Downsizing a Business With Dignity

Downsizing a Business With DignityDownsizing a Business With DignityMake no mistake downsizing is extremely difficult. It taxes all of a management teams resources, including both business acumen and humanity. No one looks forward to downsizing. Perhaps this is why so many otherwise first-rate executives downsize so poorly. They ignore all the signs pointing to a layoff until its too late to plan adequately then action must be taken immediately to reduce the financial drain of excess staff. The extremely difficult decisions of who must be laid off, how much notlageice they will be given, the amount of severance pay, and how far the company will go to help the laid-off employee find another job are given less than adequate attention. behauptung are critical decisions that have as much to do with the future of the organization as they do with the future of the laid-off employees. So what happens? These decisions are handed to the legal department, whose primary objective is to reduce t he risk of litigation, not to protect the morale and intellectual capital of the organization. Consequently downsizing is often executed with a brisk, compassionless efficiency that leaves laid-off employees angry and surviving employees feeling helpless and demotivated. Helplessness is the enemy of high achievement. It produces a work environment of withdrawal, risk-averse decisions, severely impaired morale, and excessive blaming. All of these put a stranglehold on an organization that now desperately needs to excel. Avoiding the Pitfalls of Downsizing Ineffective methods of downsizing abound. Downsizing malpractices such as those that follow are common they are also inefficient and very dangerous. Allowing Legal Concerns to Design the Layoff Most corporate attorneys will advise laying off employees on a last-hired, first-fired basis across all departments. The method for downsizing that is most clearly defensible in a court of law, for example, is to lay off 10% of employ ees across all departments on a seniority-only basis. This way no employee can claim that he or she was dismissed for discriminatory reasons. Furthermore, attorneys advise against saying anything more than whats absolutely necessary to either the departing employees or the survivors. This caution is designed to protect the company from making any implied or explicit promises that arent then kept. By strictly scripting what is said about the layoffs, the company is protecting itself from verbal slips by managers who are themselves stressed at having to release valued employees. This approach may succeed from a legal perspective, but not necessarily from the larger and more important concern of organizational health. First, laying off employees by a flat percentage across different departments is irrational. How can it be that accounting can cope with the same proportion of fewer employees as human resources? Could it be that one department can be externalized and the other left intac t? The decision of how many employees to lay off from each department should be based on an analysis of business needs, not an arbitrary statistic. The concept of laying off employees strictly on the basis of seniority is also irrational. The choice of employees for a layoff should be based on a redistribution of the work, not the date the individual employee was hired. Sometimes an employee of 18 months has a skill far more valuable than one with 18 years seniority. Giving as Little Notice as Possible Out of fear and guilt, many executives choose to give employees as little forewarning as possible about an upcoming layoff or downsizing. Managers fear that if employees know their fate ahead of time, they might become demoralized and unproductive they may even sabotage the business. However, there is no documented evidence that advance notice of a layoff increases the incidence of employee sabotage. The lack of advance notice about downsizing, however, does dramatically increase mistrust of management among surviving workers. Trust is based on mutual respect. When employees discover what has been brewing without their knowledge or input (and they will when the first person is let go), they see a blatant disrespect for their integrity, destroying trust. By not giving employees information that could be enormously helpful to them in planning their own lives, management initiates a cycle of mistrust and helplessness that can be very destructive and require years to correct. Afterward Acting as if Nothing Happened Many managers believe that after a layoff, the less said about it the better. With luck, everyone will just forget and move on. Why keep the past alive? The reality is, surviving employees will talk about whats happened whether the management team does or doesnt. The more the company tries to suppress these discussions and act as if nothing has happened, the more subversive the discussion becomes. Remaining employees will act as a consequence of what has happened regardless of whether the management does. Recovery from a layoff is greatly hastened if managers and employees are allowed to speak their minds freely about whats happened. In fact, it can be a great opportunity for the team of surviving employees to pull together and renew ties. When management refuses to acknowledge what has really taken distributionspolitik, it appears emphatically heartless, feeding the employees sense of helplessness. If management wont talk about it even after the fact, what else is it hiding? Downsize Effectively When faced with an organization that isnt functioning at optimal efficiency and thinking that a layoff is needed, there are a few key principles to keep in mind. Observing these principles wont completely eliminate the dangers of downsizing, but they will help to avoid the common pitfalls of a poorly planned layoff. Determine If the Problem Is Too Many People or Too Little Profit The critical first question to ask before an y layoff is Is the need for this layoff driven by having too many employees or too little profit? If its too little profit, this is the first warning sign that your company isnt ready for a layoff. Using a layoff solely as a cost-cutting measure is utterly foolish throwing away valuable talent and organizational learning by dumping employees only makes a bad situation worse. When your business lacks revenue, annihilating intellectual capital and thus reducing the efficiency of remaining resources as well as the potential for future growth is not the solution. If the answer is too many employees, then youve begun the process of a well-thought-out strategy for change. To legitimately determine if you have too many employees, look at the organizations business plan, not its headcount. What product and services will you be offering? Which of these products and services is likely to be profitable? What talent will you need to run the new organization? These questions will help you plan f or the post-layoff future. These issues will enable a quick turnaround from the inevitable negative effects of downsizing to positive growth in value and efficiency. Determine What the Post-Layoff Company Will Look Like Having a clear, well-defined vision of the company is imperative before the layoff is executed. Management should know what it wants to accomplish, where the emphasis will be on the new organization, and what staff will be needed. Without being directed according to a clear vision of the future, the new organization is likely to carry forward some of the same problems that initially created the need for the layoff. Unfortunately, many managers underestimate the momentum of the old organization to recreate the same problems anew. Unless there is a clearly defined, shared vision of the new company among the entire management team, the past will be likely to sabotage the future and create a cycle of repeated layoffs with little improvement in organizational efficien cy. Always Respect Peoples Dignity The methods employed in many poorly executed layoffs treat employees like children. Information is withheld and doled out. Managers control over their employees is violated. Human resource representatives scurry around from one hush-hush meeting to another. How management treats laid-off employees is how it vicariously treats remaining employees everything you do in a layoff is done in the arena, with everyone observing. How laid-off employees are treated is how surviving employees assume they may be treated. Why does this matter? Because successfully planning for the new organization will keep it going and improve its results. You must keep that exceptional talent, who are also the employees most marketable to other organizations. When they see the company treating laid-off employees poorly, theyll start looking for a better place to work, fearing their heads will be next to roll. Respect the Law While its important not to allow the legal department to design a layoff, its nevertheless important that you respect the employment laws. In different countries, such laws include entitlements tied to civil rights, age discrimination, disabilities, worked adjustment, and retraining. These laws are important and should be respected for what they intend as well as what they prescribe or proscribe. If you have planned your lay-off according to business needs, and not on headcount or seniority, you should have no problem upholding the law. You will almost always find yourself in legal trouble when you base your layoff on factors other than business needs. Good Example During the merger of BBT Financial Corporation and Southern National Corporation, redundant positions were eliminated through the strategic use of a hiring freeze. Hewlett-Packard implemented a so-called fortnight program in which all employees were asked to take one day off without pay every two weeks until business revenue increased. Bad Example of Down sizing Scott Paper conducted a layoff of 10,500 employees in the mid-1990s. In the years that followed Scott was unable to introduce any new products and saw a dramatic decrease in profitability, until it was eventually bought out by competitor Kimberly-Clark. Making it Happen Downsizing successfully is immensely difficult. The following ideas can help to focus thinking for anyone considering such a move. Treat all employees with respect.Communicate too much rather than withhold information.Research applicable laws and follow the spirit of the legislation.Afterward, give employees the psychological space to accept, and discuss, what has happened. Conclusion There are two important factors to keep in mind when planning a layoff respecting employee dignity and business planning. No one, from the mail room to the board-room, enjoys downsizing but when the need for a reduction in staff is unavoidable, a layoff can be accomplished in such a way that the problem is fixed and the organization excels. **Alan Downs is a management psychologist and consultant who specializes in strategic human resources planning and helping business executives reach their maximum potential. He has authored several books, including AMACOMs Corporate Executions (1995), the much-acclaimed expose on downsizing, The Seven Miracles of Management (Prentice Hall,1998), and The Fearless Executive (AMACOM 2000). Downs is widely sought for interviews by newspaper, TV, and radio broadcasts. He has also written on management topics for numerous national newspapers and trade publications, including Management Review and Across the Board.

Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman

Special Warfare Combatant-Craft CrewmanSpecial Warfare Combatant-Craft CrewmanSpecial Warfare Combatant Crewmen (SWCC) are members of the elite Naval Special Warfare Command and are responsible for conducting unconventional special operations alongside and independent of the Navy SEALs and other Special Operations Units. The SWCC crewmen drive fast speedboats down narrow, winding rivers or open ocean, transporting SEALs to and from hostile situations and operating nearly every weapon with a trigger the military has to offer. When a call comes, a boat team can form up, put a 33-foot RHIB in the back of a C-17, fly half-way around the world to a combat zone, push the boat out of the plane into the ocean and then jump in after it, wearing parachutes or fast rope, in enemy territory. SWCC missions include unconventional warfare, direct action, combating terrorism, special reconnaissance, foreign internal defense, information warfare, security assistance, counter-drug operations, personne l recovery, and hydrographic reconnaissance. SWCC numbers hover around 600 personnelless than 1 percent of the U.S. Navy, but they offer big dividends on a small investment. The SWCC units proven ability to operate across the spectrum of conflict and in operations other than war in a controlled manner and their ability to provide real-time intelligence and eyes on target offers decision makers a lot of options. They use craft like the Mark FIVE (MK V), the RHIB (Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat) and the Special Operations Craft-Riverine (SOC-R). As noted in Janes Fighting ShipsMISSION High speed, medium range, all-weather insertion/extraction of Special Operations Forces, maritime interdiction operations, tactical swimmer operations, intelligence collection, operation deception, coastal patrol, and more. Once, we were in 15- to 20-foot swells, recalled Quartermaster 1st Class (SWCC, PJ) Christopher Moore, from SBT-12. Our boat, a 24-ft. RHIB, could barely make it up the swells before the engine would sound like it was going to die. Then we would get to the top and become a 24-ft. surfboard coming down the other side. We couldnt even keep in visual contact with our other craft. Todays Special Boat Commands and Training Three SWCC communities exist. The West Coast SWCC units are based in Coronado (SBT-12) and operate RHIBs and MK Vs. The same inventory is located at the East Coast SWCC (SBT-20) in Little Creek, Va. And down south, in Stennis, Miss., SBT-22 operates the SOC-R craft. But to get to one of these units, you must attend SWCC basic school a physically grueling indoctrination into the ways of Naval Special Warfare, portions of which are combined with SEAL pre-training. After this phase, a 22-week course, Crewman Qualification Training (CQT) course is taken. After CQT, a Sailor earns the SWCC pin a unique insignia that is worn with your regular Navy uniform and that identifies these professionals important place in Naval Special Warfare. SWCC school is ext remely tough. Similar to Navy SEAL training (BUD/S), you will never be challenged like this in your life. It is very demanding physically and mentally, and it is designed to get rid of weak individuals who are not focused and driven. In fact, only about 1/3 of those who start end up making it to the finish line and graduate. After SWCC school, graduating students arrive at a Special Boat Team where they begin an 18-month pre-deployment training cycle starting with Professional Development (PRODEV), Core Training and Squadron Interoperability Training (SIT). You have to be intelligent, good-hearted and physically and mentally tough as it takes a unique person to do our job. Being one who can adapt to new surroundings quickly and efficiently is also a requirement. Heavy weapons knowledge is also a tool of the trade. Amounted .50 caliber MSHB machine gun with PEQ TWO lasers forward on both RHIBs and a .50 caliber machine gun aft, and sometimes an MK-19 Mod 3 40 mm Grenade Machine guns are some of the many armament options SWCCs have on the boats. Indeed. SWCC personnel embrace a philosophy of dominance through superior firepower. During a typical SEAL extraction, the SWCC boats and crew from three other Special Operations Craft, rush into an extraction point at up to 30 knots in a hailstorm of protective fire from a trio of M-60 machine guns aft, and a thundering .50 caliber machine gun at the bow. Spent rounds bounce off the metal deck, tracers pierce the darkness, dense foliage is shredded with a barrage of cover fire, ears ring, and the thumping .50 caliber drumbeat massages insides, as dominating, incessant firepower is laid toward the enemy. SEALs board the craft, a speedy exit is made and the fire continues until they are out of sight. An extraction of this sort is measured not in minutes but in seconds. While these combatant crewmen specialize in scaring the enemy with dominating, ear-crushing, non-stop firepower, they also have the ability to be invisible , entering enemy territory undetected. Wearing night vision devices, and the MK Vs had a nifty toy called Maritime Forward Looking Infrared or MARFLIR, a thermal imaging device which lets wearers see up to two miles out on the horizon, day or night. This capability, along with the incredible acceleration, stop-on-a-dime handling and maneuverability give them the advantage on the water.

Sample Art Internship Cover Letter

Sample Art Internship Cover LetterSample Art Internship Cover LetterSamantha R. Gray54 East Connecticut AvenueOcean City, NJ 08226sgrayocean.edu(Home) (302) 333-5555(Cell) (313) 444-6666 March 10, 200XX Ms. Cindy SmithDirector of Arts EducationChildrens Museum of the Arts2002 Broadwaybr New York, NY 12020 Dear Ms. Smith It is with great interest and enthusiasm that I am applying for the arts education internship advertised in Sundays New York Times. This position is exactly what I am looking for and an ideal opportunity for me to use my knowledge, educational background, and experience. My arts education at Pratt Institute has helped me develop a firm foundation in the arts. The courses I have completed at Pratt, along with my study abroad curriculum in Paris, has prepared me well for a position in arts education. I have always enjoyed a passion for the arts, but my undergraduate education has taken my interest to a whole new level. I not only enjoy doing art, but I find myself even more enthusiastic when I have the opportunity to teach what I have learned. For the past two summers, I have worked directly with children at CityArts and the Guggenheim. These experiences were amazing since my responsibilities included planning and directing major projects that were planned for the summer programming that goes on each year for local children interested in the arts. I welches given a concept at the beginning of each summer, and I had complete control on how the projects were to be completed. The children were the creative force and often were the inspiration for the artwork that was ultimately presented to the public. I am very excited about the summer opportunity with the Childrens Museum of the Arts since I know that I can make a positive contribution while doing what I love, teaching art to children. I will contact you in one week to discuss my candidacy and see if you have any questions about my education or experience. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Samantha R. Gray More sample resumes are available for review.

Peoplesoft Financials Engineer Job Description

Peoplesoft Financials Engineer Job DescriptionPeoplesoft Financials Engineer Job DescriptionPeoplesoft Financials Engineer Job DescriptionThis peoplesoft financials engineer sample job description can assist in your creating a job application that will attract job candidates who are qualified for the job. Feel free to revise this job description to meet your specific job duties and job requirements.Peoplesoft Financials Engineer Job ResponsibilitiesIntegrates PeopleSoft Solutions by developing integralrechnung strategies designing, developing, and implementing module modifications validating system performance.Peoplesoft Financials Engineer Job DutiesDevelops PeopleSoft integration strategy by researching and analyzing existing systems and processes identifying data and process flows and integration points articulating modification risks and barriers recommending project approaches preparing time and cost estimates planning full project life cycle defining partnering requirements pre paring and delivering presentations.Designs module integration by identifying enabling and integration modification framework translating enterprise needs into technical modifications designing algorithms preparing development guidelines establishing compatibility and integration standards identifying and evaluating tools developing system management procedures collaborating with technical analysts completing prototypes.Implements module integration by determining work priorities in accordance with project plans and schedules building data transformations designing, coding, and configuring module application integration solutions maintaining technical integrity and consistency resolving problems maintaining balance and system coherency within existing IT infrastructure documenting system.Validates module performance by developing and conducting test scripts completing bug fixes.Manages customer relationship by communicating modification standards and frameworks answering questions r esolving concerns and issues providing support.Prepares client to use IT infrastructure by developing and conducting training programs.Increases organization effectiveness by identifying opportunities to leverage solutions to other engagements.Updates job knowledge by tracking emerging PeopleSoft applications participating in educational opportunities reading professional publications maintaining personal networks participating in professional organizations.Accomplishes organization goals by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.Peoplesoft Financials Engineer Skills and QualificationsGeneral Consulting Skills, Data Processing, Peoplesoft Financials, PeopleSoft Implementation Skills, Software Development Process, Problem Solving, Database Management, Presenting Technical Information, PeopleSoft Architecture Skills, Software Documentation, ERP ImplementationEmployers Post a job in minutes to reach c andidates everywhere. Job Seekers Search Peoplesoft Financials Engineer Jobs and apply on now. Learn more abouthow the hiring processThe 50 Toughest Interview QuestionsBlock Out Biases During the InterviewResume Search Spotting Exceptional Talent

How to Format Your Resume for a Modern Job Search

How to Format Your Resume for a Modern Job SearchHow to Format Your Resume for a Modern Job SearchHow to Update Your Outdated Resume The 7-Step Modern ResumeThese resume tips will keep your outdated resume from landing you in the rejection pile.If you havent sought a new employment opportunity for five, 10, 15, or even 20 years, you may be unkoranvers of where to departure when creating a resume for todays marketplace. Has that much changed since you last applied for a new position in 1995 or even 2005? The answer is yes Here are some key resume tips youll want to implement when updating your outdated resume to ensure your application sees the light of day.Resume Tip 1 Lose the objectiveGone are the days of stating why you want to boost your skills, share your talents, and optimize your career path. The truth is, your objective is clear. If you are sending out your modern resume, your objective is to land an interview. An objective statement serves no purpose and should be eliminate d from todays resumes. Rather than wasting this prime real estate at the top of the resume, be sure to capitalize on it with other valuable information.Resume Tip 2 Use a professional summaryInstead of a resume objective statement, utilize that space in your modern resume to provide a high-level overview of your career thus far. This allows you to pinpoint those qualifications and skills that make you different than other candidates, along with discussing a bit of your employment history. This is also a great place to add keywords that are used in job advertisements.Related Its Time to Ditch Your Resume Objective StatementResume Tip 3 Identify keywords and use themSpeaking of keywords, what are they? These are the words that are repeated in a job listing, specifying the technical knowledge, soft skills, and abilities required to be successful in the position. Many companies utilize an applicant tracking ordnungsprinzip (ATS) to filter through incoming resumes. If you fail to incorpo rate these words into your document, your modern resume may be out of contention before an HR professional ever reads it.Resume Tip 4 Dont date your educationIf you graduated from college 15 or more years ago, there is no reason to include your graduation date on your resume. A recent college graduate may choose to do so (and even place Education prior to Professional History) simply because he or she doesnt have any relevant professional experience at this point. However, for the rest of us, dating your education can cause age discrimination. Why open yourself to that possibility?Resume Tip 5 There is no need to include all jobsThe most frequent question I receive from clients is how far back to go on their resume. Should they include that first job from 1985? The answer is no. Typically, resume writers will recommend only including the relevant past positions within the last 15 years of employment.If you really have trouble killing some of your career darlings, you can include you r older job positions in a Career Note at the end of your professional history just be sure to omit any dates.Related How to Cut Your Resume Down to the Ideal Page LengthResume Tip 6 Its okay to split your job experiencesLets say youve been in sales and marketing for a while, but you also have IT experience. In this case, it is perfectly acceptable to have two sections of professional history. In fact, this works very well if youre specifically targeting only one of those areas. For example, if you want to focus on sales and marketing in your next role, then your sales and marketing experience belongs at the top of your modern resumes work history section. If you want to pursue a career in IT, then that information should be presented first in this section. This allows you to adjust the resume as needed for future opportunities.Resume Tip 7 Remove personal informationMany years ago, resumes potentially contained personal information such as marital status, number of children, and ho bbies. Today, that type of information could become HRs worst nightmare. There is no place for personal information on todays modern resumes. Keep it professional at all times.When it comes to updating your outdated resume, the bottom line is this If you are ready to start your job search in the current marketplace, be sure that you are complying with all of the unwritten rules of modern resumes.Click the following link for more resume advice.Need help updating your resume for a modern-day job hunt? Hire a TopResume professional resume writer todayRecommended Reading10 Powerful Changes to Improve Your Senior-Level ResumeIts Time to Remove These Things From Your ResumeIs Your Resume is Making You Look Old?

The New Fuss About How to Put References on Resume

The New Fuss About How to Put References on Resume You most likely have a vague idea on what to include on a resume. A small appreciation can go quite a way. What is it that youre bringing on board which will probably benefit the organization. Paint a dynamic picture of the sort of work you did and the magnitude of your responsibilities. Better yet have somebody else have a look. Odds are that an ATS is likely to scan your resume before somebody ever requires a look at it. The response to that question may vary based on your distinct career situation. In the event of a doubt do not hesitate seeking expert assistance. How to Put References on Resume - Dead or Alive? In case the sample is edible youre predicted to consume the item then. Otherwise, you may add different sections to demonstrate a specific strength like your command of numerous foreign languages. Whatever you opt to add, only make sure it doesnt overwhelm your resume or comprise your resume length. The prop ortional length of each work description is vital. How to Get Started with How to Put References on Resume? Nonetheless, it is likely that youll have a minumum of one phone interview during the hiring process for employment. Doing this will demonstrate the reader that you will receive as much from the job as you place into it, which makes you a great prospect for employment. As you should make an effort to present yourself as the very best candidate for the job, you need to do it accurately and honestly. Everyone can say he or she excelled at their final job. Even when you have several years of experience. Your industry resume must be utterly perfect. Focus just on jobs in the identical industry as the one that youre pursuing or jobs requiring skills or qualifications you may transfer. The work market can be a fairly brutal spot. In truth, its the job of a cover letter to find an employer interested enough in you as a candidate to take some time to examine your resume. You have to demonstrate you may save your prospective employer time and make them money. When employers review your resume, they need to be able to work out quickly what you did at a specific job. A prospective employer doesnt require an exhaustive collection of whatever youve done in a former job. The only time that it is acceptable to include references with the resume in a work application is when theyre requested directly in the work vacancy description. Many resumes incorporate a career goal listed on top or a bland overview of what a work seeker is searching for in a position. To start, you dont need to list every job that youve ever had. First you have to discover the job which you like and then set about portraying yourself in an appealing way so the employer will not have any choice but they give you the very best job Busy hiring managers may not contact each reference, and theyre very likely to begin at the very top of your list. Employers know you have references. By utilizing a resume vorlage youre ensuring that all your details are correct and just what the employer is searching for.Fresh eyes are somewhat more likely to discover errors. Ask each reference if theres any information they dont want listedthis will help safeguard your contacts private info, Nolan states. Or, have a look at our handy collection of cover letter tips Try to remember that recruiters may see the name of the file that you send them and also dont forget they get lots of resumes daily. Every work application should have a cover letter. Graphic-based resumes enable you to lay out complex data in a simplistic way.

How to Properly Fire an Employee - Spark Hire

How to Properly Fire an Employee - Spark HireWhen the job market is as rough as it is now, its inevitable that companies have downsized in order to keep their profits up. Its a harsh reality, but certainly one that employers must face head on. Its much more difficult to let an employee go for the sole reason of keeping the companys finances up, but when you have to fire someone based on poor wertzuwachs the situation can be tricky. There is certainly a right and a wrong way. If you fire someone the wrong way, it can end in hurt feelings on both ends and perhaps even a lawsuit. If you fire someone the correct way, its still difficult but at least you went about it correctly. So how does an employer fire an employee. More importantly, how do they deal with possible feelings of guilt that go along with it?Letting an employee go, be it for performance or financial reasons, is never an easy thing to do. However, if you are firing someone based on performance you should make sure you gave this employee a chance to improve. Firing an employee should be your last option. The Business Insider provides some great insight into the situation. Before you permanently let this person go, you should have had a talk with them to inform them that their performance has not been up to par. Perhaps they are constantly late, constantly miss deadlines, are insubordinate or just arent working up to the potential you need from them. Either way, before you let them go you need to give them the chance to rectify their wrongs. If they then fail to step up to the plate then you simply have to let them go.If you do in fact have to let this employee go permanently, then you need to have firm reasoning as to why. This is where your original warning is useful. In that original meeting, you should have set goals for this employee to reach in order to show their importance and competence. If those goals were not met, you have specific data as to why you need to fire them. You simply cannot base a firing off of the fact that you dont like this employee or they rub you the wrong way. Without specific data and hardcore reasons to back up your decision, you can put yourself in a heap of trouble.When its time to talk to this employee and to inform them that you have to let them go, you need to make sure you are doing it in a private area. If not, it can cause embarrassment on their side and guilt on yours. In order to ensure that you are executing this the right way, keep your conversation private and between the two of you. Its also important that you have another person in the room with you. This is a way of covering your back and making sure you have a witness to attest to what you said. Without a witness in the room, the employee may try to skew your words or claim that you harassed them or went about it in the wrong way. You dont know how this person is going to react to you letting them go and you dont know what they will do after you have fired them, so make sure you hav e another witness in the room.By the same token, you dont know what this person will try to do if they want to retaliate. During your conversation, or very shortly after, you should change all of the important passwords so the companys information is secure. As stated earlier, you cant be sure you know how this person will react and they may take their anger out on the company in a Im taking everyone down with me exit. Take the necessary precautions and close any access this employee had to data. Although this seems a bit harsh, its important.One of the most interesting things I have learned over the course of researching this topic is that most HR professionals say that firing an employee on Friday is a schwimmbad idea. Its best to do it on a Monday. The reasoning behind this is that if you let someone go on a Friday, they have the whole weekend to think about it and get angry. If its on a Monday, they have the remainder of the week to get started on their new job search. Its an in teresting fact, but certainly one that can be utilized if you are a manager that has to fire an employee.Whether your company has to downsize or because this employees performance is not up-to-par, letting someone go is never an easy thing. However, you need to realize that either way this is something that needs to be done for the benefit of the company. If you have to fire employees because of downsizing, then realize that without doing this the business, and your job as well, may be hindered. If its their performance then letting them go is for the benefit of the company and productivity. Its not your fault. Knowing this can make dealing with firing an employee a little easier.