Need some help. I have to fire someone.

[Grommit]

Well, recently I was given the responsibility to interview several people for our department which went well. I have selected two people who I feel will best help meet our needs. However today I found out why we needed to hire more people... basically my boss wants to let go of several members of our team and have these two new hires serve as their replacement. To make things worse I am given the task of letting these people go.



I’ve never done anything like this before and I don’t even know where to begin. I am delaying this process as long as I can in hopes that I could tell these people ahead of time so they would have more time to find another job or that I could convince my boss to let these people stay. In either case I am having a great amount of stress over this.



I would like guidance in this. I would like wisdom in finding the best solution to this problem. I would like to keep these people here but it is out of my hands. I am at a total loss. I need some help.



Thank you.

 

[mamaneenie]

Wow, I don't think I have what it takes to fire people either. I would firstly pray for the people you have to fire. That doors will open for them somewhere else. (and also for their families if they have little kids to feed as well) Who knows you may fire them, and they may get a better job elsewhere. You never know. I am praying now.

 

[JC4uNme]

I'm sorry to hear that you are in this situation. I've been in similar situations and it is not fun at all. Praying for you and everyone involved.

 

[wvmtnkid]

I have been in that situation myself. It isn't fun. Praying that God will give you the words to say if and when the time comes.

Just to give you something to lighten the mood, I have also fired someone without meaning to! We had quite a high strung graphics design person working for us for awhile who always took news in the the worst possible way. One day the boss was on his way out of town for a couple of days and on his way out he stopped by my office and asked me to relay the message to Sam that when he got back he wanted to talk to her. So I did. She immediatley took this to be a bad sign and that she was fired. By the time my boss got back in town, she had cleaned out her office and was nowhere to be found. I found out later he was planning on talking to her about cutting back her hours and the possibilty of laying her off. But, in a sense he told me I had fired her. It became the office joke for awhile that if I told someone the boss wanted to talk to them it was code for they were fired! That was before I took over the HR duties and it became my job to fire people. Now I just have to tell her I want to talk to them.

 

[goodgirl]

ouch... right before Christmas? I'm always torn on if that's a horrible time or a good one... seems heartless but maybe it's better than letting someone rack up the bills and then pull out the carpet.

I am definitely praying for you and for them... I like your last line that you would like them to stay but it's out of your hands...

anyway, the fact that you're praying about it shows you care, and I think that goes a long way with people.

 

[Mr.Cheese]

Man, just do it.
It sucks.
There's no "good" way to go about it.
At least you have the advantage of being the message boy.
Whatever happens. Good luck.