Dismissal is a very unpleasant process, moreover, not only for the employee who has lost his job, but also for the one who should inform him about it. If you build the conversation right, the fired employee will likely have a good opinion of both you and your company.
Instructions
Step 1
Never use cheat sheets. Sometimes, fearing that the right words will not be found at the right moment, people prepare a whole speech on paper. Just think carefully about how you would like to structure the conversation, and then tell the person to be fired exactly what you need to say, but do not read the text to him like a sentence.
Step 2
Get ready to sympathize with your former employee, take his hand, pat him on the shoulder, express your regret for his departure. If you are familiar with the person being dismissed, remember his personality traits and try to build a conversation with them in mind. Focus primarily on the person to whom you want to tell bad news.
Step 3
Don't drag out the conversation and be calm but firm. Some employees, who have no idea how they will live after being fired, are ready to do anything to get your decision reversed. If they are trying to convince you that everything will change, that now the employee will work in full force, calmly explain that the decision is final and there is no point in discussing it anymore.
Step 4
Do not in any way talk about the bad - only talk about the good. There is no need to tell the employee about all his mistakes, negative character traits, about the fact that he does not cope with the work. Firstly, the dismissed person has his own opinion on this matter, and he will certainly try to challenge every statement you make. Secondly, he will have an unpleasant aftertaste after talking with you. Rather, tell the employee that he did a great job, praise him for his successes, but point out that the company needs to cut staff or that due to the changed circumstances, you need an employee with different knowledge and skills. Speak the truth, but in a good way.
Step 5
Try to use your connections to help the person getting fired find a new job. If you can't do this, at least write a very good recommendation that will help your former employee get a new job. It will not be difficult to do, but the fired person will have a good opinion of you and the company. He will be able to more calmly accept the fact of dismissal if he understands that it will not be too difficult to find a new job.
