The Tribune

More than 80 percent of Bahamian businesses do not have the benefit of on-staff human resources professionals. Literally thousands of Bahamians are operating without a buffer between them and management. For the new few weeks we have committed this column to answering the many questions that small businesses and those they employ have. Here are the first three, together with answers:

Question 1

What is the easiest way to fire an employee?

Answer: There is never an easy way to terminate an employee. No matter how egregious the infraction, or how much the company is unable to financially support the employee, we must always remember that we are dealing with human beings. The three crucial rules that must be respected when severing ties with an employee are:

• Consult the labour laws, especially the Employment Act. Know exactly where both you and the employee stand in light of any challenge to the company’s decision. Sometimes the employee is unfairly dismissed and the company is forced to pay.

• Communicate the message with tact and precision. It becomes more painful to the staff member when there is delay and wandering around the process. Swift and decisive action after deep contemplation is always best.

• Be as kind and respectful as possible throughout the process. Give the employee as much as you can in terms of severance pay, references, words of advice, an exit interview and anything else that will give them closure.

Questions 2

How does an employee cope with a disgusting manager?

Answer: Almost every Bahamian can identify in some way or another with an oppressive, incompetent, rude or obnoxious manager. The first thing to remember in these situations is that managers are merely people given the responsibility of leading the team or process.

They have the same fears, shortcomings and issues as everyone else. Open communication with the manager always works best. If they seem unable to sit and reason, a third party leader - perhaps the “manager’s manager” - needs to be included in the conversation.

The silent revolution, gossip and slander, or outright internal warfare that we resort to in these situations is counterproductive and does not serve employee or company well.

Question 3

How do you now when social media has become more of a distraction than a blessing for employees?

Answer: In this digital age, no progressive company operates without taking advantage of technology, including social media. By the same token, many employees seem engrossed in WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook and other social media outlets during work time.

There are any number of security controls that employers can use to ensure that social media is not abused by an employee. The company’s policy manual must speak clearly to social media use, and ongoing training efforts must be directed towards encouraging compliance. The best way to ensure employees do not over-use social media is to give them meaningful work assignments. When employees have clearly defined deliverables that they are held accountable for producing, they will find less time to be idle.

Stay tuned next week for our response to three more of your human resources-related questions.

• NB: Ian R Ferguson is a talent management and organisational development consultant, having completed graduate studies with regional and international universities. He has served organsations, both locally and globally, providing relevant solutions to their business growth and development issues. He may be contacted at iferguson@bahamas.com.