Ask HN: How to announce your team that someone got fired? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: How to announce your team that someone got fired?

#11

Post by dholowiski » Thu, Aug 09, 2012, 12:50 AM UTC

wamatt wrote: post #10

brudgers wrote: post #7

"Today, Bob left us to pursue other opportunities. In this difficult time, I want to convey my appreciation for the dedication and hard work each of you brings to our team. Keep up the good work, and thanks for all the fish."

That could seem like the company is unattractive to Bob (and hence could start wondering more), versus Bob is unattractive to the company.

There is little to gain (and much to lose) by making it sound like bob was unattractive to the company, even if he was. This kind of thing is best done immediately, and kept as short and as detail-free as possible. If there is a lesson to be learned through bob's leaving, it's best done in a small meeting between the manager/team lead, and bob's immediate co-workers.

Re: Ask HN: How to announce your team that someone got fired?

#12

Post by wamatt » Thu, Aug 09, 2012, 12:57 AM UTC

dholowiski wrote: post #11

wamatt wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That could seem like the company is unattractive to Bob (and hence could start wondering more), versus Bob is unattractive to the company.

There is little to gain (and much to lose) by making it sound like bob was unattractive to the company, even if he was. This kind of thing is best done immediately, and kept as short and as detail-free as possible. If there is a lesson to be learned through bob's leaving, it's best done in a small meeting between the manager/team lead, and bob's immediate co-workers.

>There is little to gain (and much to lose) by making it sound like bob was unattractive to the company, even if he was.

You appear to be stating this as a fact.

Also when the headline talked about "getting fired", most would probably differentiate that from "employee leaving", which usually implies by their own volition.

Re: Ask HN: How to announce your team that someone got fired?

#13

Post by brudgers » Thu, Aug 09, 2012, 1:10 AM UTC

dholowiski wrote: post #11

wamatt wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That could seem like the company is unattractive to Bob (and hence could start wondering more), versus Bob is unattractive to the company.

There is little to gain (and much to lose) by making it sound like bob was unattractive to the company, even if he was. This kind of thing is best done immediately, and kept as short and as detail-free as possible. If there is a lesson to be learned through bob's leaving, it's best done in a small meeting between the manager/team lead, and bob's immediate co-workers.

Except in the case of senior staff, I think broadcasting someone's departure to all 120 employees is a bad approach in general. But if you're going to make an announcement whenever a low level employee is fired, best to couch it in the same sort of language.

Re: Ask HN: How to announce your team that someone got fired?

#14

Post by brudgers » Thu, Aug 09, 2012, 1:11 AM UTC

wamatt wrote: post #10

brudgers wrote: post #7

"Today, Bob left us to pursue other opportunities. In this difficult time, I want to convey my appreciation for the dedication and hard work each of you brings to our team. Keep up the good work, and thanks for all the fish."

That could seem like the company is unattractive to Bob (and hence could start wondering more), versus Bob is unattractive to the company.

Anyone who knows Bob well enough to care, knows what happened. Anyone else will appreciate the positive tone.

Re: Ask HN: How to announce your team that someone got fired?

#15

Post by shrughes » Thu, Aug 09, 2012, 7:09 AM UTC

brudgers wrote: post #14

wamatt wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That could seem like the company is unattractive to Bob (and hence could start wondering more), versus Bob is unattractive to the company.

Anyone who knows Bob well enough to care, knows what happened. Anyone else will appreciate the positive tone.

I just love it when somebody tries to use a positive tone on me.

Re: Ask HN: How to announce your team that someone got fired?

#16

Post by prehnra » Sun, Aug 12, 2012, 6:18 PM UTC

Address it early with people who need to know (direct team and people who work with this person frequently). Be honest without going into too much detail. If people press for details you can't or don't feel like sharing, tell them you can't share.

Don't make up a softer story to cushion it-- this can bite you big time. there have been companies that have been sued and lost because a manager used the "Tom left to spend more time with his family" white lie, because it masse jurors believe that Tom had been fired due to familial status (a no no).

Re: Ask HN: How to announce your team that someone got fired?

#17

Post by jamesjguthrie » Sun, Aug 19, 2012, 7:18 PM UTC

alexhawdon wrote: post #5

vrkr wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I work in a digital marketing company and there is a lot of people that gets fired and I'm just trying to know if theres a better way they should do it. They usually send a generic email to everyone (we're around 120 people and I think it affect the morale of a lot of people

You have a 'lot' of people getting fired? It's good that you're thinking about how announcing team departures might affect morale, but I'd say it's a bit more important to get to the root of the issue - why are so many people getting fired? Either you're hiring the wrong people and/or treating your staff so poorly that they simply don't care about getting fired (usually people will quit before they get fired so they…

"usually people will quit before they get fired so they don't have to explain it to future employers"

Sometimes people won't ever quit, no matter how bad it gets. This is usually because they need the job and have no confidence in being able to obtain another job - understandable in the job market in most places today.