Dismissing an Employee

Taking Care of Yourself During a Dismissal

DECIDING WHETHER TO dismiss an employee puts significant emotional strain on any manager—no matter how experienced he or she is. By acknowledging the difficult aspects of this event, you can more effectively manage your emotions and stress level.

Acknowledging the emotional impact

During the decision process, you may experience one or more of the following feelings:

• Anxiety over whether dismissing the employee is the right decision—should you do something more to try to solve the person’s performance or behavior problem?
• Sadness over the possibility of losing an employee who may have positive personal ...