Of all the jobs a small business owner is responsible for, the very worst might be letting an employee go. Nobody I’ve ever met relishes the opportunity and many avoid it for way too long. The fact is, its awful work, especially when that employee has ground through many rough times with the company, has added value and become a friend in the process. I’ve taken several calls from clients recently asking about what they should do to make this activity as painless as possible.

In order to give this topic its proper attention I’ll write several posts addressing various components of this process. The first component that I’d like to address is formal discipline programs.

Establishing a formal discipline program long before an employee is on the chopping block is helpful for several reasons. First, it provides an employee with clarity surrounding past behavior that is viewed as unacceptable. Second, it can create an environment of clear expectations for the future. Third, it will define repercussions for continued problems. Fourth, by completing the documentation with the employee you receive their acknowledgment of the problem and potential consequences. All these things create transparency and open dialog with the employee. This way, when you tell the employee that they’re fired and the reasons for the termination, it won’t be the first time they were informed of a problem.

A Plus Benefits has several forms available that will guide you in the employee discipline process. If you’d like a sample discipline form, please ask.

Jake Lunt is the General Manager of Idaho operations for A Plus Benefits, Inc.