You likely don’t walk in for the day, sit down, and decide to terminate someone out of nowhere. It builds over time. A few missed expectations here. A frustrating conversation there. Another issue the following week.

Then suddenly the question isn’t just, “Should we terminate?”

It becomes:
“Can we terminate?”
“Is this legal?”
“What’s the worst that could happen if we do this?”
“What’s the best outcome if we wait?”

This is the right place to pause.

Before you move forward, walk through this list. If you cannot confidently answer each of these, it may be time to slow down and strengthen the foundation first.

1. Clear expectations were documented
The employee knew what success looked like and it was written somewhere (job description, goals, performance conversations).

2. Performance or behavior issues were addressed in real time
Concerns were communicated before this point. The employee understood there was an issue and that improvement was needed.

3. Documentation reflects a pattern, not a moment
One bad day doesn’t usually support a termination decision. Consistent issues do.

4. Other employees have been treated similarly
Consistency matters. If others have done the same thing and were coached instead of terminated, this creates risk. Look at past situations, compare them honestly, and move forward in a way that aligns.

5. The reason for termination is clearly defined
If the explanation changes depending on who you’re talking to, you’re not ready.

If there are areas here that need to be strengthened, the answer is not necessarily “do not terminate.”

It may be:

  • document more
  • review how similar situations were handled
  • and tighten the process before moving forward

The goal is to make sure hard decisions are supported, consistent, and defensible before they happen. A strong termination process is never just about the final conversation.

It is about everything that came before it.