10 signs it's time to let an
employee go
By Jack Wallen in 10 Things,
October 9, 2013, 12:54 PM PST For some it's tough to let an employee go, even when the signs are obvious. If you see these behaviors, prepare to make a personnel move.
Everyone
has done it – held on to an employee too long. For whatever reason (family,
friends, fear), you just can't seem to muster up the courage to get rid of that
one particular employee. For some managers/owners, it's quite a simple process.
For others, the prospect of releasing an employee is a gut-wrenching experience
they'd rather avoid. It doesn't have to be. Not when you have tell-tale signs
it's time to let that employee go. Sometimes, they are practically asking for
it.
I
have brought together ten such signs. Use these as guideposts to help gauge
your own instincts on the release of employees.
1. Apathy
When
they no longer care, you should no longer care. The biggest problem with apathy
is that it not only prevents people from doing their jobs, it's quite
contagious. Should you wind up with an outbreak of apathy, recovery can be
quite a chore. If apathy has set in with an employee that previously displayed
no such behavior, it would behoove you to get a feel for what is going on. If
the employee is undergoing a personal issue, make sure they understand that,
although you respect their personal lives and might even offer some form of
support, they need to keep the apathy in check. If the employee indicates no
issues going on, very likely that apathetic approach is aimed specifically at
work.
2. Disappearing acts
If
disappearing acts are preceded by the employee dressing up (beyond the norm) or
other changes in behavior, it could mean they are already scouting out new
employment. If not, they could simply be skirting their duties. Either way,
ducking out beyond regularly scheduled breaks is a sure sign you have an
employee that feels they are above and beyond the job. Not only do you risk
other employees assuming unscheduled disappearing acts are allowed, you will
have resentment boiling up from employees who actually follow the rules.
3. Arguments
This
usually takes two different forms: those employees that feel strongly about
their positions and those that have grown weary of their environment and wish
to argue for the simple act of releasing their aggression. If the former,
congratulations, you have a passionate employee! If the latter, you have
someone on your team who has reached the point where a blowup is imminent. When
the latter type of employee begins frequently arguing with you, other
management, fellow employees, or clients...that's a very good sign it's time
for that employee to go. If you're very kind hearted, you could (and probably
should) bring said employee in for a conference to see if any issues can be
resolved. Otherwise...it's hit the road.
4. Productivity
decline
Production
loss can come for many reasons. Some times staff can become overloaded with
work or be placed on a project they have no business on because they lack the
skill set. Other times, a drop in production can come for no apparent reason.
It's when this type of slow down occurs that attention must be paid to the
culprit. If the employee in question seems to be spending more time with his or
her eyes in places other than their work, it's time to bring that employee in
for a chat. When that happens, the employee will either deny your claims or
make excuses for their (in)action.
5. Secrecy
Huddled
employees who scatter when you appear are a problem. When you start hearing
whispered tales around the office, that could mean dissension is spreading like
wildfire. In some cases, those tales can be traced back to one particular
member of the team. It is always best to get to the heart of the matter before
that discontent (or false information) is spread among the masses.
6. Disaffection
Cleaning
house is a bad sign. When you see employees slowly removing their personal
effects from their desks, you should take that as a sure bet the employee is
starting to disassociate themselves with their job and the company. The end
game in this scenario is a slow severing of the ties that bind. During that
process bad blood can be spilled. If you find this employee already dangling on
an unsteady precipice, it's time they were cut loose.
7. Pot-stirring
This
one of the most damaging behaviors you'll find in the office. When you see
signs of this behavior, the first thing you must do is find out who is holding
the spoon. The one fomenting trouble, whether it's by spreading rumors or
setting employees against one another, is doing so for a reason (either
legitimate or not). That staff member must be dealt with quickly or you'll
never calm the sauce of your department/company.
8. Unreasonable
demands
When
employees become dissatisfied with either their jobs or their work
environments, they start asking for things that aren't realistic. In some cases
they are practically begging for you to let them go. If you find this to be the
case, oblige them. Do take one thing under consideration – if more than one
employee seems to be making unreasonable demands, it is upon you to figure out
if there is one employee driving this coup or if you have actually created an
environment that breeds such behavior. Take responsibility and try to view the
situation objectively; you might discover something that can be easily
remedied.
9. Redundancy
If
you're lucky, you can afford to keep someone around for the times when his or
her skills are a necessity, even if that need ebbs and flows. When business is
in high demand, those redundancies can keep you afloat, but when business is
slow, you're spending more than you need. The most important thing is to try
and strike a balance. But economics might lead to the hard decision to cull the
herd a bit, and rely on a contractor if and when the situation requires it.
10. Internal affairs
I'm
not talking about run-of-the-mill office politics. I'm talking about emotional
and sexual affairs. It's tough to devise a policy that prevents dating among
employees, but it's smart. As much as we don't want to admit this, inter-office
romance can be a breeding ground for slapping Scarlet Letter A's on the blazers
of employees. When this happens, you'll find yourself cleaning up messes you
don't want to be involved in. Try to avoid this altogether by creating a strong
policy concerning relationships in the workplace. If someone breaks that policy
– they have to go.
The
hiring and firing of employees is a tough business. This is especially true
when you are trying to create an environment of trust and ease. In the end,
there will always be hard decisions to make. Finding employees that fall into
any of the above behaviors can help to make that decision a bit easier.
About Jack Wallen
Jack Wallen is an award-winning writer for
Techrepublic and Linux.com. As an avid promoter/user of the Linux OS, Jack
tries to convert as many users to open source as possible. His current favorite
flavor of Linux is Bodhi Linux 
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