Danielle M Verderosa SPHR, SHRM-SCP’s Post

View profile for Danielle M Verderosa SPHR, SHRM-SCP, graphic

HR Compliance Expert and Fractional CHRO for Small & Mid-Sized Businesses

Is there a best day of the week to terminate an employee? Of course there is! There's an ideal time & place for everything in human resources. It may seem counterintuitive, but Fridays are the worst day to fire someone. The person you've just let go leaves your office feeling dejected (to say the least) and their ego is hurt … and if this happens on a Friday afternoon, they have two full days to do nothing but wallow in that very low place without the ability to reach out to co-workers (or you) for some answers. And the more time they feel low and isolated, the angrier or more unstable they may become -- and nothing good comes from "angry" or "unstable." If I’m able to design when an employee should be terminated, I’d choose Wednesday mid-afternoon. Mid-afternoon gives them the dignity of leaving the building earlier than the rush of co-workers, letting them avoid having people see them at their most vulnerable and emotional stage. Terminating on Wednesdays lets the former employee take a full 24 hours to process what just happened – they’re not thinking clearly at all when you’re letting them go — and then have time to reach out to you on a Friday before you disappear for the weekend. They may have practical questions, like “tell me again when my health insurance ends?” because most of what you told them when you were terminating them did not get retained. More often, they just want the chance to explain their side of things now that they’ve had a little time to practice what they wish they’d said to you at the time. Let this be a one-sided conversation with *them* doing all the talking. Even if they’re trying to talk you out of firing them or arguing with you why you are making a mistake, stay calm and neutral while being firm in your decision. Hearing them out, patiently and respectfully, is key for them moving on with as little rancor as possible. It's not going to be a good employee experience, but if done properly, it won't be horrible. Have you ever been privy to a horrible termination experience? There are some horror stories out there, I'm sure! #humanresources #management #hrcompliance #yourefired #employeerelations

  • No alternative text description for this image
Tara Furiani

Mom | Not the HR Lady on YouTube | NASA IDEA | Executive Coach & Organizational Consultant | SNI Facilitator | SAIL Leadership & Workcations | Keynote Speaker | PI Expert | Author, F*ck Your Office Snacks | Producer

5mo

This! This has been my practice for soooooo long for all the reasons mentioned and the same day as you. The pushback from hiring managers because they don’t want to “deal with it” mid week, is still wild. I could write a book on the horror stories… oh wait, I did 😂❤️

Mindy Flanigan, PHR, SHRM-CP

Chief Inspiration Officer I HR Done Differently for small businesses I #inspiringhr #hrdonedifferently

5mo

Not on Friday if you can possibly help it.

Norman Umberger

Improvement Guru. I help organizations become better & make the world better. Lifelong Learner. Always learning about my expertise, my community, my professional partners, & our world. Let’s make our world better.

5mo

The best day is the day of decision. There is no good day of the week. Nor any bad day of the week.

Adam Knihtila

Profitable Growth for Digital Marketing Agencies | I answer financial questions you didn't even know to ask | I golfed ⛳ with 24 people in 2023, Want to help me double that in 2024? DM Me

5mo

This strategy is so compelling. I have certainly seen a few firings turn upside down in a hurry and if I remember correctly they all occurred on Friday afternoon.

Nicole Bryan

How Can Your Business Thrive? Elevate Your Productivity and Influence with Our Premier Virtual Assistant Services, Guided by a Visionary CEO Transforming C-Suite Operations!

5mo

Wow! Thank you for sharing, I luckily have never been fired or had to fire someone. But I have a soft spot for everyone and if this were to ever come up, I would follow this mid-week termination!

Brian Murphy

Attorney at Stephenson & Murphy

4mo

Interesting. In almost any firing situation, you also have to build in a little time for employees to process, discuss amongst themselves, etc., even if they are cheering the departure. Sometimes, there is a bit of fallout or handholding you need to do. Getting that over with at the end of a week also lets you start the next week somewhat fresh.

Courtney Sult, MSHRM, PHR, SHRM-CP

Human first HR professional passionate about employee relations and career development.

5mo

THIS!!! This is the perfect example of people first HR and being a strategic partner existing at the same time. It's the little things.

Rebecca Drobis

Storytelling Photographer for Mission Driven Organizations | Founder Custom Stock: Brand & Corporate Photo Libraries | rebeccadrobis.com @rebeccadrobisphoto

5mo

Thank you Danielle M Verderosa SPHR, SHRM-SCP for consistently expanding my mind every week. I can safely state that you push me to think about things that have NEVER ENTERED MY CONSCIOUSNESS. I am grateful to you and your knowledge and for enlightening me on a weekly basis. While I hope I don't have to fire anyone, you are such a rich resource for HR teams everywhere!!

Love the post Danielle M Verderosa SPHR, SHRM-SCP! Reflecting on this insightful advice, I'm reminded of the importance of empathy and careful consideration in such situations. At WellTeamCulture.com, we also believe in fostering a workplace where tough decisions are made with compassion, ensuring a respectful transition for everyone involved.

Victoria Walters

Executive Assistant @ BAE Systems | Active Secret clearance | Skilled at herding cats and organizing chaos

5mo

Our employees get a 3-day rebuttal period after recieving negative actions, so we aim to do the initial notifications on Mondays or Tuesdays. We avoid Fridays for the same reasons you mentioned (they aren't left alone). Showing compassion is the least we can do after putting someone though a crummy situation.

See more comments

To view or add a comment, sign in

Explore topics