How To Tell Your New Hire They're Not Working Out

Dear Liz,

I need your advice in letting a new hire know that it's not working out and we have to part ways.

"Noah" is a great guy but it's just not working. He's trying, but he's coming up the curve too slowly. I don't want to be a jerk, but I have to let him know that there's no point in continuing our relationship.

I want to do it soon because the closer we get to the holidays and the end of the year, the worse I will feel about letting Noah go.

Can you share one of your wonderful scripts to help me navigate through the conversation? I want to tell Noah that I know he will be successful at other jobs, but this is not the right place for him.

Thanks Liz!

Yours,

Cameron

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Dear Cameron,

I'm glad that you don't want to be a jerk, but I can't supply you with a script that will save you from that fate.

The script is not important; what's important is that you make any decisions about Noah's future with the right mindset and a human outlook.

You didn't say in your letter that you've trained Noah or given him guidance as he gets up to speed. He might turn out to be the slowest-to-learn new employee in the company's history -- and the greatest employee you've ever had on your team.

How would you ever know if you throw Noah out the door?

There is a huge difference -- all the difference in the world -- between someone who does something they should not do at work, and someone who merely struggles to learn the job and needs extra help and/or time to come up to speed.

If Noah had set fire to the wastebasket in the men's room or smoked a joint in the supply room then I would agree with you that he needs to go.

Sadly, I have had to terminate people for both of those misdeeds and many others.

Your message suggests that Noah is trying and failing to do his job. Since you don't want to be a jerk, why not start Noah's training program over again and this time, commit to making him successful?

The mindset that it's better to fire and replace a struggling employee than to coach him or her to success is a big part of the sickness that has overtaken the working world.

You can help to reverse that tide, right now, by helping Noah learn his job.

If you don't want to be a jerk, commit to overcoming this challenge!

Some people are easy to train. As managers we often think it's our right and privilege to be presented with new employees who come up to speed almost immediately.

We are ruffled when a newcomer takes time to learn the job, but it is a manager's job to bring all of our new employees up the learning curve, not just the fast learners.

Since Noah is a great  guy, why not keep him around and take this opportunity to step your leader/trainer game up?

My hope for 2017 is that all of us can resolve to get better at listening, coaching, and empathizing with other people. You will not become a stronger leader by tossing Noah out the door and replacing him.

If Noah had smoked a joint in the supply room, you would  use this script:

Noah: Hi Cameron. What did you want to see me about?

Cameron: Hi Noah. I have bad news. I just saw a video that Trevor in Security showed me. On the video you were smoking a joint in the supply room.

Noah: Oh. For real?

Cameron: Yes.

Noah: That was my bad. I shouldn't have done it. I didn't realize there was a camera in there.

Cameron: It's a shame, because I have to let you go. This will be your last day of work here. I have some papers for you to sign. I wish you well. I've enjoyed working with you, but you understand -

Noah: You can't give me a warning?

Cameron: It's an illegal drug. You're not allowed to possess marijuana in this state, much less bring it to work and smoke it here.

Noah: I should have stayed in Washington.

Cameron: They'd fire you in Washington for getting high at work. No state laws allow that, as far as I know.

Noah: Well, you're a great supervisor, Cameron. Maybe I'll see you around. Can I use you as a reference?

Cameron: Not me personally but HR will confirm your dates of employment here. I wish you well, too.

End Of Script

It's a new day, Cameron.

It  would be easy to let Noah go right now and go home thinking "I wasn't a jerk today!" but if you tossed Noah to the curb because it was too much trouble to train him, that would be a jerky thing to do.

Start Noah's training with a new mindset: "Noah, you will succeed!" You will do a magnificent job supporting Noah in learning your procedures, I predict.

We are cheering you on!

All the best,

Liz