Small Business Guide - Small Business Resources
    (Add to Favorites  |  View All Articles  |  Resource Directory)

The unpleasant task of firing someone


Firing Underperforming Employees in Your Small Business


Here are a few tips on how to hand out pink slips when it comes time to terminate an employee.

As a small business owner with employees, you will likely find it necessary one day to terminate an underperforming employee - if you haven't already. In an ideal world, that wouldn't be so. We would hire the right people from the start, and then train and motivate them to do the job.

But, that's not realistic. In the audio book, "Sound Advice on Small Business," entrepreneur Jim Schell says, "The world and the people who inhabit it fall something short of perfect, and thus firing is a necessary evil of having employees."

For some small business owners, taking this unfortunate step is stressful. It might be tempting to delay the action. Schell says don't. "Once you've made the decision, get on with it," he says. "Procrastination is painful for both parties."

Before calling the employee into your office, prepare yourself mentally. "Remember that the underperforming employee is dragging down the rest of the team," says Schell. "Good employees are being penalized."

Finally, Schell suggests doing the dirty deed on Fridays. "Give both parties the weekend to recover," he says. "And remember, it's a heck of a lot harder on whoever's on the other side of the desk."

Jim Schell, co-author of "Small Business for Dummies," offers advice to entrepreneurs on managing a small business in the free audio newsletter from What's Working in Biz, http://www.whatsworking.biz/full_story.asp?ArtID=92.

About The Author

Richard Cunningham is a principal of What's Working in Biz, http://www.whatsworking.biz, the audio marketing firm bringing voice to the insights of business experts through audio books, newsletters, and magazines.


MORE RESOURCES:

News provided by Yahoo! News and Google News

AIR MILES for Business celebrates Canada's outstanding entrepreneurs at the 2015 Small Business Achievement Awards
Congratulate Canada's rising small business owners recognized for their outstanding achievements in a variety of categories TORONTO , Feb. 23, 2015 /CNW/ - Today, the AIR MILES ® Reward Program is proud ...

'Small Business Basics Series' begins in March
UTICA -- The Small Business Development Center is presenting a “Small Business Basics Series”, a course for entrepreneurs and existing small business owners. Six stand-alone modules plus available one-on-one counseling qualify for a Certificate of Achievement in Entrepreneurship. The location is SUNY Polytechnic Institute, 100 Seymour Road, Utica, NY, Donovan Hall.

Decline of small business hurts recovery, jobs growth
© Daniel Acker/Bloomberg A job seeker waits to be interviewed during a Virgin Hotels job fair in Chicago on, Nov. 5, 2014. Another week, another economic indicator that distracts us from the darkest of underlying economic trends: the decline of entrepreneurship in the U.S.

Small Biz Breakfast on Changing Technology Trends - HamletHub

Small Biz Breakfast on Changing Technology Trends
HamletHub
Aaron Syman and Denise Echegaray, technical specialists from Verizon, will discuss Technology Trends that Are Changing Small Business. Wireless communication is the key to staying ahead of your competition. Our focus will be on the Internet of Things: ...

and more »

Judge tells American Express it can't bully small biz - Crain's New York Business

Crain's New York Business

Judge tells American Express it can't bully small biz
Crain's New York Business
Judge tells American Express it can't bully small biz. The court decision could give merchants more leverage to cut costs. Last week, Costco Wholesale Corp. and JetBlue Airways Corp. ended their relationship with AmEx. Article; Comments. Print; Email ...

and more »

GST burden killing small business
Politicians and central bankers scratching their heads wondering why businesses aren't investing ought to speak to Sydney hairdresser Penny Martin. Ms Martin decided to work from home instead, letting five employees go and turning down clients to keep her annual revenue below $75,000 - all to avoid GST paperwork. "I have purposely scaled down my business for that very reason, because it's all ...

Correction: SmallBiz-Gas Prices story - Hickory Daily Record

Hickory Daily Record

Correction: SmallBiz-Gas Prices story
Hickory Daily Record
NEW YORK (AP) — In a story Jan. 28 about the impact of falling gas prices on small businesses, The Associated Press reported erroneously that CQC Home had revenue of $1.6 million in 2013, $3 million in 2014 and projects $4.5 million for 2015.

and more »

Home | Site Map | Privacy Statement | More Articles
© 2006