I am Dr. Hassan, a Board-Certified Physiatrist and Independent Practice Owner. I help physiatrists start and grow their own profitable practices so they can achieve financial independence and live without limits.
When building a profitable practice, being the boss is sometimes difficult. It means hiring and firing. Those can be two processes where even the most studious employer makes mistakes. When you’re thinking about letting someone go, there’s a lot to consider. Maybe an employee brings a lot to the table. They’re a true asset to your company. But recent work habits are forcing you to make a tough decision. Maybe you’re in the middle of a labor shortage. This can cause you to look the other way and accept less than acceptable behavior instead of letting someone go. How do you know if parting ways is the right thing to do? When you finally make that difficult decision, what’s the best process?
Here are a few considerations to keep in mind to make a tough time as amicable as possible for you and your employee (We also include a few pointers for identifying someone you might have to let go):
Signs that you might have to part ways with an employee
Does an employee magically become sick as soon as personal time has accrued? That’s the sign of someone who doesn’t want to work.
Some employees never seem to get behind training. They gripe, moan, and complain every time there’s something new to learn, or another skill that needs to be embraced. This attitude can ruin productivity and employee morale.
Do multiple employees complain about somebody that’s always bad-mouthing supervisors and bosses? Left unchecked, this behavior can undermine authority and do a lot of damage to any business.
Complaints from customers can’t be ignored. If the same employee consistently gets negative feedback from your clients and even coworkers, his problem needs to be addressed.
Terminating an employee, the right way
Letting someone go can be a lengthy process. In other words, the employee deserves to be treated fairly here. They might just not be right for this job.
Start collecting performance reviews long before the firing process takes place. This shows a pattern of behavior you can fall back on if the terminated employee takes legal action.
Rehearse what you’re going to say. Stick to the facts, not emotions. Smart business owners detach themselves from the process. They have someone who is a great communicator and well liked in the company to stick to a script and manage the firing.
Plan for all the potential questions ahead of time. When is the employee going to receive her last paycheck? Do they have any personal time vacation time or other benefits they’re going to be paid for? Are you going to provide options for immediate termination are sticking around to help the person’s replacement in a transition process?
Talk to the remaining employees after the termination. Again, stick to a script. Address any questions. let them know what behaviors or habits led to the termination then thank everyone for their help during this tough time.
Parting ways with an employee can be emotionally and financially devastating. These tips will help you make the process as smooth as possible, so both you and the terminated employee can both move on to a better future.
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You must possess certain qualities as a business owner to handle situations like parting ways with an employee. Check out our blog post here to learn about these different qualities that will help you be a successful practice owner.
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I’m Dr. Hassan, a Board-Certified Physiatrist and Independent Practice Owner. I help physiatrists start and grow their own profitable practices so they can achieve financial independence and live without limits. Please go to businessofrehab.com/guide to pick up the free guide to help you determine the best business entity for your new practice.
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