There is a time to and a time NOT to
As we come closer to the holiday season, it is important to recognize that the middle of November through the new year holiday is filled with emotion. It is a time of great excitement and stress. You may think you know all that is happening in your employees’ lives, but the reality is you don’t, nor should you expect to.
Understand you should be very careful to terminate an employee during these six weeks. Are there exceptions to this suggestion? Yes. If someone steals from you or goes way out of bounds on their behavior, such as sexual harassment, you need to do what is right. But if it is performance based and the employee has been with you for a time and you delayed addressing it and terminating the person for months, you should wait another six weeks. Why? Because you don’t know.
In my past I worked with a Human Resources Manager who shared and implemented this “blackout” policy. It was the week after Thanksgiving; he terminated man for poor performance. The individual was a husband and father of two young children. In the following days, he committed suicide. It turns out the family was struggling financially and this was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Why risk this? Turn your head for six weeks, it will not break your bank, it won’t hold your business back. Be aware and be careful, recognize that just as fun and exciting as the holidays are, for many it can and will be a time of trials and tribulations.
Sincerely,
Rick Guinotte
CEO Acquios Advisors INC
