Tonight I was reading an article, How to Fire the Employee Who’s Holding You Back. In it I found a few key points which management often overlooks.

• Once you’re sure an employee isn’t working out, act on that conclusion. The longer it takes to fire someone, the more you’re in danger of losing respect from the rest of the organization.
• Firing someone is never something we want to do, but it’s inevitable, and if you’re a leader it’s something you’re going to have to get used to.
• Nobody likes conflict, but while you dither, your company may lose customers, money, or productivity.
• Tolerating sub-par performance can also impact the morale of other employees.
• Other employees will want to leave if they feel they’re not being recognized while someone else is doing less and getting a break.

It is never fun firing someone, especially in this economy, but bad employees can be a drain on an organization. If you are having discussions on a regular basis about a bad employee it is time to pull the trigger and move on. You will be happier and so will your employees.