Best Firing Practices

1) Be calm and professional. Do not fire an employee in a way that will embarrass the individual or make him/her angry.

2) Time is right. Do not fire on a Friday or at the end of the day. It means that you will be sending that person home with nothing to do but complain which can increase the likelihood of legal claims. This is the last thing that you would want for your Antares vending business.

3) Set realistic standards upfront. Let the employee know your expectations, then hold fast to those standards. It makes it easier for you to decide when to terminate the employee who is not performing well in the Antares vending business. You should have solid grounds for your decision.

4) Reprimand when necessary. Do not let performances lapses in your Antares business go unanswered; address them as they happen.

5) Avoid formalistic rules. Avoid having a list of work rules. Such lists are often incomplete and also encourage employees to do just enough to get by. Managers often think they need a list of specific rules as a basis for firing someone. But you create an expectation when you set behavior rules. If you must have rules for your Antares business, make them broad rules that will encompass a variety of desired conduct.

6) Avoid the need to terminate. If an employee is having performance issues, discuss them with him or her before it is necessary to terminate them. Tell the employee to make a commitment to improve his/her performance.

7) Be straightforward. Be honest in telling the employee the reasons why he or she is being fired. Half truths are the common fodder for employment discrimination lawsuits in termination cases.

8) Keep the reasons confidential. Do not discuss the reasons why an employee was discharged with other employees. This can lead to more hurt or angry feelings on the part of the employee. Thus a greater likelihood of litigation

Always be tactful when there is a need to terminate employees from your Antares business. The last thin you would want is a lawsuit that will bring a bad name to your business.