https://www.channelfutures.com/wp-content/themes/channelfutures_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Tech Services Brokerages
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
    • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • MSP 501 Information Center
    • 2021 MSP 501 Rankings
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • Channel Futures TV
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Advertise
    • 2022 Editorial Calendar
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2021 MSP 501
    • Circle of Excellence
    • DE&I 101
    • Top Gun 51
    • Channel Partners 101 (CP 101)
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • MSP Summit
    • Channel Partners Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • About Us
  • DE&I
Channel Futures
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Tech Services Brokerages
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
    • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • MSP 501 Information Center
    • 2021 MSP 501 Rankings
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • Channel Futures TV
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Advertise
    • 2022 Editorial Calendar
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2021 MSP 501
    • Circle of Excellence
    • DE&I 101
    • Top Gun 51
    • Channel Partners 101 (CP 101)
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • MSP Summit
    • Channel Partners Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • About Us
  • DE&I
    • Newsletter
  • REGISTER
  • MSPs
  • VARs / SIs
  • Agents
  • Cloud Service Providers
  • Channel Partners Events
 Channel Futures

Uncategorized


To Fire or Not to Fire? Dealing with Unproductive Workers

  • Written by Elliot Markowitz
  • October 16, 2014

Troubled employees lead to troubled companies. But when is it the right time to throw in the towel with an employee?

Troubled employees lead to troubled companies. But when is it the right time to throw in the towel with an employee?

Althought most states have at-will labor laws, under which employees can be dismissed by an employer for any reason and without warning, letting go of an employee should be an exercise in caution. You want to make sure you are not opening yourself up to any discrimination, abuse or other claims when releasing anyone from their duties.

The ultimate goal of any organization is to avoid layoffs or firings unless absolutely necessary. Companies invest heavily in their employees in terms of training, education, market exposure and building internal processes. As a result, employees possess certain skill sets and established external and internal relationships. Dismissing someone not only impacts that person’s life greatly but also causes a ripple effect, both inside and outside the company.

Letting an employee go always should be the last option. That said, sometimes it must be done. However, as a business owner or manager it is in your best interest to first make every attempt to turn around the situation before dismissal.

Here are the actions that should be taken first.

  1. Address any situation immediately: Do not wait for review time. Employees should know if they are doing a good job or bad job. That’s managing. There should be no surprises come review time. Review time is to go over the year as a whole and set future goals, not discuss specific problems that took place months before. When a problem arises, discuss what went wrong and how to fix it quickly, before the details get hazy and to avoid a repeat event. Sweeping problems under the rug does not make them go away.
  2. Don’t criticize over email: Most communication is not verbal, according to nearly every study published. Criticizing or reprimanding an employee over email is a bad idea. While you may be trying to be encouraging and your intensions are to supportively correct a situation, the employee will react with emotion. The problem is, that person can’t tell the tone or put into context the message because they can’t see your facial expressions, body language or hear your tone. Most people will react more negatively to a harsh email than to a face-to-face encounter. Do not curse. Do not insult or attack that person personally. Try and meet with the employee to discuss the situation. If that is not doable because of location, then pick up the phone. But avoid email criticism at all costs.
  3. When to bring in HR: In most business situations bringing in human resources is not necessary. Once HR is involved there are fewer options and less flexibility. But sometimes HR needs to be involved. After the initial conversation you need to determine if the employee has indeed changed or continues along the same pattern. If the situation does not change and only animosity ensues, then it may be time to bring in HR and officially get the situation on record. This is to protect yourself, the company and even the employee.
    Also, every individual has personal issues going on outside the workplace. You can say these issues should not affect their work, but be real—they inadvertently will, depending on the situation. Managers need to be sensitive to their employees but also ensure they are doing their jobs. Maybe the employee is going through some personal issues that will only last a season. Bringing in HR formalizes the situation and puts everything on the table.
    Once HR is brought in, the employee should be given specific instructions on what he or she needs to do in a specific period of time. Sometimes this is a 30-day period, sometimes 60 days, sometimes longer. It depends on the situation and the employee's specific role in the company. Document everything and have it signed.
  4. Letting go: If nothing changes, all the steps fail and you decide to let go an individual, make sure you do it right. Make sure it is not personal, but professional. Employees are extensions of your company. They have relationships, and with today’s social media channels, companies must be careful in the way they dismiss an individual. Again, do not do this over email and do not do this without HR. Give the employee the dignity of a personal meeting explaining what went wrong and the reasons for the dismissal. Soften the blow by providing severance. Extend benefits if possible. Pay any outstanding owed vacation time or bonuses. Allow the fired employee to transfer personal files from his or her computer (yes, employees occasionally use their computers for personal use). The point is to treat them with respect.

Not all employees are the right fit for certain jobs or certain business cultures. That’s life. However, treat your employees with respect and give them the chance to correct their situations before termination and you will have a more productive and loyal workforce. Letting anyone go should not be taken lightly, but if the time comes, do it the right way. Take the high road and do your part to end the relationship on good terms.

Tags: Uncategorized

Most Recent


  • MSPmentor 501 2017 North America Rankings 50 to 1
    MSPmentor 501: 2017 North America Rankings 50 to 1
    MSPmentor 501 annual rankings of MSPs also offers regional lists. You've reached the page that ranks the top North American MSPs for 2017 from 50 to 1
  • MSPmentor 501 2017 North America Rankings 100 to 51
    MSPmentor 501: 2017 North America Rankings 100 to 51
    MSPmentor 501 annual rankings of MSPs also offers regional lists. You've reached the page that ranks the top North American MSPs for 2017 from 100 to 51
  • MSPmentor 501 2017 North America Rankings 200 to 151
    MSPmentor 501: 2017 North America Rankings 200 to 151
    MSPmentor 501 annual rankings of MSPs also offers regional lists. You've reached the page that ranks the top North American MSPs for 2017 from 200 to 151
  • MSPmentor 501 2017 North America Rankings 150 to 101
    MSPmentor 501: 2017 North America Rankings 150 to 101
    MSPmentor 501 annual rankings of MSPs also offers regional lists. You've reached the page that ranks the top North American MSPs for 2017 from 150 to 101

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your Channel Futures account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • To Fire or Not to Fire? Dealing with Unproductive Workers
    FinancialForce
  • Microsoft Inspire: News Summary for Day 3
  • Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella gives the 39Vision Keynote39 speech during a Microsoft Inspire event at the Verizon Center on July 10 2017 in Washington DC
    Microsoft Inspire 2017: 5 Must-Watch Sessions for Partners
  • Microsoft Inspire: Beyond Three Launch Vendors, Azure Stack to Provide Wider Ecosystem Opportunity

Upcoming Events

View all

Channel Partners Europe

June 14, 2022 - June 15, 2022

MSP Summit

September 13, 2022 - September 16, 2022

Galleries

View all

Ingram Micro Cloud Summit: From the Expo Floor

May 20, 2022

What Does TSB Consolidation Mean for Vendors? Channel Reacts to PlanetOne-Avant Deal

May 19, 2022

The Gately Report: BlackBerry Ups Investment, Support of MSSP Partners

May 19, 2022

Industry Perspectives

View all

How SD-WAN Helps Secure the Expanding Network Perimeter

May 19, 2022

A Sneak Peek at the 2022 BrightCloud Threat Report

May 17, 2022

Build Customers for Life with CX and Lifecycle Selling

May 16, 2022

Webinars

View all

Simplifying SaaS Security for MSPs

April 27, 2022

How to Supercharge The Network to Support Your IT Superhero Moves

May 3, 2022

The 2022 MSP Challenge: Scale Service Delivery Despite the Talent Gap

April 21, 2022

White Papers

View all

The New Bottom Line: How MSPs Can Meet the Healthcare Crisis While Evolving Their Businesses

April 19, 2022

How to build a Security Operations Center (on a budget)

April 4, 2022

The AT&T Cybersecurity Incident Response Toolkit

April 4, 2022

Channel Futures TV

View all

AT&T, Microsoft, Cisco, ThreatLocker on Unlocking Partner Potential

Agents Share ‘Secrets,’ Industry Opportunity

May 11, 2022

Vonage Addresses Potential Partner Opportunity via Acquisition by Ericsson

May 5, 2022

Lumen Technologies ‘Built for Growth and Scale’

May 4, 2022

Twitter

ChannelFutures

We are proud to recognize @UNESCO's World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, a day to celebra… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

May 21, 2022
ChannelFutures

.@barracuda seeing huge shift to managed services among partners at #discover22 dlvr.it/SQmR1y https://t.co/driODezzpS

May 20, 2022
ChannelFutures

.@ConvergeTSC has just announced the acquisition of PC Specialists (@TIGConnect). dlvr.it/SQmMqK https://t.co/suLrTFx1W1

May 20, 2022
ChannelFutures

Photos from Expo @IngramMicroInc Cloud Summit for @pluralsight, @Vonage, @CloudCt4, @watchguard, @TenableSecurity,… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

May 20, 2022
ChannelFutures

.@Zoom channel leader @LauraPadillaSF has taken a new role with @airtable. dlvr.it/SQm6pd https://t.co/R71QtFlwwy

May 20, 2022
ChannelFutures

Was Cisco right to blame "external factors" for its latest numbers? @zkerravala, @AnuragTechaisle, @OmdiaHQ and… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

May 20, 2022
ChannelFutures

The deal between @Avant_CCC and @PlanetOneComm comes at a critical juncture in the channel, as vendors envision dea… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

May 19, 2022
ChannelFutures

.@QNAP_nas warns of #ransomware attack on storage devices. dlvr.it/SQhjs3 https://t.co/2FL32Zh5Be

May 19, 2022

MSSP Insider

Business advice for MSSPs and news from the broader security channel.

Newsletters and Updates

Sign up for The Channel Report, Channel Futures Update, MSP 501 Newsletter and more.

Live Channel Events

Get the latest information on the next industry-leading Channel Partners event.

Galleries

Educational slide shows and images from live events.

Media Kit And Advertising

Want to reach our audience? Access our media kit.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • Channel Partners Events
  • Telecoms.com
  • MSP 501
  • Black Hat
  • IoT World Today
  • Omdia

WORKING WITH US

  • Contact
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Newsletter

FOLLOW Channel Futures ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2022 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X