terminating people

i had my first taste of managing the process of terminating people last week and it was not a pleasant experience. had initially thought i'd be asked to terminate the staff myself but thankfully, my boss decided to do it himself. there was an air of anxiety through the day and my boss gave instructions for me to summon the staff to see him at a specific time. it was not easy for me to do it but i was glad all things ended well and that the staff was handled very sensitively.

later that evening, the staff texted me and thanked me for all the sharing and advices over the past weeks. am glad the staff took the termination in stride. as for my boss, i really don't think he knew the amount of backend groundwork and counseling done over the past many weeks to manage the staffs morale. it wasn't easy to face and speak to people who were emotional and highly stressed. the counseling went on even after the termination. the contractual obligations may end with the termination but the relationship will continue. it is what responsible employers should do.

it was a learning experience for me. not just from the process but also in how to strike a very clear balance between expressing my stand as a hr person vs that of a friend. some things you know but cannot say, some things you cannot say as a hr person but could advice as a friend... it was not easy but i thought i drew my line fairly well and the staff understood and did not press. am glad it was over.

:-)