and following proper procedures when terminating employees, you have a better chance of enjoying a smooth transition without concern of retaliation or a negative lash back. Therefore, it is well worth the time to do properly.