If managers decide that an employee’s performance is so poor as to necessitate dismissal, what must they be aware of?
Managers must be aware that when terminating staff due to ongoing poor performance, they need to do so in accordance with organisational and legal requirements. Managers need to be aware of the requirements and possible consequences of unfair dismissal under existing legislation. It is important for business resources that this is done so to avoid having to use resources and time fighting unfair dismissal claims or legal claims by an employee where it can be established a breach of legal and organisational requirements has been found. It is also important to be sure all business needs and resources have been made available and utilised by the employee prior to termination as the time and money in business resources been used by an organisation to recruit, cover employment gaps, shifts, workloads, re setting of team structures and goals and training of new staff can be saved by persevering with the existing employee where possible. Managers also need to take into account such factors as employee’s performance history and record and whether there’s a long history of poor performance or this out of character for the employee.
A manager also needs to be aware the need to follow correct warning procedures prior to their termination and was given the opportunity to respond. Managers should be aware they need to demonstrate to the employee that prior steps and plans had been put in place which has led to ongoing poor performance and that they had been warned previously with the opportunity to address their performance. The manager have a detailed history of notes of previous meetings, discussions, verbal and formal warnings as well as dates and times of produced action plans to produce a clear line of history where previous issues relating to poor