How to Fire Someone Politely and Nicely

Having to let an employee go is probably one of the hardest parts of being an employer. Not only is the conversation difficult, but doing it incorrectly can land you in an expensive lawsuit that may cost you a LOT of money. Because of this, employers/HR need to understand how to fire an employee politely and professionally.

There are several reasons that an employee needs to be fired. These include an employee not being a good fit for the job/company culture, poor performance, or for attendance issues.

So, if you are thinking about letting an employee go but do not know how to do so, Cake is here to help! In this article, we will explain everything you need to know about terminating an employee’s contract professionally. We will also give you some solid examples of how to fire an employee and the best way to help you craft your own. 

There are many reasons why one’s getting laid off. But before making the crucial decisions, there are several things you, an employer, need to keep in mind before making the final decision to terminate an employee.

Find Out What the Problem Is

The first step in figuring out how to fire an employee is identifying the problem. For example, an employee who is constantly late or making (unjustifiable) excuses for being absent from the office is generally a red flag. Similarly, if an employee is rude to their colleagues, it is generally grounds for firing. In addition to your observations, consult other employees and take a record of everything as evidence. 

Figuring out how to fire an employee is critical and needs to be taken seriously. If an employee is let go for an unjustifiable reason (or without solid evidence of their transgressions), they may take legal action against you.

Give Feedback & Opportunity to Improve

Sometimes, terminating an employee may not be the best course of action! Prevention is the best medicine, and an employee may need to be made aware they are doing the wrong thing. Hence, don’t just make the decision right away; consider inviting them to a one-to-one meeting and give them honest feedback on how they can turn the situation around.

Ensure Your Reasons Are Legal & Legitimate

Before you start seriously wondering how you are going to fire an employee, always consult with your legal advisors on the grounds of your reason. Ensure that your reasons are both legal and legitimate. Here are some common reasons:

• Poor attitude with other employees/administration
• Constant unjustified tardiness and/or absences
• Poor performance (after multiple performance reviews and help)
• Breaking company rules (e.g., theft, code of conduct)
• Sexual harassment
• Leaking confidential company information
• Falsifying information to make their record look good
• Industrial espionage
• Using company funds for personal gain
• Substance abuse on company grounds (e.g., drugs, alcohol)

After you consider all of these points and have justified your reasoning, it is time to prepare the materials. This includes documentation, evidence, and witnesses.

Now that you have figured out that termination is the only way to go, here are some essential steps that should be taken before delivering the news so that you won’t jeopardize your company’s or your reputation.

Prepare All Necessities for the Termination Process

Prepare the essential documentation you need to execute the termination procedure professionally. The process is rather complicated as you don’t want to fire an employee without legal ramifications. Here are some documents that are needed:

• Proof/reason of termination: You need to provide a timeline of proof detailing exactly why the employee is terminated to cover you and the company on legal grounds;
• Compensation package: Along with termination comes a compensation package for the employee being terminated. This depends on the company and the employee's signed contract, but it generally includes at least the remaining month of pay!
• Procedure: Decide how you want to fire the employee in terms of the time, location, and presence of those people. 

Plan the Date & Place (or Medium)

Choosing the appropriate date, location, and medium is an important factor to consider when figuring out how to fire an employee. 

There are multiple factors to consider. Depending on the reason for termination, you could consider holding off on termination until a later time. This could be due to your company’s peak working season and the detrimental effects that losing an employee will have on other employees and your overall productivity. 

Knowing how to fire an employee in the context of the medium you choose is also important. Here are the pros and cons of common ways employers typically fire employees:

• Face-to-face: This is the most common way to tell someone that they are being fired. This method is direct and highly transparent. But when choosing this method, make sure to send them a written form afterward to ensure professionalism. Another note to keep in mind is that removing fired employees from the company premises may be challenging in sensitive cases with unruly employees, so consider your choice carefully.
• Via phone call: It is legal to terminate an employee via a phone call. We recommend transparently holding the call with multiple people as witnesses in the room. This is not as great as a face-to-face meeting.
• Via text: There is no reason that when considering how to fire an employee, a text comes to mind. This is highly unprofessional and should not be considered.
• Via email/letter: When it comes to announcing important news, sending an email or a letter is the most professional and recommended option. It allows you to communicate the information clearly and efficiently while maintaining a level of formality and respect.

Now, it’s time for you to drop the bomb. Here are five steps for you to do so:

• Focus on facts, not feeling attacked: Be neutral. The worst thing you can do as an employer is let your personal feelings show and say something that you legally pay for. Under no circumstances should you attack the employee and berate them on the reason for their termination.
• Give them time to take the news in: An important step to consider when delivering the news is giving time for the employee to process the information they have received. Unemployment is so hard, and breaking the news of their imminent unemployment to an employee will need time to be digested. 
• Be graceful & empathetic: Consider the position you are placing the employee in. The least you could do, as an employer, is be empathic to the employee’s position. That said, this should not affect your decision as you have already weighed the pros and cons of that employee and have figured out how and why you are firing them. 
• Do proper documentation of the process: When deciding how to fire someone, especially during the delivery, document every step of the termination process. This is to legally protect your company and to show the employee that due process has been taken.
• Keep it private: Confidentiality should be a primary consideration when figuring out how to fire someone gracefully and professionally. The specific nature of an employee’s termination should not be public company knowledge and should not be spread around during “office gossip.”

While the fundamental parts of a termination script are the same, the specifics change greatly based on the reason for termination. If you are thinking about how to approach firing an employee in the best way, here are some samples that provide a case-by-case approach for several scenarios.

When someone is not a good fit:

When someone has poor performance:

When someone is not punctual:

After letting them know verbally, it’s time for you to send them an official letter to announce. Here’s a sample for you:

Want more email samples? You can check the rest in this article. 

If you are still struggling to figure out how to fire an employee nicely, here are some tips to keep you as professional and as graceful as possible.

Notify your team as soon as possible

Other than figuring out how to fire an employee, you should notify the team or other employees as quickly as possible. Other than simply being courteous, notifying the team is important because they will more than likely need to increase their workload while a replacement is found. 

Show compassion

Being fired can seriously hurt an individual’s chances of securing another job. That said, just because an employee may not be the right fit at your company does not mean that they do not have their strengths. Depending on the circumstances of the termination, you could consider offering a letter of recommendation for that employee’s future job-searching endeavors. 

Put your feelings aside

You are an employer and are the face of your company. While emotions may be high in such a difficult conversation, you should always separate your personal and professional opinions. This ensures that the way you fire your employees is kept professional and that you never make an inappropriate statement. 

Be uncompromising in your language

The words you use can dramatically change the way that the news of termination is received by an employee. When figuring out how to fire an employee, always remember to keep your tone professional but not cold. Consider the time that the employee has spent with you and treat termination on a case-by-case basis.

Always having someone as a witness

Having a witness in the termination meeting is a good idea because it holds you accountable for your words and ensures that the process is completed fully and on no confusing terms.

Key Recap

The topic of termination is uncomfortable, but it doesn't have to be if you are well-prepared. When deciding how and when to fire an employee, consider all that we have discussed here. Remember to stay professional at all times, conduct the necessary and comprehensive investigations, and ensure that you are taking the best course of action for your company and brand. Good luck!

--- Originally written by Alexander Coye ---