They insist on bringing their exotic pet to work. Every day. Off leash.

They converted their cubicle to a nail salon – and business is booming.

Their daily “lunch break” has devolved into a five-hour nap.

Firing these (thankfully fictional) employees would be a cinch. But in the real world, deciding to terminate an employee is rarely as cut-and-dry. Typically, managers are forced to make tough judgment calls, believing that coaching and rehabilitation might turn around a problem employee. Fear of lawsuits and genuine concern for the employee’s well-being make it even more difficult to pull the proverbial plug.

When it comes to making a firing decision, every situation and individual is unique. Still, seeing one or more of these signs from an employee will make your decision to let them go a whole lot easier.

Coaching and Training Hasn’t Helped

You thought that your employee’s performance issues could be attributed to a lack of job skills – but working with them to improve their abilities hasn’t helped at all. In fact, it’s made things worse. Instead of boosting their performance and attitude, the training you’ve provided has only made them surly and defensive.

Their Behavior has Gone from Bad to Worse

When you confronted your employee about their unacceptable work behavior (e.g., arriving late, inappropriate conduct, excessive absenteeism), you expected them to react by fixing the issue and trying harder on the job. Instead, your request for change was met with disinterest. And their bad behavior hasn’t just continued – it’s become worse.

They’re Bringing the Whole Team Down

In the past, you’ve been able to contain the damage your employee has created. But lately, their bad behavior and attitude has produced a nasty ripple effect – negatively impacting everyone who has to deal with them. Instead of having one problem employee on your hands, you now have a whole slew of upset co-workers. And frankly, you can’t blame them.

They Can’t Handle Change

Change is unavoidable, especially in your successful, fast-paced company. But instead of embracing that change and making the required adjustments, your otherwise hard-working employee has railed against it. Their obstinacy has completely eroded his performance, which has only caused them to dig their heels in further – and fall further behind.

Hate Firing People?

Navigating employment waters can be tricky, and it becomes even more difficult when workflow is unpredictable or your company is tackling a critical project requiring specific, short-term expertise.  How can you avoid the risk of a firing-related lawsuit, while still finding the people you need to get your work done?

Put the Exact Staff family of companies to work for you.  When you engage temporary employees through us, you get the capabilities and capacity you need – right when you need them.  Since we are the employer of record for temporary staff, your company also avoids a potential quagmire if it becomes necessary to replace a temporary associate.

If you need flexible access to true professionals, or simply need to replace a problem employee, give our national employment agency a call.