The good dismissal?

Does the good dismissal exist? Whatever your opinion take note of the following points - do it personally and never on a Friday.

There is a lot of focus on lay-offs at the moment, and employees are often thinking about it at the end of every month: Is it here? Is it now? Is it me?

As an employer it has become easy to 'dispose' of employees. The financial crisis is the standard excuse. As an employee you have become vigilant and cautious. You don't just cross the street and get a new job with the same pay and benefits.

It is rather a philosophical discussion whether good layoffs exist. What is important here and now, is that there are good - i.e. professional - ways to handle it.

Start by dividing the task into three key areas; before, during and after.

BEFORE: It is important for people to know what their situation is. Those who are not in the danger zone must be able to see a future in their job. We do not want to lose them. Those that are going to be dismissed must have a concise picture of what their situation is and what has lead to this situation. The element of (early) notification is important, when the dismissal is due to the company's general situation. Agreement among managers and coordination of communication prevents insecurities about the state of things.

As an executive/manager you must be familiar with your legal position. Do not guess; acquire reliable knowledge and overview. You have to be the competent person in the situation.

DURING: The dismissal itself can be the executive's toughest job, and feelings may compete with the rational decision. Dismissal is physical - it has to be personal, face to face. Bring the employee in for the meeting immediately. Not as much as five inhumane minutes may pass by.

The message itself must be delivered within the first 30 seconds and be substantiated briefly. Be yourself and be neutral. Do not seek understanding - you are not the main character. The employee must be given time to recover and convey his/her reaction. This is tough and may take time; but the employee must be allowed time for this, before you can repeat and clarify the background. When understanding is in place, you must assist the employee in finding a way to look ahead and to get on. This may be in the form of an outplacement process, exemption for job seeking, support people in the organisation, psychological support or your personal support. Conclude by signing the receipt of the dismissal and a handshake on what is going to happen in the coming days. If he/she wants to, the employee must have the possibility to go home and tell what happened.

What about releasing? This will always be a consideration in relation the person's behaviour and the job.

Regardless of whether the dismissal is caused by the outside world, it is still a dismissal for the employee. The executive/manager should not try to explain it away. Show gratitude for what the employee has meant for the company during his/her time in the company. If your wish as a manager is to have the dismissal withdrawn, you must clearly express what this would entail.

Dismissals in the form of layoffs are part of the present state of the market. They have to happen as quickly and coordinated as possible with strong follow-up in the organisation.

AFTER: When the interview or interviews are done, you will feel relieved as a manager. But for the employees in question it is a free fall. You cannot just let go of them. You must make an appointment, preferably for the following day where the employee is given the opportunity to rid himself/herself of any frustrations or concerns they may have. This is important for getting on, and a good reason why dismissals do not happen on Fridays.

After the dismissal it is necessary to pick up on matters in order to reassure everyone who remains at the organisation. This part will be easier if you have completed the first two stages skilfully; but continued dedication is important. All employees must be given an honest explanation of what has happened, face to face as far as possible, followed up by a factual written description of the situation and a plan for what is going to happen.

The better you handle your dismissals, the lesser consequence it has for those who stay and for the company. Do not make up bad stories. We live in a small country; our employees select us based on our professionalism both in good and bad times.

Does the good dismissal exist? It can still be argued, but as an executive/manager you decide how much time will pass before the dismissed employee sees it likes that.