Firing an Employee
Useful Expressions
- This is not an easy task for me to do.
- There is no easy way to say this.
- I'll cut to the chase.
- I'm really sorry, but we will have to let you go.
- I'm afraid we will no longer need your services.
- We have already prepared a letter of recommendation for you.
- We will give you a severance package.
- We appreciate the contribution you have made to the company.
- We appreciate all the hard work you did for us.
- We wish you well in your future endeavors.
Dialogue Practice
Read the dialogue aloud with your teacher.
Mr. Abbott is delivering some bad news to one of his employees, James. | |
 Jonathan Abbott | James, please have a seat. I'm afraid I have some bad news. There is no easy way to say this, so I'll cut to the chase. I'm really sorry, but we will have to let you go. |
 James | What?! Why? I mean, I know the company is going through some tough times, but I did not see this coming. I don't know what to say. This is a lot to process right now. |
 Jonathan Abbott | Please understand that this was a very difficult decision, but it had to be made. The company is in the red and we did not have any other options. |
 James | I understand, but... What am I supposed to do now? I have a family... |
 Jonathan Abbott | I understand that this might be difficult to deal with at the moment, but I'm sure that, with your skills and commitment, you will very soon find a job at another company. We have already prepared a letter of recommendation for you. And we will be more than happy to speak on your behalf to any potential employer you contact. |
 James | Okay... Thank you. So, is that it? I'm free to go? I guess I should start cleaning out my desk. |
 Jonathan Abbott | Yes, that is it. I'm really sorry, James. We have also prepared a severance package for you that includes the current month’s and the next month’s pay. You can pick it up on your way out. And I want you to know that we appreciate all the hard work. I'm very sorry about this, James. |
Check your understanding:
1.
Why did Mr. Abbott call James to his office?
2.
Why did Mr. Abbott make such a decision?
3.
What was James offered as compensation?
Role Play
Role-play the following situation with your teacher.
Situation
You have to fire an employee because he has been performing very poorly over the past 6 months. You may use some of the following expressions:
- This is not an easy task for me to do.
- I'm afraid we will no longer need your services.
- Considering your performance...
- We will give you a severance package.
- We wish you well in your future endeavors.
Discussion
1.
Have you ever had to fire someone? How did it go? If not, how do you imagine you'd feel when firing someone?
2.
What do you think is the best way to deal with being fired?
3.
What are the main factors that employers take into consideration when deciding who to fire?
4.
Are you concerned or optimistic about the state of the economy in your country? Please explain your answer.
