Leaders often feel guilty when they decide to terminate an employee. You are unhappy with the performance of an employee. However, as a manager, you have difficulty deciding if and when to terminate that employee. Upon this realization, you begin to feel uneasy. This leads to stress and anxiety for you and continued poor performance by the employee.
One simple and powerful question is “Are they unwilling or unable?” If they’re unable, then as an employer, it’s your responsibility to ensure they get training and support to enable them to perform. Talk with them. If they are unable, give your team the tools they need to excel.
If they are unwilling, then you have your answer. Unwilling employees make a choice every day not to perform. This choice is solely based on the decisions of those employees, not on how you manage. If they are unwilling, know that their choices are not your responsibility.
Please don’t make their decision about YOU.
However, the driven members of your team should recognize the work of an unwilling employee does not equate to the hard work they put into their team. If you fail to act, you send the wrong message to your employees. You tell other employees with great morale and drive that choosing not to fully commit to their job will still be rewarded with a full paycheck.
These decisions to foster or terminate an employee in your team can definitely be overwhelming. Take the time to consider those employees and their actions leading up to this point. These decisions take time. However, do not be afraid to act upon them once you determine an employee’s ability.
Whether it is your first time in management or you have been a manager for years, enhance your experience with us. To learn more about the different perspectives of employees and managers, check out these Chief Gigs blogs!
The Valuable Benefits of Self Awareness by Wendy Fong
The Truth About Hiring Biases by Megan Chavez
The Struggles of a First Time Manager by Jerry Fu
.