We’ve all been there. You hire a great candidate who turns out to be a less-than-great employee.
The candidate looked terrific on paper, knocked interviews out of the park and got glowing references.
But as an employee, the new hire stumbled early and never recovered. Perhaps they never “got” the organization’s culture, weren’t prepared for the workload of the position, able to meet time demands of the job, or keep up with the pace or the flow of work.
You made a valiant effort to make it work — over a period of months. But doing so was costly — in terms of salary, resources, training and time.
The hiring manager or search team may feel frustrated, annoyed, embarrassed and defensive.
The new hire’s colleagues may be angry, misunderstood and unsupported by leadership – and resentful that they’re again expected to carry a heavier workload as the search begins anew.
The degree to which that misstep impacts the organization depends on a variety of factors: the position, the size of the organization, the new hire’s role (as a manager and/or direct report), the centrality of the new hire’s department to the core functions of the organization – and many other things.
Regardless, what all such incidents have in common is the need to communicate the decision to terminate the new hire and relaunch the search.
It can be uncomfortable to tell the new hire that it’s not working out and you’ve decided to part ways. (Though, typically, the individual almost always recognizes that things aren’t going well, and that colleagues and management are no longer celebrating the person’s arrival.) The termination can be difficult enough, but now you must share the uncomfortable news with a variety of internal stakeholders and, sometimes, external stakeholders as well.
While the size of your organization — or the affected department or division — will influence how expansive and far-reaching communications about the decision will be, it’s best to keep the messaging professional, concise, credible and neutral. Consider before sharing the news:
- Confidentiality: Unless necessary, do not disclose specific reasons for termination. Provide just enough information to satisfy curiosity without inviting further discussion. If pressed, respond with reference to confidentiality: “Out of respect for privacy, I can’t go into detail. Rest assured the decision is best for the company.”
- Tone: Frame the message in a way that emphasizes leadership’s commitment to finding the right fit for the company, its culture and ongoing progress rather than one that dwells on the hiring error. If the individual held a client-facing role, consider similar messaging to notify clients: ““Out of respect for privacy, I can’t go into detail. I can assure you the decision is best for the company and for our clients”.
- Impact on Team: Be prepared to address concerns, especially if the person had a key role. If this is the second or third such termination, be prepared to address morale concerns and reinforce confidence in the organization’s ability to meet its goals.
- Next Steps: Provide clarity on workload redistribution if needed. Outsiders may also need to be notified, especially If the person interacted directly with key customers, clients, vendors, etc. Such external stakeholders should receive a similarly neutral message.
- Follow-up Pivot: “Sometimes, despite best efforts, a role or a fit doesn’t work as expected. We made the decision that’s best for the company and will continue moving forward.”
Sample Team Update:
I want to share an update regarding [XXX]. After much consideration, we mutually decided that this was not the right long-term fit. We appreciate (their) time here and wish (them) the best.
At [Company Name], we remain committed to building a strong team that aligns with our values, goals, and culture. If you have any questions about how this impacts current projects or responsibilities, please feel free to reach out.
Thank you for your continued dedication.
Sample External Stakeholder Statement (if needed):
“As part of our ongoing efforts to build the best team possible, we’ve made some staffing adjustments. [XXX] is no longer with [Company Name]. We appreciate their time here and wish them the best. We remain focused on delivering excellent service and ensuring the right team is in place to support our mission.”
