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How long after I’ve fired someone… Part 4 – Finance
No CommentsHow long after I’ve fired someone can I reemploy them? Part 4
This query has opened-up a can of worms regarding the way you run your company. Involving elements of employee relations, recruitment and development, as a business owner one of your overriding concerns is likely to be cost.
Many costs could be hidden in the time individuals spend doing tasks which, ‘they’re not employed to do’. Probably offering added pressure to workers and managers alike as the aftermath of firing someone means more duties for everyone.
Then, there is the cost of recruitment, finding the right fit individual to join your team. If you used a recruitment consultant, their lowest fee is likely to be in the region of 10% of the first year’s salary. For an employee earning the minimum wage this is likely to work out at roughly £1300.
But it doesn’t stop there. Training the new team member, bringing them on board to your company is likely to take a couple of weeks. Their time to truly settle will be at the very least £500. There may be additional training courses they need to undertake their role. Someone is probably going to be responsible for taking the employee under their wing, training them, overseeing them, guiding and coaching them… so an additional £500 is a realistic starting point.
And this doesn’t take into account your time. How much is that worth? Only you can decide.
These costs still add up, bearing in mind the lowest cost of £2300 totted up so far is simply recruiting and training. Additional administration of adding someone to payroll / pension / other benefit schemes, hasn’t been counted.
Nor have the costs of stress and strain for those taking the burden of these changes. How do we ensure other team members don’t make up their mind to ‘jump ship’?
Lurking in the background is the old chestnut. The employee you’re replacing. If they’d worked for you for longer than 2 years’ and decide you’ve not followed legal guidelines, perhaps they have been unfairly treated, they have the right to go to Employment Tribunal. The cost of the awards a tribunal makes is ultimately down to the tribunal to decide, the compensation cap is currently £78,962, but there is no upper limit if the employee can prove discrimination. The cost of preparing for tribunal; employment lawyers, witnesses from within the organisation, your time – ultimately this doesn’t bear thinking about.
Can you budget for that loss to your business?
‘How long after I’ve fired someone, can I reemploy them?’ might make you realise there is a need to get some professional advice, sooner than later.
Spending a little time and money in polishing the way you work and seeking advice could solve the quandary. The knock-on effect of brushing the concept under the carpet, not really thinking about all the pieces of the jigsaw, could bring your company sky high costs financially and emotionally.
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How long after I’ve fired someone… Part 3 Development
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You’ve found a replacement. A buzz word comes into play, onboarding.
Starting a new job is tricky. Most of us will have some understanding of the ‘first time nerves’, the anticipation when you are about to experience something new. Walking into a new job role requires some courage, particularly if you haven’t been briefed about what to expect on that initial day.
As employers’ we can assist in the transition into the new work place. A person who is offered an introduction to the company and their colleagues, is likely to settle in quickly. They will become part of the team more easily if there is someone to show them the ropes. Otherwise they will be required to show an element of boldness and find out everything for themselves.
I am aware of many people in various companies who haven’t been shown the ropes. They don’t feel important enough to have had time spent on them, explaining what the rest of the workforce will take for granted. Some are scared to ask about how they book holiday, or what day they will get paid. This type of query is just a starting point. It makes sense that a little effort from an employer can reap rewards in the short and long term.
An induction programme can be very basic, lasting minutes, or could become far more detailed with several days and many people offering support to the new starter. It isn’t always the case that a more detailed introduction will work wonders, quality is better than quantity.
The trainer needs to feel at ease with the subject matter. With the use of support materials, whether they comprise a handout/ powerpoint presentation or simply a checklist, attention will remain on the subject matter, ensuring the anticipated content be covered.
Success isn’t just down to the trainer(s) to induct at a level suited to the individual learner, it involves the enthusiasm of the new starter to learn. If the employee is expecting to walk in and start work immediately, but they are not given that opportunity, their focus won’t be on what is being passed onto them, it will be wondering when they will experience ‘really’ starting work.
It is fitting that any programme is developed with these parameters in mind, along with communication to those being trained and training, so that none of it is a surprise to anyone in the ‘on-board’ process.
When it comes to actually commencing the role, unless it is a post which no-one has ever embarked upon before, further information should be provided in the expectations of the role, what tasks should be undertaken by what method. This might mean anything from coaching, through to a development programme where the employee is taught the required duties over a period of months.
Simply finding the correct new team member isn’t enough. Planning their first hours within the company, and helping them to fit in with the ethos and culture of the business will make all the difference.
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How long after I’ve fired someone… Part 2 – Resourcing
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The last blog suggested it would be bad practice to re-employ someone you’ve fired.
The outcome of the statement, ‘How long after I’ve fired someone, can I reemploy them?’ sets a new challenge. There is an identified need to have someone replace the person who left the job.
You need to recruit.
The objective is to bring a new team member into the organisation:
- They need to have the capability of undertaking the skills required to fulfil the role.
- They will work alongside the workforce already employed.
- They should satisfy the expectations of the Manager.
Accomplishing these needs and requirements can fill you with a sense of dread:
- Is there anyone out there who will ‘fit the brief’
- ‘I don’t have the time to do this… it might not get us anywhere, so will be a waste’
- Will the candidate exhibit the qualities to work in this role?
- How will we train a new member of staff?
- They won’t fit in with the rest of the team.
Undoubtedly change will result.
Unless you’re heading to the pub on Friday lunchtime, where you know there are a wealth of candidates waiting for you to recruit them to start on Monday, your time is going to be eaten up in the process of selecting a new team member.
You could do it yourself. But what is the cost of your time in advertising, sifting through applications and potentially upskilling to enhance the process of finding the right person.
As you have the better judgement regarding the ‘best fit’ for your organisation, having the final say is important for you.
It is why recruitment agencies are in business. They have the specialism to identify the right fit for the role, and concentrate on filling your role, often at a cost of 10 – 20% of the 1st year’s salary.
On the other hand, utilising a HR consultancy with a holistic outlook to develop covert knowledge about your company and how it ticks, and understands your expectation will alleviate many of the potholes encountered in all aspects of employing people.
Using the knowledge of a HR professional to assist in the recruiting process will lessen your burden. By gaining an understanding of the ethos and culture of the company, and acquiring detailed comprehension of necessary attributes and preferences to enrich the team, the right person can be put forward for the right job. A professional HR Consultant won’t pass every applicant for you to see, they will only forward those who will ‘fit’.
The result?
Selecting from two candidates, on paper (or email!) and at interview stage makes the decision process simpler for you.
A new team member should become a healthy addition as they are likely to bring with them a fresh perspective, new ways of working and often will want to make a difference to gain acceptance within their role.
Once they begin, the process of ‘onboarding’, encompassing induction, training and learning the role leads us to the next blog subject… development.
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How long after I’ve fired someone… Part 1 – Employee Relations
No CommentsHow long after I’ve fired someone can I reemploy them?
Our team were discussing some of the questions we’d been asked by departmental managers in our capacity as HR professionals over the course of our careers. There are so many queries, and very often our responses to the encounters can be answered simply.
No question is a silly question. How we respond is the important element. This source keeps HR professionals busy.
If Business Owners, Supervisors, Heads of Department, Managers and even Board Members knew the answers in people management, there would not be a need for HR Business Partners or HR Advisors.
So how to deal with this manager’s query. ‘After I’ve sacked a member of staff, how long should I wait before I can reemploy that person?’
My first reaction would be, ‘Never’.
But that’s a quick fix. The problem lies deeper within the organisation and in this instance was why HR was being introduced. The board had recognised a gap in managing its’ people.
Deciphering why the person’s employment was terminated is the key.
Perhaps the manager had ‘fired’ the individual to set an example for bad behaviour; or lateness; or on the spur of the moment in the middle of a bad day. A foolhardy approach means everyone loses.
Maybe the team member deserved to be ‘fired’. They might have stolen something, or caused a fight at work.
You wouldn’t ever want a person who acts in this way to return to their post. They have the potential to wreak havoc in your business. (If this was the circumstance, the issue would follow on to involve recruitment, which is a different story…)
HR Professionals coach managers; we offer advice about how to deal with conflicts and disputes with staff. We get involved and solve the problems. We endeavour to get the best out of everyone, to make your life less complicated, so you may focus on your role in the business.
The outcome?
Achieving a Win : Win is the best answer to the original question. Before you fire a member of staff, if its spur of the moment or you are fed up of continually putting up with issues you aren’t happy with, contact your HR Advisor.
The likelihood is you’ll be in a better position because you haven’t lost your talented team member, and they won’t be disgruntled with your company, on the job market, searching for a new role.
The challenge for any HR Professional is in offering the right guideline of how to manage staff. This might mean developing systems and communicating the change to all. But ultimately there is a need to set parameters for both parties, allowing a status quo for everyone within your organisation.
Asking the question, was a simple step in the path to being successful. No question is a silly question.
