can anyone give me some advice please ? what is the best way to fire someone , this person has continually lost me money and i have come to the decision she must go , this will be the first time i have let anyone go!!! how do i do it in the most polite and professional way im worried i may let my emotions take over as i like the girl but she is not retaining a clientelle! so i have no choice.

any thoughts or advice would be much apprieciated!!
thanks everyone

Hi Viccy, here in the UK its not that easy to fire someone in hot or cold temper.

You have to give them warnings and also document them. After they have had 3 warnings you have write to them and tell them you are considering terminating their employment. Then you have to allow them to bring someone with them to the termination meeting, and you have to explain the reason why you are considering firing them. (usually you bring out previous disciplinary meeting notes and warnings and go over them and then talk about the last one which broke the camels back! Then they get an opportunity to defend themselves and then you have to weigh it up (usually 24 - 48 hours later) before you decide to fire them. Then they get the right to appeal to you, which you have to ...consider, and then inform them the decision of the appeal after you have further considered it

Crazy isn't it

If you don't follow the correct procedures they can take you to a tribunal and it costs them NOTHING at all, but it will cost you in lawyers, time and costs and if you get it wrong - compensation.

Here is link I have just Googled for you it appears to have free sample letters as well

http://www...nationletterssamples.htm

If you haven't had formal face to face meeting with her yet, then you had best start straight away. Set her targets, and inform her of her obligations to retaining clients. Write down the problem, write down the solution that she has agreed to, and get her to sign it with you. Monitor her progress and if her figures slip then have another meeting, maybe offer her training and write it all down again. etc. In about a week to 10 days you should be able to sack her if you follow the right procedure. Is there anything else that she is doing wrong ? if there is inform her of any other problems like timekeeping or poor client relations, or of any complaints the clients tell you about.

I usually make sure there is a third party at the meeting just observing - or they can say you said or did something inappropriate and it's then just your word against theirs.

Vicky are you a member of a Trade association like the National Hairdressers Federation, British Shops and Stores Association, Federation of Small Business. They all cost about £150 per year but you get free legal advice over the telephone and legal indemnity for staff dismissal claims, provided you tell them in advance of firing them. You also get cheaper credit card costs etc and various other benefits

Good luck.

thanks for your reply i have checked everything out and i can go ahead she has only been with us four months and gone from about 20 clients roughly now down to 5 per week if we are lucky , she has been made aware of all expectations of her so this will be no surprise to her i dont want to knock her confidence right away or anything so its just a case of getting yours and other opinions as to the nicest way of approaching this , to be fair i understand there is never a nice way to find out you are losing your job but does anyone have any ways of softening the blow ?? again just to clarify i have spoken to acas and as her contract is only temporary i only have to give her a weeks notice and ensure she is paid for any holiday outstanding to her, thanks for reading

Viccy your too nice, you really are. Thing is your doing no any one any favours by being so nice and considerate.

Shes lost you clinets hand over fist and while you don't want to hurt her feelings - shes hurting your busness. Get her out FAST. Shes a liablity and you'll be picking up the cost for many months after she's gone.

Just sit her down tomorrow morining and say ... I don't hink this is working out. When you came I gave you 20 clients and now you've got 5. I can't afford to have you in my buiness, as I'll have to close down if you stay any longer. How soon do you want to leave. If you feel the same then you can leave today if you think that's best....

The idea is for her to regign ! If she goes volunterily you dont have to give her notice, and she's out the door fast.

When shes gone write to all the clinents shes lost you, and tell them that shes gone and introduce the new person .... they might come back ! once they know shes not woring for you any more.

I had a manager once who was a total disaster. When she left I got huge posters made for the window "UNDER NEW MANAGEMNENT" All the old cliients came back and couldn't wait to tell me of their horror stories of her. I just acted like I didnt know and looked surprised and sypathised with them and took the clients side totally.

Good luck.

thanks , well im going to explain it all to her and i hope she will see how it is not doing her any good eithier !
well i shall let you know how it goes anyway going to hold off hiring now thou at least till i have some control again working my trainee up to a technician so that will keep me occupied!!

well she took it well she completly understood and had been considering her options anyway she said she was not surprised and wished us well,
have called one or two clients already to alter apps and one said she was very disappointed but understood also so am hoping we can get back on track now . we only have three months till our first year is finished so lots to look ahead and hope that we dont come this close to a crash again!
thanks for your help orange1234