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How to Part Ways with Employees Well

How to Part Ways with Employees Well

Letting employees go or watching them leave can be very stressful, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t the best decision for all parties. It’s important to prepare and part ways with in a humane way!

In this article:

The challenge of parting ways

Whether you’re an employee quitting and moving on to a new opportunity or an employer letting a team member go, parting ways is tough.

For Employees

Telling an employer you’re leaving feels awkward. Like a breakup with a partner, you’re telling the employer that you don’t want to spend time together anymore, they’re not fulfilling your needs, and you don’t see a future with them. You’re moving on to something better with someone else.

For Employers

Terminating a relationship with an employee comes with a multitude of issues. There can be a conflict between doing what the company needs and acting with empathy toward the employee, and terminations are fraught with emotion.

How to know when it’s time to let someone go

Be thoughtful about when to fire an employee. Rarely should this be a spur of the moment decision! To determine whether it’s time to part ways, ask yourself questions like:

  • Would you be disappointed if they left on their own?
  • Would you rehire them in the same position?
  • Is this a new problem, or has it been going on for a long time?
  • If this is a long-standing problem, what’s different this time?
  • Is this an urgent matter?
  • How long have they been with you, and what is their track record?
  • Is this the first time you’ve had problems with this person?
  • Did the employee have written performance objectives? Is it clear to them that they’re not meeting those objectives?
  • What training did they receive to do this job?
  • Is there anything unusual going on in their personal life or the company dynamics at the moment?

Depending on your answers to those questions, it may be best to start with corrective action to attempt to get the person back on track rather than jumping straight to termination.

How parting ways usually works

Employees can resign on the spot, give two weeks’ notice…or sometimes they just stop showing up to work.

Employers terminate employees in a variety of ways, too. Sometimes it’s an arduous process of performance improvement plans and painful discussions ultimately leading to termination. Other times, employees are completely blindsided; they thought the company valued them, but it turns out the company doesn’t see a future with them.

A vision for more positive partings

The more open employees and employers can be with each other, the smoother the transition.

Some companies are beginning to have “fit” discussions earlier and be more transparent about the organization’s needs. They may even allow the employee to look for a new role while still employed and offer career transition assistance and severance.

If an employee wanted to quit and came to you asking for some time and space to look for a new role, what would you do? Some workers are doing this very thing. They agree to work hard, conduct their job search with transparency, and part as friends. This allows the employer to recruit at the same time and for there to be a peaceful transition of work.

How to handle performance-related terminations

Here are some tips for parting ways with employees who are not performing well.

  • Start with documented corrective action; make sure the employee understands the issue and has an opportunity to turn it around
  • Keep it as private as possible throughout the process
  • Stay balanced, calm and in control; be supportive, but not overly sympathetic
  • No public firings!

How to handle group layoffs

It’s not an easy decision, but sometimes organizations have to reduce their workforces. So how do we conduct reductions in force humanely?

  • Decide who goes and who stays—and document your reasons
  • Consider a voluntary separation program
  • Be thoughtful about timing
  • Make sure you’re compliant with the WARN Act, if applicable
  • Consider offering severance packages
  • Communicate frequently
  • Consider offering outplacement

The benefits of employee separation agreements

There are several reasons for employers to offer separation agreements to exiting employees.

  • It can soften the blow for those being terminated and end the relationship on a positive note
  • It can improve morale in remaining employees
  • It can help the employer avoid future lawsuits
  • It could entice the employee to stay on for a period of time if needed

On the employee’s side:

  • It gives them continued pay for a period of time
  • Health insurance may be extended
  • The employer may agree not to challenge unemployment benefits
  • They may receive other benefits as part of the agreement

More employee termination tips

For more on parting ways with employees well, listen to these episodes of The JoyPowered® Workspace Podcast:

Could you use some advice on employee terminations? Learn more about our consulting services here! Or send us a message here, and we’ll guide you to the right path.