Crisis Avoided… Key Add-On to a Severance Package
Apr 22, 2020
Firing Someone Is Tough for Both Sides. Leaders Can Make It Better!
The activity I hated most in my business was letting people go. Addressing negative reality is tough, but it can be loving. You may feel the same way if you manage people. If there had been a way to make it easier on both sides, I would have been all over it. With my experiences as a Career and Life Coach, I see a much better way to handle how people are fired or let go. (In fact, if you are somebody being fired, continue reading because I strongly recommend that you ask for this add on to your severance package.) Both sides will benefit.
The add-on can save money, reduce anxiety, and even lead former employees to thank managers later for firing them. Sound crazy? No. It has happened to me and can for you. Imagine the relief you will feel. Read on to find out about a loving and God-glorifying way to let people go.
A Sad and Unavoidable Situation
There are times like now when there may be some great employees you are having to let go because of Covid-19, the shutdown, and the likelihood of a recession. Just the other day, I was talking to a fellow in my Bible Study Group, and he was asked to fire hundreds of people. He was devastated. Not many of these employees would have been fired except for this situation, but you can still use the tool that I am going to describe.
If you are inexperienced in firing people, the severance package includes a number of weeks in continued pay, explanation of rollover of retirement balances and when, notification of COBRA benefits if applicable, hold harmless or “no suing us” document, and more. But there is something missing in today’s packages.
Taking Responsibility
We managers should take the responsibility for bad hires. Either we did not assess the potential employee deeply, develop them well enough, or hold them accountable during their time with us. If we don’t take most of the responsibility, shame on us. BTW, if an employee is surprised by being fired or when getting a promotion, that is a bad sign about management – unless the employee is in deep denial.
There is a benefit you can offer that is likely to save you money in the short, medium and long run. It’s not too late to use this add-on if you have already let some people go.
So, What Is the Answer?
As part of the severance package, we recommend that you add a career assessment using the latest science on those we clearly put in the wrong “seat on the bus.” Apparently, the employee was not equipped with the aptitudes, personality, approach to work, interests or awareness of his/her team role to handle the position for which you or somebody else hired them. They were designed by God for a specific career during this time in history, and we can help them find it.
Imagine how much of a bright light you can be in the darkness. To be known that you help your employees in this unique way can really help your brand and recruitment efforts in the future. If you add the career assessment for them and they know you are a Believer, they may even ask you to tell them more about Jesus - eventually.
Conclusion
Given what we do, I know the recommendation sounds self-serving, but let’s take that issue off the table. There are a lot of career consultants in the marketplace costing up to thousands of dollars. We know their cost because some of their former clients came to us for help. We are happy to compete with other firms, especially to serve Christian employees and managers with our Christian overlay that we can add to the assessment.
So, here’s the bottom line. A career assessment can make a big difference in your fired employee’s life and your witness to the world. Wouldn’t it feel good to have a past employee thank you many times for firing them? It has for me.
Charlie Haines
