Is It Better to Fix an Employee or Fire Them - Assignment Example

"Fix Them or Fire Them" assignment Is it better to "fix" an employee or "fire" them? From this reading, the author feels that it is far much better to fix an employee before making a decision to terminate the job contract with an employee. It is for this reason that he describes that the termination of employment should always come after counselling sessions have been unsuccessful (47). Besides, firing incurs cost to the company due to the requirement to fill the vacant positions. However, when fixing is unsuccessful, then termination is the only way a company can be saved. A choice to terminate is available when the employee has already undergone the process of attempted fixing unsuccessfully (43). However, the author also notices that there are situations that fixing may not be a good option, when the employee shows disinterest in the duties and underperforms, this may affect the other employees performances and the department or company’s position (46). In this case, firing is the better option. 2) Key requirements for an effective performance plan. An effective employment termination plan should include these three key things. First, the plan should have a way that prevents the employee from seeking delay or postponement of the process by seeking help from the authority above the immediate manager or to other departments (52). This is avoided by having the communication about the termination received and supported by the supervisors above you and other departments such as human resource approval. Secondly, the plan should include activities immediately to secure the companys assets that were under the employee (53). This is done through change of passwords, repossession of rights and materials and escorting of the terminated employee to make sure he or she leaves the compound as fast as possible. The third requirement of the plan is to have administrative support and presence in the termination process (55). This helps to have a witness and to indicate that the decision has been made with the involvement of all the administration. 3) Ways in which underperforming employees rationalize their performance. Underperformance in any business is costly and brings the company down in an effort to reach their goals. This is the main reason the managers should always monitor the employees’ performance and make decisions related to fixing or firing employees. Some employees however may try to rationalize their underperformance. First, the underperforming employees may appear to follow the example of another employee who underperforms and the company or the manager does nothing about it (46). They, therefore, feel that the level of performance demonstrated by this employee is acceptable. Secondly, the employees may use the failures of another department or company politics as the reason behind their underperformance. This is usually a claim made by employees who are at the verge of termination if given an opportunity to explain themselves (58). The third way in which underperformance may be rationalized by employees is the claim that they lack adequate skills for the job (45). The company may consider this lack of skills as requiring fixing through training of termination and seeking a capable employee for the job. Termination is however only possible if the employee is unwilling to learn or had cheated to secure employment. 4) What are the general lessons that Steve Shaer wants you to understand about how to deal with underperforming employees? From this reading, the author aims at expressing a number of lessons that a manager should learn in their decision-making roles. First, that termination of an employee who underperforms and on whom fixing has not worked is the better decision. The reason given for this are that an underperformer does not only cause the company to lose in terms of productivity but also cause demotivation of others who have to work extra hard to cover-up underperformance (46). At the same time, the other workers may underperform on seeing that nothing is done to the employee (45). Secondly, that termination is not the best experience that an employee may want to have. Similarly, a manager and the company are also not pleased with termination. However, it is the best decision through which a company can maintain performance and increase production (47). Thirdly, termination of an employee should take a process. It should be done after a session of counselling to ensure that the employee has been given a real chance to change and that he or she is not surprised by the decision to terminate him or her after there is no change in performance (57). The fourth lesson is that the termination is not a duty that the immediate manager can make a decision on alone. It has to include the whole company, and this should be reflected in the brevity and composure of the termination report and meeting (55). Lastly, although termination increases anxiety on the part of the manager, practice is necessary to ensure that the process does not affect them (77). 5) ways in which the lessons from this book can be applied to own performance as an employee and the lessons that can be taken from this book that will help in performance so that you do not need to be "Fixed" nor "Fired" As an employee these lessons mean that in the current business environment, there is no room for underperformance. Every company wants to get the most out of the employees in the company. Therefore, to retain a place in any employment, an employee needs fully to understand their roles and duties and the level of performance expected of them. On learning this, the employee needs to perform as expected and ensure that they contribute effectively to the progress of the company. To avoid being a candidate of “fixing” or “firing” as an employee it is necessary to understand my job description, expected standards of performance and conduct. Working within these limits will reduce the need for fixing or firing. Further, it is also necessary to understand the job and the responsibilities involved before being employed. This prevents instances where underperformance is related to disinterest. Total words 1010 Work cited Shaer, Steven J. Fix Them or Fire Them: Managing, Evaluating and Terminating Underperforming Employees. s.l: Challenger Press, 2013. Print. Read More