Commentary by Roger Martin Martin writes about research at KU for Kansas media and in a Web zine. Contact Martin at rmartin@kucr.ukans.edu or (785) 864-7239. Martin also can be heard on KANU 91.5 FM public radio Archives More articles by Roger Martin Subscribe now to receive KU News by email

Better screening, commitment to workers helps avert firing

by Roger Martin

It's springtime, and with employees getting their annual reviews and contracts running out, the scent of firing is in the air.

It's not just sick-leave abusers, slackers and incompetents who get the ax this time of year.

So do diligent, talented and forthright people. I know of four let go in the last two years who fit this description.

I asked a University of Kansas professor of management, Jim Guthrie, whether bosses are using economic hard times to dump people.

He said, "It's certainly easier to justify these days."

Guthrie says that though lots of American managers think it's difficult to fire an employee, it's actually much easier here than in Europe.

He says, "In Italy, it's harder to fire an employee than to get a divorce."

But Guthrie says that U.S. bosses are more restrained about firing than they once were.

Equal opportunity legislation, for example, blocks dismissal for religious, age or race reasons.

In addition, progressive disciplinary procedures are designed to let an employee who's not doing the job know it. The employee receives verbal warning, written warning and perhaps suspension before termination.

Guthrie asks, "If someone's told they're not meeting expectations and are fired the same day, how can they change? If they're not given feedback, how can they be rehabilitated?"

In some of today's work settings, employees are expected to do more than perform tasks specific to their job.

According to Ron Ash, KU professor of management, some places have common expectations of all employees. Disney World employees, for example, have to do their jobs, whatever they are, in an extroverted and outgoing way.

At the opposite end is the university, where the corporate culture tends to be shapeless and common expectations few, Ash says.

Making workplace communication still harder is a widening gap between bosses and employees.

Sometimes the differences are as basic as expectations about manners.

"I don't think employees always realize that they have to fit in," Ash says.

And employees often possess skills that bosses lack.

This means bosses can no longer be czars or kings, Ash says. And it means that hiring the right employee is among their most important duties.

The bottom line is that business, industry and the university need to train bosses, as well as employees, in how to work together.

Given all the complexity, what are the alternatives to firing?

Employers need to do more rigorous screening before they hire, Guthrie says.

They need to commit themselves to employees with the gusto of Southwest Airlines, which, after 9/11, promised not to lay off employees -- and didn't.

Commitment breeds loyalty.

Finally, Guthrie says, "A good manager communicates his expectations all year long.

"If an employee is surprised at what she's told at the evaluation, or shocked at being fired, the manager's not doing the job."

In fact, such managers might wisely ask themselves whether they're part of the problem.