How to let an employee go whose mum has died this year

[froggieknow]

I run a small business with two employees. Due to cost of living our sales are down by over half.

I has been so upsetting but we are just trying to survive.

I know I won't be able to afford to keep one of my staff. She is in sales but we aren't making enough to keep her. She will be really shocked as I have been really kind about the fact she isn't reaching her targets and have encouraged her to just do her best. She doesn't know that on the good months she is breaking even but some months she loses us money. I have to give her her notice really soon. The problem is that she has had a horrific year. Her mum has died very suddenly and tragically and as a result her dad has completely broken down. I know that my friendship and leadership has kept her going.

I am truly devastated for her and the reason I haven't dealt with it sooner is because I have tried to be kind to her and keep her on as long as possible. We just can't afford it any longer.

She has been with us 1 year and 10 months. She is very insecure about her abilities and I have spent a long time telling her that she is great and building her confidence.

What is the kindest way that I let her go without shattering her confidence? It is a difficult job market and she is very sensitive. What phrases do I use? She will likely cry. Do I offer to help her with her CV or is that inappropriate in the same conversation as letting her know we have to let her go?

I feel broken.

Explain to her that the business isn't doing well and you can't afford to keep her. Just be honest about that.

Tell her you really care for as a friend and you hope you can remain friends and that this is solely a business decision.

I wouldn't offer to help with her CV etc as that'd suggest hers isn't great, but I'd offer to give her a good reference (you can do that without lying).

Just be honest, deliver the news quickly so it's not being dragged out like a suspense story, tell her the reasons why, how much you regret having to do it but it's not longer commercially viable to retain her.

I would offer to help with CV, I work for a global company and when we have to make staff redundant we do pay for a professional CV writing service.

Will you need to pay her any redundancy?

It's difficult, I've become close to staff members over the years and when I've had to let them go for various reasons it's never an easy conversation to have.

I usually start with "I'm truly sorry, this isn't going to be an easy discussion but i'm going to give you notice for <insert reasons here>.

It's never easy but it's a commercial decision. Offer to support with CV and a glowing reference.

You will have to do it quick. In a couple of months the employee will gain various rights.

I think you should try and do it as her boss not her friend.
Be nice but put your Business head on and be professional when you do it.
Nobody likes sacking people (unless they are awful or you are) but you just can’t afford her and you need to keep that separate from any relationship you have with her. Being sacked by your friend is worse than being sacked by your boss so for everyone’s sake be calm and professional and try not to join in with the crying

I wouldn't get involved. Tell her and leave her to it. Don't drag out the conversation. It doesn't help.

Although, I have to say, telling her she's been doing well when she hasn't and then firing her on performance is quite poor sales leadership, even in the circumstances. She should have been made aware she was behind target but you could support that/her for a (x time) not that she was doing well when she wasn't.

Its good you feel bad about it, a lot wouldn't.

Is it possible through contacts etc you could get her an interview for another job?

Of course you can offer to help her with her CV, my employer did when i was made redundant, in fact they actually got me a job with a supplier!

She really wont gain any additional rights after 2 years, that stop/limit redundancy, the UK isn't Germany.

It's a business. Not a charity. Harsh as it it is just tell her quickly and truthfully. She must have an inkling anyway.

Although, I have to say, telling her she's been doing well when she hasn't and then firing her on performance is quite poor sales leadership, even in the circumstances. She should have been made aware she was behind target but you could support that/her for a (x time) not that she was doing well when she wasn't.

I have to agree with this. I bet you’ve been trying to be kind to her, but it would probably have been kinder to have been more transparent with where she was falling short so she had a chance to rectify the issues and keep her job.

As it is, I think you need to keep it short snd go straight to the point.

Simply tell her that the business is struggling financially, and for that reason she is being made redundant because you can't afford to keep her on any more.

If she cries, just ask her if she would like to take a minute to compose herself. Don't get involved in the emotional drama - no hugs, maybe offer a tissue and offer to get a glass of water which will give her a moment to herself to calm down.

Truth is, you've been very unkind as a manager by trying to be kind as a person. People deserve to know where they stand at work. They can get friendship or support elsewhere than from their boss, but they can't get clear and truthful management elsewhere. Undeserved (it sounds like) reassurances about her qualities when she is (rightfully) in doubt, for example, will just lead her to have doubts in future jobs, when she will be in the right job, too. The idea that a lay-out should come as a surprise is shocking.

But don't make it worse now on your business (or her) by dragging it out.

And do better next time.

Sorry if that sounds harsh, but it's important to be really clear-eyed about your task, so that you can be a good boss, kind enough to give people the professional courtesies they deserve.

If she’s been underperforming have you had any meetings with her to discuss where she’s gone wrong and how she can rectify it? Have you made her aware and at-least given her a chance to improve? Surely that would have been the preferable route to take before dismissal - especially if you really didn’t want to let her go.

I'm reading it that things were OK but the cost of living has halved sales and her employment now isn't sustainable.

I don't think you can make it OK for her really. Just apologise that the economic climate means sales have fallen and you can't afford to keep her. I wouldn't bring up any issues in her personal life.

I think you could offer support with CV, time off for interviews during her notice period etc but I wouldn't go in with that straight away. That is a conversation for later.

If your employee lacks confidence in sales, which can be tough on resilience, perhaps this will end up an opportunity to move into something that suits her better - but I wouldn't say that to her of course as she might read into it that you don't think she was good at her job. What you could do is if she is looking for things to apply for encourage her to havd an open mind and remind her of her transferable skills.

Do you have access to HR advice?

Did you implement any kind of formal performance improvement plan? Smart objectives etc?

You will need to act quickly given that her 2yr anniversary with you is looming.

If you can offer her a months paid notice be mindful that it doesn't take her over the two years threshold.

I'd search online for scripts for difficult conversations, there are loads out there that you can adapt to your style.

Are you actually making her redundant or will you be replacing her?

She will not be being replaced. It isn't her fault it's the cost of living crisis. She knows we have been financially struggling so but I haven't suggested this could be a solution. Thank you for all your advice.