To employers who must layoff employees. Step-by-step "how to" guide.

December 8, 2007

Most importantly, you should be empathetic in this (Job Termination)

This is our recommend step-by-step procedure on how to layoff employees.

Most importantly, you should be empathetic in this meeting. You must also make workers aware of the specific departments affected if possible. Some companies also include suspensions, both paid and unpaid, with the final written notice. Once everyone lastly accepts the changes and starts to work within the new team environment, you must see productivity higher than before the downsizing. The wise boss will put the worker into escalating discipline and document expectations in a clear, concise written format.

Take the time to get to know your personnel. Your termination notification needs to get to the point quickly and not give more information then necessary. o Could the employee believe you're terminating for an improper, stupid or "no" reason, even when it's not true? You should amend the severance agreement with any changes and get it back to the worker right away for his signature. The legality may vary from country to country so keep this in mind. When you sit down and let the employee go, you must be sincere about the reasons you feel the need to separate him. To help clear up the rationale for the layoff, create a brief memo which outlines the company's new strategic plan with the goals you expect to achieve. When a verbal warning fails, the written notice will often get the employee to improve. The disgruntled worker can be outgoing and blatant or passive aggressive. o Speaking Spanish or other languages. You might also highlight useful and exceptional work the jobholder did, all while making clear the dismissal is not a debatable issue.

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This is our recommend step-by-step procedure on how to layoff employees.