First Published on https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-do-you-prepare-dismissal-david-ducheyne/
Dismissed!
I’m a former Chief HR Officer and I want to talk about dismissing people. I could use other words like firing , laying off, letting go. But I use the word dismiss because it’s like sending someone out because they’re not performing or no longer needed. Shouting “dismissed” is clear. It means: go away.
In this article, I do not take the company’s point of view but that of the employee. And I know that I have not done every dismissal as well as I would have liked to. Firing people is not something one can get an applause for. It’s not something a normal person likes to do. And I too have sent people home with their private belongings in a cardboard box. That is not very kind and often not necessary. And the worst is, I have also dismissed people without having a good enough reason. A good enough reason.
This said every organization goes through moments that dismissal is warranted. And although a dismissal touches the soul of people, and is, therefore, an ethical act, it is not necessarily a bad thing. Many good things happen after a person has been asked to leave. But as it is an ethical act. So, organizations need to be ethical about it. And so there’s one rule:
Dismiss people the way you’d like to be dismissed.
The sentence above means that you should be empathic about dismissing people. They will react the way they want to react, but everybody wants to be respected. So make sure at least they feel that. And sometimes it’s about the small things: the timing, the time you take, what you say, how you say it, how you respond to the reaction of the employee, … Be human and show respect. Let’s look at the example below.
A fictitious example
It’s not going too well in the organization. The COVID-crisis has been hitting hard. And where the company tried to hold on to its talent, it’s starting to lay off people. They have to. So here’s the call with the invitation to come to the office.
“What is it about?” you might ask.
“You’ll see”, they answer.
And then you enter the room. You see your boss sitting behind the desk, and next to them, you notice the HR Business partner. You feel sick in the stomach. It’s like climbing the steps to the scaffold with a guillotine on it. As you take a seat, the manager starts. It only takes 5 minutes to get fired. They usually don’t beat around the bush.
“We’re sorry to have to tell you that we put an end to our cooperation. It has nothing to do with you or your performance, but COVID-10 …. “
The voice is becoming blurry. You just think about your mortgage, your loans, your obligations. How am I going to cope? The HRBP is explaining about your severance pay. But you don’t listen very well. As your thoughts are drifting away, it’s all blurry. They ask you to sign a settlement agreement. They just offered you five weeks extra severance payment in exchange for agreeing not to sue. You sign. And next, you find yourself with your cardboard box on the steps of the organization. You’re out.
And then you start to. wonder. Why me?
But now it’s too late. You signed the settlement, and then they guided you to your desk and had 15 minutes to fill your box. All your colleagues but one had already left.
2 Questions
This is a fictitious example. But it happens often like that. There are also better examples with more empathy. But there are no beauty prizes for dismissals. Of course, every time you need to dismiss someone you can ask yourself the two important questions
- Is there a good reason?
- How can I make the process as respectful as possible?
I wrote about these questions in my book on sustainable leadership. Asking these questions allows you to think about difficult decisions and actions.
But like I said, I want to take the perspective of the one who has to leave. So here’s the question.
Can one prepare for dismissal?
The answer is yes.
So how?
- Make sure you know how the company is doing and how the crisis is affecting the results. Check the prognosis. Is the organization going through a V-recovery, or is it going through a slower recovery? What are the reserves of the company? Can it cope with losses? Does it have reserves? Does it have enough cash to pay for running costs, including your salary?
- Mentally prepare for dismissal. You can do that by picturing how such an event would occur. Prepare your questions. Examples are: Why is it necessary to fire me? Why me? What are your criteria? How are you going to replace me? Who is going to do my work? How is the organization going to use its reserves? Is the company going for a lower EBITDA, or does it want to maintain the pre-corona levels? Why are you asking me to sign a settlement? What happens if I do not sign? Why are you asking me to leave immediately (if that happens)? What are the details of the severance package? How does the outplacement work? Which office will you use? Can I refuse to accept their services? Take notes of the answers.
- Tell yourself how you will keep your dignity. Going through a dismissal is comparable to a divorce. You feel rejected, thrown away. You cannot influence the decision, but you can decide how you will respond. Don’t yell. Don’t cry. Don’t insult. Don’t hit people. Don’t threaten. Remain dignified. At that moment, your dignity is the only thing you can keep. Often the people who are dismissing you did not even make the decision. They just execute it. Maybe it’s strange to say, but firing someone is also painful for those who have to give the message. They want to get it over with and will want to keep the conversation short (which is not always a bad idea). It might be difficult to empathize with those who hold the ax, but don’t get personal. And don’t beg.
- Make sure you have a plan B. Having a plan B makes a dismissal less problematic. There’s a way out. There’s life after this job. If you don’t have a plan B, develop one now. There are options. If you are dismissed having a plan B, it’s less painful.
- It’s generally not a good idea to sign something during a dismissal conversation. Ask for time to review the proposal. If you do not get time, then you know you’re being put under pressure. Usually, there is no good reason to do that.
- Do not say things that you might regret. It’s essential to keep a good relationship with your former employer and your former colleagues. You need to protect your reputation. Don’t forget that your next job probably depends on the previous one. Life is all about relationships. Keep them intact.
- Ask for references. If there is no performance-related reason for your dismissal, then you should ask for recommendations or references. You can do that during the dismissal conversation, or after.
- Think about the positive outcomes of the dismissal. This is not an easy one. Sometimes someone decides for you, and most of the time, it turns out well. So avoid the doom thoughts, but look at the positives. Maybe you can take some time off? Perhaps you can take some classes? Maybe you wanted to leave already, but you did not dare to do so?
- Prepare financially for a dismissal. Of course, now it’s too late. But you should have six months reserve to cover the time you need to relaunch. Maybe the severance payment is enough, perhaps not. But if you are financially in trouble because of the dismissal, you haven’t prepared for the contingency of losing your job.
- Decide how you want to leave. If you haven’t been able to say goodbye, make sure you can. Leave as you want to go. Some people throw a party, others disappear in silence. But do not let anyone tell you how you should leave.
It’s inevitable
This list is not only a list for people who think they might be dismissed. It’s also a list for the people who execute the dismissal.
You can choose to do it well. So allow for dignity. Ask yourself the question of how you would like to be dismissed. If you’re forced to dismiss someone in a way you don’t like, try to make it better. You can allow for a follow-up conversation when the emotions are lower. You can help to solve some practical problems. You can be transparent. You can offer assistance. You can improve the process, by taking an empathic point of view. Dismissing people is inevitable, it’s part of business life. But don’t make it worse than it has to be.
I’m afraid we will be talking a lot about dismissals and restructuring in the future. Nobody asked for this pandemic. But it hits hard. So, if you have to let go off people, do it in a way that those who remain see it’s done for a good reason, at a good time, with a good intention and with respect for the people who have to leave.
For those who feel threatened, prepare yourself. Don’t be a victim. Build resilience.
You cannot influence the decision, but you can decide how you will respond.
