The How-Tos of Firing Incompetent Employees

CATEGORIES OF OFFENSES: Most organizations have two categories of offenses in their policies. One category is for flagrant actions which are cause for immediate termination. Cited as examples of such offenses were theft of company property, gross negligence, and being intoxicated on the job. The second category comprises all other offenses for which some prior notification to the employee is required. In these cases, there is a slow but steady accrual of chronic problems or offenses, no single one enough to cause a termination, but taken together making the decision unavoidable.

REVIEW PERFORMANCE PERIODICALLY: If an employee's work habits or performance have degenerated to the point where a termination is warranted, it may no longer be possible for them to radically alter their behavior. An executive director genuinely concerned with the welfare of individual employees and wishing to help them avoid termination should institute periodic performance reviews for all employees. Poor habits and substandard work should be brought to the employee's attention before it gets out of hand. In these reviews the manager should help the employee set goals for improvement as well as offer whatever support the organization can muster. Progress toward meeting the goals should then be closely monitored.

GIVE ADEQUATE WARNING: Nearly every manager and director would agree that there should be "no surprises." As soon as it becomes apparent to them that an employee may need to be fired, that employee should be warned that such and action is being considered. This warning should be given in a private conference between the manager, personnel officer (sometimes the executive director) and the employee. During this conference the employee should be told: 1) the specific organizational policies or standards the employee is violating or failing to adhere to; 2) objective examples or anecdotes which demonstrate this claim; 3) the specific changes required of the employee to avoid being fired; 4) how the employee's effort to make these changes will be monitored; and 5) the deadline for the final evaluation.

FIRING INCOMPETENT WORKERS: Some organizations have a formal two or three step notification process. In one organization the manager gives a preliminary verbal warning, an initial written warning, and a final written warning before issuing a notification of termination. However, if an organization has an effective performance review process, the early warning needed to give the employee a fair opportunity to improve should be coming up in the periodic reviews.

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CEO, A.E. Schwartz & Associates, Boston, MA., a comprehensive organization which offers over 40 skills based management training programs. Mr. Schwartz conducts over 150 programs annually for clients in industry, research, technology, government, Fortune 100/500 companies, and nonprofit organizations worldwide. He is often found at conferences as a key note presenter and/or facilitator. His style is fast-paced, participatory, practical, and humorous. He has authored over 65 books and products, and taught/lectured at over a dozen colleges and universities throughout the United States.

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