How NOT to fire someone: 5 common mistakes

Unless you're a natural bully, firing someone is never fun. It is, of course, a necessary part of being a manager, and it's a skill that can be honed. The worst mistake, according to experts? Going through the motions like a robot. Act like a human being. There is a very good chance that one day it may be you on the other side of the desk and you'd appreciate being handled like one.

Here are 5 common firing mistakes. Avoid them, and you'll become as proficient as possible in the skill of laying someone off with respect:

Not looking your soon-to-be ex-employee in the eye One of the best ways to show respect is to make eye contact. This is incredibly important - there's another human being across the table from you and being human at this difficult time will make a huge difference to them after they've left and recall how this was handled, especially if it’s their first time. It can scar people for years to come.

Being cagey about your reasons Explaining your reasoning -- briefly -- is the fastest way to give this difficult situation a silver lining. Done the right way you can help catapult someone's career instead of paralyse it. By being open, you can help them excel in a different environment if they don't fit yours.

Being too friendly about it It is entirely possible to sack someone and to be so nice about it that they don't realise they have actually been fired. Getting fired is emotionally very tough, but you can soften the blow by making your message clear and as concise as possible. This means starting right away with your unfortunate message, and then adding any "thank you for your contributions". Of course, this latter comment will depend upon the situation.

Not involving HR Whether your human resources team is ever-present or stays behind the scenes, this is one of those key times that it can often help to use your HR team. If you can have an HR Manager in the meeting with you or waiting elsewhere, it allows the person being terminated to talk afterward with the HR person who can explain issues such as final pay and any ongoing benefits, that will become very important to the individual.

Not shutting up After giving someone this difficult news, give them 30 seconds to digest the blow. Continuing talking while the message is being processed doesn't help them and can certainly hinder the person's ability to get through this moment. Finally, avoid getting into a very detailed discussion of the situation (beyond a brief explanation). By doing so there is a very good chance that you could unintentionally say something that may come back and bite you at a later occasion. Having an HR person present who understands the legal niceties can prevent you from saying too much, or too little.

In my experience almost everyone has either been through this situation or knows someone who has, so as ever, the team at Chesterton Gray would like to hear your thought. www.chestertongray.com