Staff-Line Blog

How to Discipline and Terminate Employees Safely

Published by Ed Kowalski on August 6th, 2010 in category Management

When we think of catastrophic employee violence, we often think of the employee that leaves work, returns armed and targets managers and employees alike for issues that have simmered and later trigger an irrationally violent response. As the story indicates, employees can also simply attack their manager when provoked.

There is no excuse for murder or any form of violence, but this story serves notice that bully behavior by managers can have life-changing consequences. But what of normal management behavior…can it make you a target of violence?

The answer is yes, especially when disciplining or terminating volatile employees.

Disciplining and terminating an employee generates stress. No one likes to be disciplined, and losing a job is considered a traumatic event for most. The result is that some employees, unable to cope, may become violent.

To prevent a violent episode, you need to anticipate how an employee may react to the stress of discipline or termination.

It is a safe practice to hope for the best and prepare for the worst. One way to start is by reflecting on how the employee responded to workplace stress in the past. If during times of stress the employee became emotional, made threats or became violent, then the risk that the employee may do the same again increases.

Like for so many things, preparation is key, and an important preparation step is to have a series of warnings in place prior to disciplining or terminating an employee, if possible. Obviously, not all poor work performance issues or wrongful behavior allows for a warning (theft, harassment e.g.). However, if a warning can be given, it not only guards the employer against litigation, but also helps the employee psychologically prepare for the fact that his or her performance at work is not going well.

In the event of a termination, keep in mind that an employee who feels like he or she has lost everything is the most likely to become violent . Whenever possible, you should consider structuring a termination so that the employee does not feel as if he or she has lost everything. For example, if possible, offer job placement, a continuation of benefits or a severance package.

Here are some more steps to take to guard against violence during a termination:

• Have another person present to witness the discipline or termination. Employees are less likely to become violent if a witness is in the room.
• If you feel that violence is a possibility, notify security to stay alert.
• Be professional during the discipline and termination process and never respond emotionally to an emotional outburst from an employee.
• Never threaten or shame the employee at any time during the discipline or termination process even if the same is done to you.
• Do not meet with the employee in a location where others are unable to assist if the employee turns violent, but make certain that the discipline and termination are discreet.
• If a termination, present the employee with a final paycheck that thoroughly covers the final pay period and any accrued benefits.
• Keep the discipline or termination meeting succinct. The more time allowed, the more time anger and frustration can build.
• Remain alert after the termination is over; violence often occurs days or weeks after the firing when an employee returns to “settle the score.”