How do you deal with firing an employee and what were the most common reasons?
The world of business is not just about those winning moments of raising money, hitting a 6-figure MMR or winning prestigious awards.
Sometimes, for various reasons, you may need to inform someone that they are no longer working for your company.
How do you assertively give someone notice?
Can you share your experiences, how you proceeded and what were the most common reasons for being fired?
(Note: I have somewhere read that some companies hire specialists to do this job for them when they do not have an HR department.)
Replies
Atlas
I always try to make sure people are not surprised by being fired, no matter the reason.
Performance related? We have discussed plenty of times what are the expectations, why the person is not meeting them and how to actually meet them.
Financial related? I am a fan of being very open about the financial status of the company and the consequences of it.
In my experience, the conversations then become more a continuation of previous discussions and a natural outcome of them, rather than shock and confrontation. Obviously the process will still suck in many occasions, but that's life I guess.
By the way, I didn't know about your note and, at first glance, I think that's horrible! Are there any reasons that are not fear of confrontations?
minimalist phone: creating folders
@dcamacho I remember that there was one movie, Up in the Air (2009) – and then I started being interested in such HR companies that fire people instead of companies where they work. (outplacement firms or termination consultants) They usually are specialised in emotional tension management because some people are really "ruined" when they lose their job, and such specialists can also offer them career transition support.
Atlas
@busmark_w_nika very interesting
Common reasons have been:
decline in productivity
moonlighting
compromised ethics
the company no longer needs their talent
budget cuts
lacking accountability
We ask them how they feel working with us, what areas they feel they excel and where they lack and so on.
In most cases they themselves take the conversation in that direction and we respectfully ask them to leave while making it sound like they are not fired, but they are taking a voluntary exit, unless they did something illegal or unethical.
minimalist phone: creating folders
@rohanrecommends What role did you have in that firing? Did you announce them or? I am kinda curious how to communicate it assertively. 😅 Because to see some reactions is... weird lol
Thanks for bringing up this important and often difficult topic, Nika. Firing an employee is never easy, but I believe honesty, empathy, and clarity are key to handling it as respectfully and professionally as possible. In my experience, the most common reasons for termination tend to be misalignment on performance expectations, lack of cultural fit, or sometimes unavoidable business changes like restructuring. When delivering the news, I find it’s best to be direct but compassionate—clearly explain the reasons, avoid ambiguity, and offer support where possible, such as severance or outplacement services. Preparing ahead by documenting performance issues and having a private, uninterrupted conversation also helps maintain dignity for both parties. Would love to hear how others approach this challenging part of leadership.