If you've recently made the tough decision to fire an employee who was creating a hostile work environment for your other workers, you may be concerned about potential repercussions of this action even after this employee has been escorted off the premises. With more than 2 million American employees reporting workplace violence each year, taking precautions to protect both your employees and your business after a difficult firing is often a prudent decision. What should you do to prevent a disgruntled employee from returning to your business and causing damage -- or worse, harming your employees? Read on to learn more about the steps you'll want to take after a termination.
What steps should you take immediately after firing an employee?
In most cases, it's best to disable the terminated employee's online access to your business's software just before telling him or her of your decision. This can prevent the theft of sensitive files or other communications -- however, you won't want to take this step too early or a disgruntled employee will likely become suspicious and may be apt to begin gathering information on his or her own. If you're unable to take this step before firing your employee, you'll want to escort him or her back to his or her office to gather belongings so that you can supervise access to any confidential or potentially valuable data.
If employees use electronic badges to get in and out of your building, disabling your fired employee's identification badge to prevent unauthorized re-entry should be a quick process. Unfortunately, if your employee had a key to the building, you have no guarantee that he or she didn't make a copy at some point -- even if the original was returned. For former employees who may pose a cognizable risk of mischief, having your locks replaced or re-keyed may be the safest option. Rekeying commercial locks is often quicker and less expensive than replacing them, and will still prevent your former employee from using a copied key to enter your building. Contact commercial locksmith services for help with rekeying your locks.
Should you do anything else to protect your employees' safety?
If you haven't yet instituted a policy to encourage employees to report any suspicious behavior or potential threats, there is no time like the present. With the advent of social media, it's often possible to become apprised of another's plans before any concrete actions are taken. Having employees report to you if they've heard (or read) rumors of retribution can help you ward off any potential incidents.
You may also want to install an exterior security camera if you don't already have one. Even if you can't afford an entire security system, having a camera trained on the entryway or parking lot can help you identify anyone who enters your business.
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