Best Practices for Respectful Terminations in HR

Firings and layoffs are never an enjoyable part of HR or leadership. But it’s important that there’s a robust process in place to manage the transition and it’s handled with compassion.

In this episode of HR Unplugged, our Head of HR, Anita Grantham and HR Business Partner, Vanessa Brulotte, discuss how to manage firings and layoffs in the right way. We discuss the best practices, do’s and don’ts, and how to build a process that protects the company and provides the best chance of the employee parting on good terms.

We dive into some of the common questions on how to handle a contract termination, who should be in that meeting, when to hold these meetings, and whether you should offer to be a reference for the person in question.

Key moments:

• Dos and don’ts of layoffs and firings
• Why you should have a detailed process in place
• How to break the news of firing or layoffs to employees
• How to tie your process to your company mission
• What to do in the event of a crisis
• How to reassure remaining employees

Key links:

• Subscribe to HR Unplugged Series: https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/podcasts/hr-unplugged/
• Join HR Heroes Slack Community: https://join.slack.com/t/hrheroesworkspace/shared_invite/zt-21ad3f1r8-dkWC2EdmyhxUAHw9cGLdQw
• Bamboo HR Homepage: https://www.bamboohr.com/