Making an employee redundant is one of the hardest parts about being a business manager. You must effectively navigate potential conflict whilst also preventing any legal matters from arising. Therefore, when you are about to fire someone, you need to be certain that you are making the right decision – if not, you could be accused of wrongful dismissal and end up in court. 

So, how do you know you definitely have the right to fire someone? That’s what we are going to be discussing in our article today. Keep reading to find out all the different signs you should be on the lookout for. 

1.) Absenteeism

If you have one employee who is consistently absent from work, this is a very good indicator that you need to fire them. Otherwise, you are paying somebody for doing nothing. Not only will this impact on the productivity and profitability of your business, but it will also put your other members of staff under more pressure. For example, if you run a restaurant and one of the late shift waiters doesn’t arrive, then the other employees might need to stay longer.

2.) Tardiness

You should also look at the timekeeping skills of your employees. If one person is regularly late to the job, then you will lose money because you are paying them for time not spent working. Tardiness also reflects the employee’s general attitude towards the job. Ostensibly, they value their own time above yours and are not passionate enough about the work to arrive when they are supposed to.

3.) Toxicity

Some people are simply a toxic influence. Though they might complete their work to an adequate degree and not necessarily do anything wrong, their negative attitude can really impact everyone’s morale. If the office feels brighter on their days off, this is a good indicator they need to go. When wanting to dismiss a toxic employee, you might need to consult with some employment solicitors. As experts on employment law, they will be able to effectively establish whether you have the right to fire this worker – or whether you will be making yourself liable to legal ramifications further down the line. 

4.) Failure to Improve

We imagine that if you are thinking about firing a specific employee, it is probably because you have consistently had problems with them in the past. If disciplinary action has failed to change their behaviour, then you are probably wasting your efforts trying to reform them. Therefore, provided you have maintained detailed records of your attempts to make them aware of their behaviour, you may have the right to dismiss them.

5.) Bullying

Most organisations have a bully in their midst. Even if they are a particularly hardworking individual who produces good results for the company, this kind of behaviour should not be tolerated. A bully can also affect the productivity and happiness levels of others – in some circumstances, they might even increase your staff turnover. As such, you should be on the lookout for signs of harassment and bullying in your workplace.

These are the main signs that you need to fire an employee. We recommend always taking advice from employment solicitors before doing so to make sure you have solid evidence backing your decision.