MANY employers struggle over whether or not to terminate employees who have proven themselves liabilities rather than assets. This struggle is perhaps linked to a number of factors, including the size of the talent pool; concern for the individual's well-being; and the reputation a leader has when they are forced to sever ties with employees.
Sometimes you question where you will find a talented employee to replace the one being released. Is the replacement going to be any better? How do you take bread out of that person's mouth, and leave their families in the lurch, by removing the opportunity to earn an income from someone who just might be the sole provider? Will the person who has to say to the employee: "Your services are no longer required" be viewed as a ruthless leader, or a weak, incompetent manager who feels threatened by the employee and has deficiency in talent management skills.
The result, then, is a workplace filled with individuals who are not performing near standard - and should have been released a long time ago. If you work in the civil service, or in many Bahamian private companies, much of what we are sharing resonates with you.
We understand that the business of termination goes both ways. Employees FIRE their employers all the time. They walk off the job, tender their letters of resignation or, in a worst case scenario, they stay on the job physically but check out mentally.
While there are some companies who have no issues terminating failing employees, we have seemingly embraced a culture where releasing unproductive employees is unpopular. In fact, there is a popular view that employees who are released for insubordination, lack of productivity, failing work ethics or any other major infraction are unfairly dismissed, as there are seldom any established standards or clear consequences presented to these wayward workers for blatant disregard of the standards.
Economists tell us that frictional unemployment is good for the economy. It celebrates the individual who leaves a job that is not a good fit for their passion and skills. It praises the company who says to an employee that your time in this company has come to an end for these VALID reasons.
Releasing an employee who is not thriving allows them to relocate to a company where they are better suited. This is nature's lesson to us. You trim the struggling tree to ensure its health, you sever the infected limb to save the body, and you remove and discard the rotten apple from the bag to rescue the bunch. Our conversation today, as uncomfortable as it may be to many, serves to encourage the business community to secure the health of their companies and terminate responsibly. Here are some basic tips:
• Ensure that the circumstances surrounding the termination of the employee fall within the confines of the labour laws of the Bahamas
• Ensure that the employee leaves with an exit survey or some form of dialogue; a two-way conversation communicating displeasures on both ends
• Ensure that every feasible company resource has been exhausted in training, motivating, coaching and developing the team member before the decision to terminate is made
• Ensure that you have been able to demonstrate measurably the inefficiencies and incompetence of the employee. These decisions cannot, and should not, be made subjectively
• Get the POLITRICKS, bias and "hear say" out of the equation. Personality must not be the driving force behind these critical decisions. We are all different with different views, but amid our differences we can learn to work together in harmony. That is what makes us a civil, intelligent and progressive society.
• NB: Ian R Ferguson is a talent management and organisational development consultant, having completed graduate studies with regional and international universities. He has served organsations, both locally and globally, providing relevant solutions to their business growth and development issues. He may be contacted at iferguson@bahamas.com.
Comments
Alex_Charles 6 years, 1 month ago
This is a good article, but it means nothing when talking about the civil service or other places of employment where problematic employees have tenure (which fanatical unions).
The fact that government ministries usually shut down half day on Fridays or right before a holiday should tell you something.
The Bahamas has a 3 party system. The PLP, the FNM and the Civil Service.
bogart 6 years, 1 month ago
EXCELLENT START AT LOOKING AT THE ISSUE OF FIRING OR NOT FIRING.....other salient points relating to particular small island...dynamics..... 1. Some real bad guilty employees dont get fired possibly they da sweetheart relative 2. Some dont gets fired cause dey is somebody important outside child 3. Some goes to the same church 4. Some grow ups as family on some family islamd settlement... 5. Some seem to be protected by some secret society 6. Some are protected by political conmections..bearing similar last names... 7. Some banks just seem to let the tiefing employee pay bach amd quietly let them go and next ting they shows up at another financial instutution....goes on for years that society thinks nobody in banks tiefs....matter never seem to have white collar crime... 8. Some do get caight up in public misdealings but somehow nothing happens 9. Some employees never seem to gets fired but by damn.....but like when ya gorgeous an like single wid 3 children ....ya perfect ... 10. Some dont gets fired cause mussey dey knows some high secret tings 11. Some dont gets fired cause dey seems yo make good coffee, tea...fetch lunch....do pickups and errands stead of their jobs 12. Some just ablle to gets away wid nonsense cause they knows more than da boss 13. Some dont gets let go cause they family tight wid the bosslady family 14. Some dont gets fired cause they iis the Godparents of or Godchildren of somebody 15. Some dont seems to gets fired caise they come from the same street corner growing up 16. Some just able to talk highfalutin influencing weak people but know little work 17. Some are just plain terrible but can hang on cause the bossman is even worser 18. Some smart and know the ememy of the boss is ya friend if they senior 19. If ya bright, high yellow, mango skin....well thats a plus it seems 20. If ya is union ya is strait 21. Bey da way some dress...is like they can do nothing wrong 22. Some just connected and lets the boss knows it too 23. Some seems to gets away cause the boss gats family who employees elsewhere too 24. Some just have a political family on each party 25.Just seems some who jus does plain bold face wrong doing dont gets fired...dey gets promoted... 26. Some are just plain terrible loud an rambunctious.....biggetty....jungalist....an all hell would break loose 27. Some know little bookwork but bestest gestapo...gapseed...nothing can be done 28. Some seem nazi trained but cause theu can ensure slave production taking advantage of pore workers who are victimized. no benefits.....dependent on yhe lil paycheck to put food in their struggling family mout have to continue suffer.... ........I can go on ....many so hilarious, cruel, viscious....ironic...not all the pore competant hardworking workers fault. but true.....
ohdrap4 6 years, 1 month ago
This writer works for the bosses.
However, some bosses themselves are liabilities and employees watch stupefied while they ddestroy the business.
Often, that is thereason why businesses failed, taking with them the pension funds.
John 6 years, 1 month ago
When you look around and see how the economy, at least the retail market is drying up, and some say came to a complete standstill since the increase in VAT, many managers are more concerned with keeping the doors open rather than meeting the employee's needs. Retail stores are being hammered, so much so that one large retailer has already started displaying Christmas decorations...in September, when school has barely opened. And even with the 40% increase in minimum wage less than three years ago, many employees expectations are that they should be earning more. Much more..without even a thought of where this extra money is to come from, or what they can do to help increase their company's revenue. But can you blame them? the cost of living in this country is outrageously high. But the cost of operation is also extremely high for the business. Electricity bills has increased some 40% in six months with no world market forces dictating this increase. With more skilled workers and trained staff, both the employer and employee may consider ironing out their differences before deciding to part ways. With the entry level semi-skilled worker the dedication to the business is less, and because their job satisfaction is already low and their pay expectations are higher than they believe they can achieve on that job, they have no problem walking out and slamming the door behind them. So with the employee on edge because he is seeing his business go closer and closer to losing its ground and the employees "can't see what they are working for the friction will increase.
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