“Dismissal training” could help managers better deal with citations, they say

92 percent of managers participating in a recent survey said they would benefit from more training on how to fire a person.

On average, 55% of responding managers who fired someone said they never received training on how to manage the process. Overall, 65% of respondents who were fired at some point in their careers said they felt the manager handled the situation poorly.

Preply surveyed full-time employees across the United States to determine the most common practices when firing someone.

According to respondents, language makes a difference. The phrases most commonly used in this process are “dismissal,” “with immediate effect,” and “termination of employment.”

When firing an employee, one in six managers said they regretted their choice of language.

“Empathy, clarity, compassion and honesty are the most common aspects Americans should focus on when firing an employee,” says Preply.

The survey results suggest that managers should be trained to better explain why the firing occurred, show more empathy, communicate in person rather than electronically, avoid comparing colleagues, and take responsibility for the action rather than blaming them give employees relief and fewer team meetings to be included in the dismissal interview.

“Aside from additional training, one way to better understand the intricacies of a layoff is to learn from others. Citing the most common mistake managers make when firing people is no better explanation,” the study says. “While in some cases an employee has received warnings because of their performance, sometimes they feel blindsided by the decision.”