My Career Voyage! Charting The Course

By Dave Shaver
D.A. Shaver Web Design

At will employment means that the employee serves at the employers convenience and can be fired at any time. The problem with “At will employment” is that job security is a necessary component of employee happiness. In order to be happy employees must
feel that they are in control of their future. Employees must feel that their actions control their future with the company. This is surprisingly absent in many cases. Without a doubt if employees see co-workers fired on the spot or treated unfairly this will ruin their job security and thus their happiness.

The secret to happy employees is not to randomly fire some of them; neither is it to spend a fortune in gifts, company picnics or paid consultants. Employees are not stupid. Before firing any employee you should have had at least two or three meetings with that employee to discuss why they do not fit in to your company and what they need to do change this. If they want to stay they will know what they need to do, if they do not want to stay they will not feel unfairly treated. The absolute worst thing for overall employee morale is to fire one person who wants to stay especially if it is a complete surprise to them. This will completely remove all other employees feelings of security even if you are spending a fortune on company outings.

If a discharge or replacement is necessary help that employee to relocate, always have compassion. A compassionate employer is what will make employees happy. Treat them fairly and with individual understanding. To get happy productive employees always assume they are tying to do their best.