Know When to Hold 'em and When to Fold 'em

Your employees are your biggest investment and asset and as such, they are not easily disposable. If you’ve ever been through the hiring process, you know how hard it is to find the “unicorn” employee that meets all your requirements and preferences. Once you have made a confident and informed hire with the help of Hire Standard’s thorough process, you want that employee to succeed. There is a responsibility on your part as manager to properly onboard, train and support your new employee. This means ensuring they know what is expected of them and they have the resources they need to do the job. It is also imperative that you keep open communication and check in regularly with your employees. They need to feel comfortable asking questions and getting help when not sure of the priorities or right actions to take.

If early on you see that they are not meeting your requirements, as laid out in their measurable objectives or key performance indicators, go through them at your scheduled check-ins (usually 3, 6 and 12 months and annually afterwards). Voice your concerns and give them opportunity to reflect and improve, also asking them what they need from you. Think of it as a report card, now they know where they’re at and where they need to be to “pass”. It’s also important to document conversations and incidents to have a record if they end up being let go. Don’t be afraid of having honest and even hard conversations to protect their feelings. In some cases, people get stuck in a role because no one asked them if they were happy, supported, given the training and resources needed, or able to use their strengths. In some cases, adjustments can be made for an employee to be more successful in their role by taking a CliftonStrengths® inventory and allocating tasks or methods to better suit an employee’s strongest talents. Or you might be doing them a favour by letting them off the hook sooner than later. Jim Pattison is known for his policy of firing the worst producing car salesman at the end of every month as a way to let that individual find success in a different role.

The longer you keep someone around, the more complicated the firing process becomes. It can decrease staff moral and company culture if their performance is negatively impacting the whole team. That’s why we offer a 6 month replacement guarantee on all permanent recruitments. We encourage you to make that decision before 6 months and we’ll do a new recruitment at no extra cost. If you have resolved that this person is not a long term fit and cannot be trained or developed, pay them out. The cost of keeping them on outweighs the cost of severance. If you’re not sure of the implications and rules around wrongful dismissal, contact an employment lawyer. When it comes time to have the termination conversation, do it in person, discreetly, and have someone else with you as a witness. Be clear, honest, compassionate and concise. It is one of the hardest things to do, but it can be done with transparency and respect, preserving your integrity and the individual’s dignity.