Feature Article - January 2009
   

How To Help Your Managers Through Tough HR Discussions

by Sheila Grosdidier, BS RVT MCP
VMC, Inc. Evergreen, CO 80439

Often when a Practice Manager or supervising team member interviews potential team members, gives performance appraisals, has disciplinary discussions or must terminate an employee, they find themselves at a loss to find the right words at that critical time. One solution many people use is to create scripts for these situations. The scripts help the manager to stay focused, to be consistent and to keep from deviating off the path. Here are some examples provided by BLR (Business Legal Reports) of scripts that managers might consider using during these times.

Have you ever interviewed a potential team member and found it difficult to draw them out to learn more about their prior experiences or their fit with your clinic?

  • Tell me about your work as a _________
  • What did you actually do most of the time?
  • What will your boss say about _______ if I call, asking for a reference?
  • What were the challenges, successes, failures?
  • What results were obtained from these efforts


Clinics should be using progressive disciplinary procedures. In order for this to be successful, the employee must understand what the problem is, how they can correct it, what help will be available and what will happen if things do not change. BLR gives these examples of phrases a manager might script to stay focused and ensure they cover all they need to cover during a disciplinary discussion with a team member.

  • We have a problem here. This is the problem:____________
  • You can solve the problem by doing this___________ and I am offering to help: _______________
  • If we can't solve the problem, this will happen: ______________________


Fortunately most managers infrequently have discussions to terminate employees. This can make it difficult for the manager to know what to say or not to say during that discussion. One way that you can help managers, or even yourself, when having these discussions, is to create scripts to will use when meeting with an employee.

  • [For cause] On (date), you were given a final warning to _______________. Today is (date), and you have made no apparent effort to _______________. Therefore we are terminating your employment today.
  • [No-Fault] The decision has been made to reduce the clinic's workforce. As a result, your position has been eliminated. No alternative positions are available. Unfortunately, this means you are being let to, effective immediately. This is not a personal decision, but one based on the business needs of the company.


BLR says, remember to keep termination meetings fact-based to avoid legal problems later. Keep your discussion clear and businesslike.

Creating scripts for many of your Human Resource discussion, hiring, performance appraisals, disciplinary actions, and terminations can guide you and your supervisors to keep the topics relevant to the particular circumstances.


© 2009 Veterinary Management Consultation