Handling Employee Termination Due to Attitude Issues: How Can We Make It Smooth and Fair?

My company has decided to terminate an employee due to her attitude, which is affecting all employees. Management has scheduled her termination for next week.

Handling Employee Termination Smoothly

How can we handle this termination smoothly? I am awaiting your valuable replies. This matter is urgent.

Thank you.

Dear Ms. Sai Lakshmi,

No matter how good the employee is in terms of performance, attitude plays a significant role in determining the outcomes and is a crucial factor in the decision to terminate her.

I have a question for you - Have you discussed her attitude with her? If you have, then that's good. However, terminating her directly will also impact other employees. Therefore, it is important to communicate with the employee about how her attitude is negatively affecting the company.

After meeting with her, create a document outlining the discussions and obtain her acknowledgment for accuracy before proceeding with the termination. This step will help protect the company's reputation and provide necessary documentation for the termination due to attitude issues.

First and foremost, ensure the security of the company's data and other valuable assets before terminating the employee. Her emails and passwords should be promptly handed over to the IT department. This precaution is necessary to prevent any potential risks.

Once all necessary preparations are in place, you can hold a meeting with all the HODs and present the interactions with the employee. Providing substantial evidence will help the employee understand the seriousness of the situation within the company. It is essential to handle the termination process with kindness and professionalism.

Employees terminated for attitude issues may attempt to challenge the decision, so it is crucial to ensure all paperwork is completed accurately and that any company property is returned with proper acknowledgment.

Finally, inform the relevant team members about the termination process to maintain transparency within the organization. Remember that the termination process should adhere to HR protocols to ensure a smooth transition.

I hope this helps in handling the termination process effectively. If you have any further questions, feel free to ask.

Best regards.

No employer can terminate any employee without following due process, which is based on giving an opportunity to the employee on the principle of natural justice.

Hi, the main issue is that, as a startup company, employees should cooperate, right? However, she is demotivating everyone despite receiving a salary of 50k. This behavior will have a negative impact on my company's reputation. Please help me.

Thank you.

"Attitude" is something vague and subjective to be a reason for termination. More often, instead of the concerned person's attitude, it reflects more on the attitude of others—being judgmental and prejudiced. It would be more appropriate and fair to look for and take action on "commissions and omissions" by that person rather than firing her based on likes and dislikes.

Warm regards.

I would like to go with Raj Kumar. It sounds a little strange that "attitude" can be a ground for termination, and the usual clause in letters of appointment conferring power on the employer to terminate an employee without assigning any reason does not mean that the employer can terminate an employee for having an 'attitude'. Now, there can be as many contradictions as one can visualize in such action. When the attitude is not proper, how was she selected in the first place? Then 'attitude' refers to a faculty of mind and thus intangible until it manifests in some action, like neglecting the work given to her, etc. But you seem to have not recorded any such manifest behavior. Again, 'attitude' is subjective as Raj Kumar described. An employee may have the proper attitude, but that attitude may not be pleasing to another who may term it as a problem of attitude. She may be critical for genuine reasons also.

If the problem is 'attitude', it is better to adopt therapeutic treatment like holding a one-to-one meeting to understand the reasons and then counseling and also doing self-analysis to determine whether you have properly perceived the situation rather than jumping to a surgical operation. If the reasons for her so-called 'attitude' are organizational, the 'attitude' problem may resurface even after her leaving. Therefore, go to the bottom of the problem before arriving at a decision.

Regards,
B. Saikumar
Mumbai