Thursday, September 4, 2008

A Parting Of Ways

I found it necessary to fire an employee that has been with me for ten years. I was her mentor and she was my protege for a very long time.

The necessity to part ways was her fault and although I did everything I could to make it easy on her...

a big severance package, no controverting of unemployment claim, health insurance coverage for six months, etc etc etc...

I still feel like shit.

There is only so much you can do for a person that doesn't want to help themselves. I offered to keep her insurance active thinking she might want to take advantage of seeing someone...

And by someone I meant a fucking shrink because she has lost a freakin' mind.

She informed me that she is just fine.

Personally, I don't define fine as coming into work an hour late each day, leaving an hour early and passing all your responsibilities onto someone else.

Wait...that is not only fine..it is smart. Well, until about the time she lost her job..but until then, brilliant.

I let this go on a year because she had a life changing event. After ten years of service, I am more than willing for an employee to have an emotional breakdown. As a matter of fact, if you work in my place for ten years, I encourage it.

However, she began to take advantage of my leniency and patience, which started other employees to talk of preferential treatment, which caused morale to go down the fucking toilet.

Fun fun fun.

As a friend said to me...It had to be done.

Yeah..it did. But that doesn't mean I can't feel like shit about it.

11 comments:

razorbeck said...

Ahh Chris I can relate but it takes a firm hand on the wheel to keep the ship steady.

Though in Canada I just lay them off......permanently

Karen said...

So sorry. It sucks to be the bad guy, but I hope the firing will serve as a wake up call for her.

Golden To Silver Val said...

Nothing like firing someone to get the rest of the crew working like a well-oiled machine. In this case, you certainly had to do it as she was pushing the envelope. Wish my boss would get rid of our organization's envelope pusher. Hmph! You may feel like shit for a while, but I give you an atta girl for doing the right thing. (along with your other employees)

Coffeypot said...

Firing someone is never easy. But it is better than a walk-out by your whole force. But then, you know that.

Take a minuet to say, "Okay, I'm sad. Time's up! Get back to work and look for others to fire." Post a sign saying, "The Beatings Will Continue Until The Moral Imporves."

Olly said...

Yes, you did the right thing. You can not be a boss and a friend. It's one or the other. I've learned this the hard way a couple times now. Never again. Lots of good advice here in the comment section.

Anonymous said...

I agree with coffeepot!!!
after all...there are all adults right!!! time to shape up or ship out!!! So take a deep breathe and carry the same attitude home to the son and SCM....
And by the way Chris when is you next vacation?

Just Me said...

It sucks but it sounds like you were more than generous with her. A lot of bosses wouldn't have given her that much time to get her act together, let alone the severance package and insurance coverage! That was pretty damn cool of you to do that.

Burfica said...

I wanna come work for you then be fired by you. I worked in my job for over 12 years, worked my ass off, my boss let me go, cuz his dad "didn't like strong women" and his dad was giving him a loan. I got nothing, not even a I'm so sorry.

My mother who worked her ass off for them for 26n years, got no insurance coverage, no severence pay, none of her old vacation or sick leave pay she was promised. Not even an I'm sorry.

So...be glad you aren't those bastards.

Anonymous said...

I allowed her to clean out her stuff tonight after everyone else had left. She packed her stuff and then came into my office to tell me things that I needed to know about what she had been working on.

I would have felt better if she had told me to go fuck myself.

MomThatsNuts said...

I could never be a boss. People would screw me over all the time. I admire those of you that can do it...
I have never been fired!!
I have quit though and that sucks too...

Mom

OldHorsetailSnake said...

I'm okay, you're okay. But mostly, you're okay because you run the place and know what's what. Sry. you felt bad.