Hiring and firing have long been a part of the human resource process in every organization. While the former excites prospective employees, the latter is one that many employees and employers dread going through in equal measure. It’s a process that is sparingly used in most organizations due to its debilitating effect on an individual’s career and, to some extent, the image of the organization. At a certain point, however, one cannot help but comes to terms with the fact that once there is hiring, the possibility of exiting an organization involuntarily also exists, regardless of how dreadful the experience may be. This is a reality that should not be lost on both employers and employees alike.
The process of handling this dreaded event in human resource management should be considered twofold, accounting for both the employer’s and employee’s perspectives. Once the need for severing ties with an employee arises in an organization, the employer should endeavor to handle it gracefully by observing the following guidelines.
GIVE IT A HUMAN APPROACH
While the decision by the employer to terminate an employee may be a result of certain misdeeds of the employee, it’s important we give the whole disengagement transaction a human face by observing all the established legal processes in disengaging the staff. Oftentimes, there is the tendency for some employers to sidestep some procedures as a way of punishing the exiting staff for some alleged misconduct. Legally, these erring staff members may be deemed innocent until proven guilty of the said offense by a court of competent jurisdiction. The net effect may be an unnecessary legal suit that may hit the organization hard due to the untidy manner in which the disengagement process was handled.
DON’T MAKE IT PERSONAL
There should be clear-cut policy guidelines on acceptable and unacceptable behavior within the organization. In most organizations, it is drafted in an employee handbook that is made available to all employees upon entering the organization. If an employee has to be fired following a breach in company policies, it’s the company’s established regulations and accompanying sanctions that should guide the process, not personal scores to settle or some other tangential factors. The moment personal sentiments are favored over procedures, the whole process becomes distorted and becomes subject to abuse.
IF POSSIBLE, OFFER GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING SERVICES
Employers should always endeavor to manage the off boarding process with tact and finesse. It isn’t always the case that the disengagement process arises out of misconduct on the part of the employee; it could be a retrenchment exercise or termination for poor performance. In such instances, it may be appropriate to offer the affected staff some psychological support to help them manage the situation. It should never be the case that affected employees are left to their fate without any such support. There may often be the need to reengage some of these terminated staff members in the future, hence the need to always to maintain a cordial relationship.
EMPLOYEE’S PERSPECTIVE
From the employee’s perspective, this is a big blow to their professional career that requires time for some to come to terms with. As stated earlier, several factors could account for the termination of an employee from an organization. While the experience may be exacting and distressing, it is expected that affected staffs always have an open mind toward such unfortunate situations.
DO SOME INTROSPECTION
Having gone through the unfortunate episode of losing one’s job, it’s important for one to conduct some analysis of the factors that accounted for the termination. It could be as a result of misconduct or breach of company procedure. What one has to do in this instance is assemble a proper reconstruction of these events, taking notes of shortcomings that led to the dismissal. By doing so, it becomes easier to checkmate one’s self in subsequent employment. If it’s a general retrenchment exercise as a result of a downturn in business, one may also want to critically assess the going concern of companies before applying to work there. It’s not the best of situations to allow one’s survival instinct to force one into jumping into a new job without undertaking some thorough introspection.
OWN UP TO YOUR PREVIOUS SHORTCOMINGS IN YOUR NEW JOB INTERVIEW
Oftentimes there is the tendency for job seekers who were terminated from their previous jobs to want to conceal the reason for their exit for fear of being denied the offer. Others may completely eliminate that part of their employment history from their CV. You may be relieved momentarily by embarking on that route, but if further background checks unearth these details, it may not be beneficial for you. One of the major virtues that prospective employers look out for is honesty; therefore, such hidden facts, when found out, may portray you as a dishonest person and potentially cost you the job. Employers, on the one hand, are very much aware of the occupational hazards of the working environment that might expose employees to the risk of being dismissed. With that being said, opening up about it to an interview panel may be remotely risky, but it would also afford you the opportunity of having an honest engagement with your employers and also portray you as an employee who is ready to purge yourself of past misdeeds. One corporate executive in a financial institution who was fired for sidestepping certain procedures in credit administration owned up to his new employees about how he had learned his lessons from that experience and was prepared to turn over a new leaf. His honesty won the admiration of the panel, who not only employed him but handed him a managerial position.
PSYCH YOUR MIND; TERMINATION IS NOT A DEATH WARRANT
While the ideal situation would be for employees to steer clear of activities that may warrant disengagement from a company, it’s important to note that the hazards associated with certain professions may always expose one to the risk of termination. An example that readily comes to mind is the industry of sports, specifically soccer coaching. Losing one’s job as a coach in professional soccer has now become the norm as opposed to the exception in the industry. Sales jobs cannot be left out of this bracket, either, as sales personnel charged with the responsibilities of providing targeted solutions are almost constantly pestered with the threat of termination if they fail to achieve said solution.
Most human resource practitioners have well understood these unexpected occurrences associated with the world of employment as part of the vagaries of working life. Therefore, any affected staff going through these episodes, as unfortunate as it may be, need that strong mentality and awareness that it is a storm that may pass sooner than expected. It’s a moment of self-belief and motivation that one is capable of rising out of the ashes of termination to prove all the skeptics wrong. With this mindset, it should be entirely possible to successfully move on to another employer and overcome your fears.
Author:
Phidelia Johnson is a global Human Resources Practitioner with eighteen years of leadership success. With a focus on streamlining Human Resources administration, she’s well-equipped to find the right solution to a myriad of concerns. Her experience as a commercial business leader gives her a unique ability to advocate for both the employer and the employee.
In her down time, Phidelia is a master of her kitchen, creating wonderful dishes filled with passion and flavor. If she’s not cooking delicious food, she’s stretched out with a good book. She hopes to use her experience to help others, guide company leaders to best practices, and help build better professionals and stronger organizations.