Layoff Someone – Gracefully

Author: Abhinav Bhatt

It can be very disturbing to lay off a person; however, it is important to know how to lay someone off gracefully. This can be very difficult to layoff as a part of organization restructuring, cutting headcount, economic/cost cutting etc. especially when the reason is not the poor performance of the employee.

It is needless to say that the manager/supervisor needs to be sensitive. Below could be few suggestions that could be used to layoff someone- Gracefully:

1.    Preparation needs to be done before meeting the employee. Careful planning can limit the misunderstandings, anger and allegations. Make sure all the documents are in place before the meeting.

2.    The organization can provide an employee some additional considerations like severance, medical coverage. Some perks like advance salary of a few months can help an employee find another job after he/she is laid off.

3.    While meeting the employee, one needs to explain why the person is being laid off. One must be firm but courteous while outlining the reasons as briefly as possible and make sure that the employee fully understands why he or she is being fired and not criticized.

4.    It is generally management’s decision to layoff an employee hence; one should try to limit the explanation and discussion about the termination and should not apologize for the same.

5.    Let the employee express the feelings. Remind about the severance package or benefits offered.

6.    Collect everything related to access that company provided, like the access cards, ID cards, and cross check which passwords, access codes, and permissions need to be changed.

7.    Tell the employee how long they have to gather belongings and leave the area/premises. If possible, try to organize for a quick and graceful exit. Try to conclude meeting with a handshake and sincerely wish that the employee will do well in the future.

Some Quick DONTs

v  Do not set lay-off traps; these are often counteracted by lawsuits

v  Steer clear of humiliation (e.g., having others escorted out, using public lay-offs to make an example).

 

Some of the above ideas have been taken from the internet and some have been reflected from the movie - Up in the Air (2009)