Soldato
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- Glasgow / Canberra
Firing someone...
- Thread starter TheBigCheese
- Start date
Man of Honour
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- 11 Apr 2003
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You're the one who has to deal with the emotive side of it/decide what your instinct about him is. All I'll say, as someone who grudgingly had to attend a dry course on employment law, is that you don't have to give him any notice at this point. Not because of a "probationary period" as some people mentioned, but because of the short length of his service.
Soldato
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- 5 Dec 2003
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Perhaps you could try hitting them?
Hi guys
Thanks very much for your very varied opinions! I didn't think I would get so many responses, very much appreciated reading all the different opinions.
I've had a chat (possibly not formally enough...it didn't seem to go in) with the wayward employee about what they need to do and offered suggestions and ways that I could help them to reach their targets...we'll see how it goes as we get into the new year, not many working days between now and then.
If things don't work out and I have to ask them to leave I will do so knowing that I've given them the opportunity to reach their targets and have been fair with them.
Thanks again for your replies!
Sounds to me like you want him gone regardless, assuming you shut down for a few days between now & the New year, he's got no time & therefore little if any realistic chance of any worthwhile improvement I'd have thought!
I think you know what you have to do and your OP underlines this to me.
He's the one not pulling his weight, you cannot afford him and I'm sure the others don't appreciate effectively carrying him.
He cannot do the job, sack him and get a man who can.
In my previous job as a transport supervisor rather than driver, I found myself in a slightly similar situation, having to sack somebody is not nice, whatever the circumstances.
My decision was easier for me I do admit though, - You can either drive from Stoke to London in a 44ton artic without getting lost & stuck in a housing estate and damaging 5 cars getting out or, you can't!
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Caporegime
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This is your family and your livelihood potentially at stake and you're debating whether or not it would hurt their feelings too much sacking them before Christmas? Do what must be done.
My take on this...
If you have some kind of productivity measuring system in place, and so long as it is fair and accurate, at the point of making a job offer you should make it clear that the job is on a probationary basis and will only become permanent if the target is reached after so many weeks.
The would be employee needs weekly feedback of what they are achieving.
If they don't make it then it is their fault not yours. You just call them in, state the obvious (that they haven't passed the probationary period) and tell them "that's it I'm afraid". Then get them offsite as soon as possible.
Further - continued employment after probation depends on continued performance. Use any disciplinary procedure to apply a kick up the bum, only firing as last resort.
Remember the purpose of a disciplinary action from an employers point of view is to get people working properly NOT get rid of them.
OP, you sound like you are afraid of your staff
If you have some kind of productivity measuring system in place, and so long as it is fair and accurate, at the point of making a job offer you should make it clear that the job is on a probationary basis and will only become permanent if the target is reached after so many weeks.
The would be employee needs weekly feedback of what they are achieving.
If they don't make it then it is their fault not yours. You just call them in, state the obvious (that they haven't passed the probationary period) and tell them "that's it I'm afraid". Then get them offsite as soon as possible.
Further - continued employment after probation depends on continued performance. Use any disciplinary procedure to apply a kick up the bum, only firing as last resort.
Remember the purpose of a disciplinary action from an employers point of view is to get people working properly NOT get rid of them.
OP, you sound like you are afraid of your staff
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Statutory notice periods for employees with between 1 month and 2 years service is 1 week, unless a higher period is stated in the contract.
Less than a month, no notice required, unless stated otherwise in the contract.
If you beleive the issues is attitude, remove them now, before you have a weeks notice to pay for. Attitude is an area that ahrdly ever changes