Some of the details thoughtful employers have considered about firing an employee have changed in recent years due to the proliferation of online resources for job searchers. Some employers believed that it was unkind to fire an employee on a Friday, for example, because the former employee would be stuck all weekend with little to do to launch his or her job search. And, the last thing you wanted was an unhappy former employee stewing in his or her anger all weekend.
Others typically fired an employee on Friday because it was convenient for payroll and accounting. The employee was a secondary thought, but it was the goal to present the employee with his or her final paycheck at the termination meeting.
The times they are a'changing, but some things never change. It's still important to develop a solid case for firing an employee. It's still important to communicate effectively with the employee every step of the way until employment termination is the best solution to performance issues.
I am always troubled when I read posts like this one in the HR Forum. The poster has to terminate an employee's job and says that the employee doesn't know the termination is coming.
When to Fire an Employee
The employee should always know it's coming. Even in the case of layoffs, management should have been communicating problems and issues so that employees are not completely blind sided. Performance issues leading to employment termination should always be clearly understood by the employee.
A performance improvement plan (PIP) may even become your last resort communication tool in your efforts to communicate with an employee. Unfortunately, not all organizations use a PIP appropriately and so they have developed a seriously bad image.
(A PIP is not always in order. In the case of a poorly performing manager with a negative attitude, for example, you may have lost confidence in his or her ability to manage. And, because of their position, the negativity affects too many other employees to wait.)
No PIP will fix this state of affairs. Sometimes, it's better to just let them go even if you have to provide more severance pay.
Firing a person because they are an at will employee leaves a lot to be desired, too, although some employers still do it.
But, back to my original question: Is Friday a bad day to fire an employee? What do you think? What's the best day to fire an employee and why? Please respond here on my response page. What day do you recommend? See what other practitioners recommend, too.
Please note: I don't publish posts that are written in all caps or that are overwhelmed with cuss words.
Image Copyright Stefanie Timmermann
More From About.com HR on Facebook
For relevant, interesting, newsworthy posts throughout the day, please visit and like my About Human Resources page on Facebook.
Susan. I agree with you. Call the employee. Tell him, “We are having a slightly bad time and we would not like you to go but the policies from the top. You know how it is. I may me next. Please collect your letter of the recommendation and the pay. If there is anything, I can do please feel very free anytime to talk to me. I hope you find a better job.’ “That is much better then looking for the bad valued of him. Both are win win solutions.
I thank you
Firozali A Mulla DBA
Green fashionline does not fire as income is proformaced based. If they were to become negative surely they would just leave on their own. One more reason for profit sharing.
Paul Towle BSW, CPM
Best day of the week – Friday. At the end of a pay period and have the final check prepared & ready to hand to the individual for any earned, unused vacation or if you pay for unused sick leave, have those calculations accurately done and give the person a copy of everything, along with necessary papers regarding health insurance continuation, 401-K, and if you can generate a W-2, have that ready also. Stay with the individual while the desk is cleared out. Have some cardboard boxes ready in a closet for the individual to use to gather his/her belongings and GET THE DOOR KEY (s). Get yourself prepared to make an announcement or send a memo on Monday morning that the individual is not with the company. No doubt if the individual has friends in the company, they will ‘hear about it’ over the weekend, so the ‘grapevine’ will really be working. Friday is the best day; person has the weekend to partially recover and get ready to start the process to find another job. Do not speak of bad things (if there are any) of the individual. Have a positive attitude. If it is a ‘lay off’ vs. a termination for cause, then adjustments can be made to the good-bye process.
Actual scenario of the worst termination I ever saw:
On Aug 14 a customer came in and asked our manager what she was going to do, now that the business had been sold. She responded, “It hasn’t been sold.” and he said, “Yes, it has.”
When the owner called for the day’s stats the manager confronted her, and she said, “Oh, I’m so sorry, my husband has been saying I should tell you — escrow closes Sept 1, and they have their own manager, so they won’t need you.”
No severance pay, though the owner did say she would pay the manager a week’s salary if she would stay and train her replacement. As the manager said, “Get the salt shaker, pour salt on the wound…”.
The manager had been employed for five years, and given above and beyond what was requird. This whold episode has ongoing repercussions, too, because the manager was very popular with the customers as well as the staff. None of the staff was let go, but many of our customers are blaming the new owners, and we have seen a definite drop in our customer numbers.
Worst termination.
I had been discussing my move to a new apartment closer to work for a couple of weeks with the owners of the company where I was a manager. They even told me where I could get boxes to help with the move.
Friday afternoon, with one of the owners in the next office, I received a call from the senior owner, who was in another city, telling me that they would have to let me go. I was shocked to say the least. I had turned the business around in the time I had been there and was only receiving praise for my contributions.
Friday might be the day chosen to terminate, but please not by phone!!
I am often involved in terminations where I work. I must say there never is a good day, time or way to let someone go.
It is important to plan ahead and coordinate activities to make the announcement to the affected worker as smooth as possible. No matter who the individidual is, or the reasons for the termination, it is important to treat people with dignity and respect.
I also leave them with the opportunity to contact me at any time for answers to questions and to discuss concerns afterwards. It has been my experience that a degree of empathy does help
Friday is never a good time to terminate. Be empathetic but say “the decision has been made” so they get the idea, it is not a case to be argued. As soon as you’ve presented the final check have someone turn off their computer so they no longer have access and take whatever keys they have (office-related) in their possession. Offer to allow them the dignity of returning after work to collect their belongings so they don’t have to face the humiliation of being escorted out “hat in hand”.
If that is their preferred option, of course have two managers on hand to escort them out once they’ve returned for their personal belongings.
Friday at the end of the day is still the best. What ever disruptions will happen in the workplace will dissipate over the weekend. An employer will never be able to control the gossip only minimize it at work.
Ah, an age-old HR debate. If we fire via email like Radio Shack did some time ago, I guess when it happens depends on when they open their email!
I agree with Virginia. Friday is best. They aren’t immediately in a mindset to job hunt. If the next day is a weekday, family and friends are at work and not there to support them.
However, I’ve learned to NOT let people pack up. Horror stories of them taking two hours, etc. They are in shock. Let them get their purse/keys, etc. and depart. Ship their “stuff” later. Also very uncomfortable for the person who has to “babysit” them and a potential security issue (opportunity to “steal” files, etc.).
Kristine, the points you mention are HUGE. I’d add kindness and compassion. People sue because they are mad and how they’re treated on the way out can have a big impact. If things are done properly (warnings, PIP, etc.), they should be “firing themselves.” The supervisor and HR’s role is to make it happen with the least trauma to the ee.
And I agree with Rhonda – end of day. You don’t need them exiting the building in front of co-workers.
It doesn’t matter what day you decide to fire an employee but I agree with other contributors that you have to be emphathetic about it and advise the employee in advance in order to prepare him. This side of the continent, you have to be really careful in handling terminations as they can come back to haunt you years after the fact, if not done well.
An additional comment…I disagree with Mark in one respect. I would prefer not to go through a terminated individual’s work station, collecting what I think may be that individual’s “stuff” and shipping it to him/her later. The packing should not be extensive, stand there & watch – & it doesn’t matter how many hours it takes. However, if you say something like, “….I believe you can clear your personal items in 20 or so minutes…”, then you wouldn’t be there 2 hours because you have set parameters. I feel that is an invasion of their privacy to pack for the individual, even though they are using a company’s desk/cubicle/etc. The person can always call you later & say, “you didn’t send, this or that, or what happened to my this or that”. If they collect, pack & take, then the residual is not in question. (After the individual has left the premises, I would take another box & pack questionable personal items & I would hold that box in reserve in my office for a few days, just in case the individual calls back to say he/she forgot something). I would even help, or get assistance, to get the box (es) to the terminated person’s vehicle. Yes, compassion is helpful & at the end, remember, “do the termination right &, hopefully, it will not come back to haunt you”. After loading the vehicle, go back to your desk & document, document, document the event.
Great comments. Bernedetty, please explain:
advise the employee in advance in order to prepare him.
Susan – I respect your opinion….what is it?!!
Employee termination should be managed professionally and in line with laid down policy of the organisation.
There is no good day to fire but Friday is better.The employee will have enough time to rest & think before job hunting the following week.ln all, the organisation should follow the laid down policy for such action.
I was fired on a Wednesday afternoon. I was a Temporary Employee and was not happy on the job due to poor training and a bad manager. When I would finish a project and if there was any errors, she would come back to my desk and talk down to me in front of other employees in the department. It made me nervous and I could not concentrate. I was so stressed out that I was thinking about leaving anyway. After I left, I e-mailed the manager and told her that her behavior was a form of harassment. She never answered my e-mail. I wonder why!