How To Fire Someone

Though employers tend to let people go at the end of the work week, it’s more considerate to do it at the beginning of the week, when they can sign up for unemployment and start their job hunt, instead of making them stew all weekend.

Fire them in person. It’s unprofessional, not to mention cold-hearted, to inform someone via email or voice mail.

Be direct. Tell them why they are being let go, when they can expect their final paycheck, and whether they are getting severance. Don’t beat around the bush – it will only make the news harder to absorb.

Be brief. You don’t want to give the impression the subject is open to debate. And keep it professional. Avoid personal statements like, “I really feel bad about this,” which could encourage them to respond in kind, dragging you into a messy conversation.

It’s become common practice to ask the person to leave as soon as they’ve settled their affairs with the Human Resources department. If your company handles sensitive information, or if you believe the person may try to retaliate, consider escorting them out of the building and shipping their personal effects to them.

As soon as the meeting is over, while your memory is still fresh, write down a detailed account of what happened to document that you went by the book.