Because terminations are the ultimate confrontation at work, few people feel comfortable conducting them. As a result, marginal employees may end up staying around longer than they should.

However, as difficult as it may be, firing someone might be the best thing for everyone. Here is how to turn a tough termination into a boon for morale.

Shot of B12

If the employee is toxic, annoying or generally creating a lot more work for everyone else because of her attitude or performance, firing her can give the office an instant boost of morale. The key is to ensure the messaging to the soon-to-be ex-employee and the staff is handled quickly and thoughtfully.

First, before conducting the termination, have a candid conversation with the firm's employment attorney about the logic and reasons. While in many cases employers are not required to give a reason for termination, someone still must sit in the room and tell the employee something. Having a well-thought-out script that accounts for the employee's personality or performance issues will help the interaction proceed quicker, smoother and more professionally.

Second, having an equally-well-thought-out communication plan for the remaining staff is critical. Employees will immediately come up with their own reasons for why the termination happened. They may be right, but all of them will not be 100 percent right all the time.

Instead of leaving it to chance, use the opportunity to express the values of the organization, highlighting the termination as a result.

For example, if the terminated employee was a poor performer who whined all the time, then reinforcing the importance of teamwork and a positive attitude will help everyone understand what happened and why. It validates the organization culture and eliminates any unwarranted worry about job security for good employees.

Tenure

It can be exceedingly difficult to terminate long-tenured employees because they have just been there for so long it seems like the window to termination has closed. However, letting such an employee go can have some unforeseen benefits. In addition to the opportunity to reinforce the values of the organization, it really highlights the importance of accountability.

For example, if the manager has worked with the veteran employee and appropriately tried to get him up to speed, improve his performance or address his attitude but to no avail, then terminating is the next logical step. Doing so reinforces the employee development, evaluation and performance management system. It also underscores the seriousness with which the organization takes accountability.

And, as an unintended benefit, many less-than-stellar employees often end up looking for other jobs to avoid the same fate.

Bottom line

It is not easy to fire someone, but as leaders we must exercise this necessary skill to ensure the organization is as productive, positive and efficient as possible. The first step is to revisit the issues that problem employees cause and imagine the workplace without them.

With that in mind, work with an employment attorney to create a thoughtful communication plan and move forward with the termination knowing the long-term benefits will outweigh the short-term discomfort.