You're Fired!
If you supervise, you may have to fire someone during your career. Believe me, it is nothing like the made for TV drama. As well it shouldn't be, considering this is not entertainment but dealing with real lives. I once had someone tell me (when I was feeling bad about firing someone): "If you ever get to where it isn't hard, then you need to get into another line of work".
People are diverse (no news flash here). The circumstances involving someone's termination of employment will be just as diverse. There are some very specific things you need to do in order to be fair to the company, the employee, comply with employment laws, union contracts and company procedures. Finally, you must make sure that when it's all done, you will know you have done all you can to prevent the event and know you have done the right thing as far as your own integrity and as a Christian.
A starting point is the moment any employee is hired. To make sure you never fire an employee irresponsibly, you must keep timely and accurate documentation of their performance the entire term of their employment. In most cases, those employees go on to be what we all want in our teams: good to excellent the majority of their career. I referred to Performance Reviews in an earlier note. They are necessary but so is the timely documentation showing behavior and work. (I might explain at this point, "timely" is not moment by moment but simply not missing good points and bad points as they happen). It's the pattern of behavior and accomplishments that is so necessary (with the exception of single acts so against policy or law that it warrants immediate termination) when you are dealing with performance issues that may lead to termination of employment. If you have documented the good as-well-as poor performance on a real time basis, you will have the necessary documentation needed to make this decision, to explain it to the employee, your supervisor, human relations, at grievance hearings, unemployment hearings and during lawsuits.
How do you, as a Christian, proceed? I mentioned integrity and that is really at the core of your decision. What the employee does to bring him or herself to this point is not under your control. If, in good conscious, you have given this employee the necessary tools and instruction to enable them to succeed and they have chosen to fail, you now have to move on to allowing them to go elsewhere.
Christians sometimes think they can not (according to God) fire someone. It will deprive the employee's family of steady income for a period of time, it casts a shadow upon their reputation, it seems to show a lack of forgiveness, and you may feel it reflects negatively upon your Christianity. Consider this: Jesus never failed to perform tough jobs, in a strong and firm way, when He had proof it needed to be done, when He had talked with God, and when it was just. Aren't we to model Jesus? You MUST always be well documented and MUST always weight all circumstances. If these show this employee should no longer work for the Company or for you, move with confidence you are doing the right thing - although tough.
Becoming a supervisor is much like growing up. At some point, you are no longer the buddy, the friend, the good-time guy. You have to make tough decisions that affect the lives of your employee and most often his/her family. It is hard and it can make you feel very lonely. It is the line that pushes you out of the group and into the role of adult supervision. It is performing and accepting the difficult with the pay of a supervisor.
Remember when you are in this position the only true friend, advisor, support and confidant will be our Lord. You may be disliked by the employee, her family, friends, co-workers, and possibly the public. You may receive minimal support from your company; because ultimately it was your employee, your decision and your documentation. At this point, some supervisors just throw up their hands and refuse to fire anyone no matter what the deserving circumstances. This is not what the Bible tells us to do. Remember you are not put in a supervisory role to be liked. Being liked is good for your feelings, but if it conflicts with your Christian and company duties, sorry - being liked looses. I never found "will be liked" in the supervisory job description.
Again, may I say NEVER fire a person unless you have truthful accurate documentation and the employee has given reason. Talk to God, talk to your supervisor, your company's human resource department (if they have one) and become clear on your position and your actions. Then proceed as a strong adult knowing you have done all you can to prevent the termination and now you are proceeding as a strong adult to allow this employee to face the consequences of her actions.
II Timothy 4-16-18 "At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Nothwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. A'-men."
People are diverse (no news flash here). The circumstances involving someone's termination of employment will be just as diverse. There are some very specific things you need to do in order to be fair to the company, the employee, comply with employment laws, union contracts and company procedures. Finally, you must make sure that when it's all done, you will know you have done all you can to prevent the event and know you have done the right thing as far as your own integrity and as a Christian.
A starting point is the moment any employee is hired. To make sure you never fire an employee irresponsibly, you must keep timely and accurate documentation of their performance the entire term of their employment. In most cases, those employees go on to be what we all want in our teams: good to excellent the majority of their career. I referred to Performance Reviews in an earlier note. They are necessary but so is the timely documentation showing behavior and work. (I might explain at this point, "timely" is not moment by moment but simply not missing good points and bad points as they happen). It's the pattern of behavior and accomplishments that is so necessary (with the exception of single acts so against policy or law that it warrants immediate termination) when you are dealing with performance issues that may lead to termination of employment. If you have documented the good as-well-as poor performance on a real time basis, you will have the necessary documentation needed to make this decision, to explain it to the employee, your supervisor, human relations, at grievance hearings, unemployment hearings and during lawsuits.
How do you, as a Christian, proceed? I mentioned integrity and that is really at the core of your decision. What the employee does to bring him or herself to this point is not under your control. If, in good conscious, you have given this employee the necessary tools and instruction to enable them to succeed and they have chosen to fail, you now have to move on to allowing them to go elsewhere.
Christians sometimes think they can not (according to God) fire someone. It will deprive the employee's family of steady income for a period of time, it casts a shadow upon their reputation, it seems to show a lack of forgiveness, and you may feel it reflects negatively upon your Christianity. Consider this: Jesus never failed to perform tough jobs, in a strong and firm way, when He had proof it needed to be done, when He had talked with God, and when it was just. Aren't we to model Jesus? You MUST always be well documented and MUST always weight all circumstances. If these show this employee should no longer work for the Company or for you, move with confidence you are doing the right thing - although tough.
Becoming a supervisor is much like growing up. At some point, you are no longer the buddy, the friend, the good-time guy. You have to make tough decisions that affect the lives of your employee and most often his/her family. It is hard and it can make you feel very lonely. It is the line that pushes you out of the group and into the role of adult supervision. It is performing and accepting the difficult with the pay of a supervisor.
Remember when you are in this position the only true friend, advisor, support and confidant will be our Lord. You may be disliked by the employee, her family, friends, co-workers, and possibly the public. You may receive minimal support from your company; because ultimately it was your employee, your decision and your documentation. At this point, some supervisors just throw up their hands and refuse to fire anyone no matter what the deserving circumstances. This is not what the Bible tells us to do. Remember you are not put in a supervisory role to be liked. Being liked is good for your feelings, but if it conflicts with your Christian and company duties, sorry - being liked looses. I never found "will be liked" in the supervisory job description.
Again, may I say NEVER fire a person unless you have truthful accurate documentation and the employee has given reason. Talk to God, talk to your supervisor, your company's human resource department (if they have one) and become clear on your position and your actions. Then proceed as a strong adult knowing you have done all you can to prevent the termination and now you are proceeding as a strong adult to allow this employee to face the consequences of her actions.
II Timothy 4-16-18 "At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Nothwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. A'-men."
posted by Diane Gibson at
8:36 AM
