The Best Day Of The Week To Fire Someone

Is there really a best day of the week to fire someone? Well the answer is… it depends. There are so many factors and variables that contribute to an employee getting fired that’s it really hard to pinpoint an exact time or day of the week to fire someone.

Angry man screams, points, and fires an employee

Everyone seems to have a different perspective on when is the best day to fire someone. In reality, there is never a good time to fire an employee. What it comes down to is picking the best day of the week based on the person and the reason that the person is being fired.

15 Questions To Ask Before You Fire Someone

The one thing that everyone should be able to agree upon is that anyone who has conducted themselves inappropriately or in gross misconduct needs to be fired immediately. The sooner you can get this person out of the office, the better.

The majority of people who get fired should also know that they are walking a fine line between keeping their job and getting fired. By providing regular feedback, performance reviews, and reports, employees should know where they stand. Document everything so that everyone is on the same page at all times. This is essential.

For these individuals, it’s important to remember that every firing decision is different. The primary goal is to read your audience and allow them to get fired with dignity. At the same time, you need to protect yourself and your company from any lawsuits.

With all of that being said, you can fire an employee any time that you like. There are a few schools of thoughts on what is the best day of the week to fire an employee:

  • Mid-Week – The middle of the week (Tuesday-Thursday) is good because an employee can utilize the rest of the business week to immediately get their job search back on track.
  • Friday – Friday is the least conspicuous day to fire someone. It also allows the weekend for things to settle down and provides a few days so that everyone can gain some perspective. If you worry about an angry employee who might cause problems, this might be ideal.
  • End of the Pay Period – Firing someone at the end of the pay period is convenient for accounting purposes, but may not be ideal for other reasons. This is a good option if people are losing their job due to layoffs and know the date in advance.
  • AM or PM – Getting fired in the morning means you have to clean out your desk while all of your co-workers are still hard at work. It also means that you can get out of the office and tie up any loose ends during the business day. Getting fired in the PM is another option that allows an individual to privately clean out their desk and head home with the masses.
  • Other Considerations – Always show compassion and don’t fire someone on their birthday or prior to a major holiday. This is demoralizing to the employee.

Firing someone is a tough and unfortunate situation for everyone involved; regardless of what day you pick. There’s no perfect answer to when the best day of the week is best to fire someone. Don’t over think it.

When Is The Right Time To Fire A Toxic Employee?

The best rule of thumb is to be human. Read your audience and do what’s best for the employee. Show that you care about your employees. Choose the day that will cause the least impact to the individual. Allow every employee the opportunity to leave in a dignified manner.

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