It’s never easy to lose an employee, particularly when “losing” is a euphemistic way of saying that employee is being let go or, more bluntly, fired. But sometimes the person hired simply doesn’t fit your needs or becomes more of a hindrance than a help. And sometimes that person’s position needs to be filled quickly, even before he walks out the door. Or you plan on creating a new division but want to keep it under wraps for the time being. So how do you manage this delicately?
Consider using a staffing firm to find someone to bring on as a permanent hire. It’s a good idea to have a strong relationship with a staffing firm such as Creative Staffing for just such an occasion so you have verified, vetted candidates at the ready. A staffing firm who knows your company and its needs will more readily find a qualified replacement, and it means hiring and interviews can be done off-grounds to remain discreet if necessary.
No matter what, you have to carefully plan each move as you move into the hiring process. Consider the pros of hiring internally versus the cons of your intent leaking to others within the company. Figure out how and when you will post the job opening, and where you will have interviews in order to do so with discretion. Discuss your intentions only with the very few people who need to know about the change and can keep it confidential.
Finally, you may want to consider letting the person go before hiring if you can trust that he will go without fuss or sabotage. You may fear having to scramble while the position lies vacant, but it allows you to conduct a thorough search and not have to worry about keeping your decision quiet. Your good relationship with a staffing firm comes in handy here as well: They will have quality temporary or contract staff available to shoulder work in the meantime – and possibly hire permanently if the person seems to work well with your other staff.
While hiring at the same time as firing can seem a complicated dance, it only requires a few carefully rehearsed steps to work successfully. For more hiring and workforce management strategies, reach out to the experienced recruiting team at Creative Staffing today!