Being fired is usually a challenging and emotional experience. It means losing one's stability, income source and even a sense of purpose. It doesn’t matter if it’s due to poor performance or changes in the company, it can still lead to disappointment or shame. In fact, scientists list job loss as one of the top 5 most stressful events. As hard as this experience may be, don’t forget that one job doesn’t define you as a person or as a professional. Don’t let it ruin your self worth and always look at it as a new opportunity for growth and a new career path!
For most employers, firing their employees is not an easy experience. However, unfortunately, this doesn't apply to all of them.
More info: TikTok
Recently, a video of Shark Tank star Barbara Corcoran claiming to love firing people on Fridays went viral
Image credits: The Diary Of A CEO
She emphasized that in a company, you need to get rid of negative people and to never tell them the reason why they are being fired
Image credits: barbaracorcoran
“I love firing people on Friday”
“I would stop by someone's desk on a Wednesday and say, ‘Hey, would you have any time sometime on Friday?’ They should have heard about the rumors. [They’d say], ‘Yes! What time's good for you? Two?’ [I’d say], ‘Great! See you at two!’
I couldn't wait till I came in to fire them. You know why? Because I picked out individuals who were negative. And my attitude toward the negative person was they were ruining my good kids.
Because people who are negative have to have somebody else to be negative with them. They've got to talk to somebody to complain [with]. Okay? I'm not talking about people who tell you what you're doing wrong. They're valuable so that you can get better. I'm talking about chronic complainers and negative people.”
Image credits: The Diary Of A CEO
“You gotta get rid of them”
“So I learned very early, after firing one negative person, never tell them why you're firing them. Okay? All you get in is a rat’s nest of ‘why am I negative?’ I don't know. You just don't fit the company. ‘But why?’ I don't know. You just don't fit the company.”
Image credits: The Diary Of A CEO
Firing people is part of a manager's job, but proclaiming to enjoy it is unusual
Barbara Corcoran is an American businesswoman, investor and syndicated columnist probably best known from the television show Shark Tank. Recently, a clip from her interview went viral on the internet (full interview video on Youtube) and sparked discussion among people; well, to be more specific, a surge of anger.
To cut to the chase, Barbara says she loves firing people on Fridays. She emphasizes that negative people, who always complain, infect good employees. And the worst part of this interview - she highlighted that you need to never tell them why they are being laid off. “Never tell negative people why you're firing them. ’Does employment law exist in America?” one user wrote. “I love quitting a toxic job on a Friday,” another fired back.
Now, there were also a few people who agreed that working with negative people is exhausting and they ruin the company as well as the opportunities for the “good ones”. However, loving to fire people? Okay, that’s new. As people put it in the comment section, “instant red flag.” Although, another side of internet users mentioned that toxic people are a reflection of the corporation, so the problem may not be exactly where the woman thinks it is.
Image credits: Anna Shvets (not the actual image)
Herbert Freudenberger, a psychologist, first used the phrase "toxic culture" in 1975 to describe companies affected by abusive relationships, harassment from senior staff, narcissism among leaders, aggressive actions, and cynicism. Additionally, according to this article on deskbird, poor management is on the top of the list that leads to employees' dissatisfaction.
Of course, there are many more other factors that can cause a toxic workplace. As stated by Traci Pedersen, excessive gossip, passive-aggressive coworkers or boss, harassment, bullying, lack of respect, and a boss who continuously threatens to fire employees contribute. Well, looks like Barbara is one of the main villains of the story.
Furthermore, an unhealthy work environment may be more poisonous than you may think. Studies have shown that problems at work can affect judgment, productivity, and career prospects, as well as cause depression. Rumination, insomnia, physical pain and discomfort, changes in appetite (eating too much or too little), feeling drained or tired, and issues with memory, intolerance, and anxiety are some other effects of a toxic work environment on mental health.
You can check out the whole video below:
Bored Panda contacted Jim Stroud, who has worked as a consultant for organizations including Microsoft, Google, Siemens, and a number of start-up companies. The expert has over ten years of experience in recruiting and sourcing. He agreed to share his perspective on the culture of firing at work.
“Firing an employee can be a difficult and uncomfortable task, but it is sometimes necessary for the good of the organization. Ideally, you would have given the worker an opportunity to improve so firing could be avoided. Nevertheless, when it must be done, it should be done professionally and respectfully,” Stroud started. Additionally, he mentioned that “firing them via text is ill-advised as disgruntled employees are sure to vent on social media and damage your employer brand, making it harder to recruit new talent in the future.”
So is it crucial to give a reason why the employee is getting fired? Jim Stroud claimed that it’s a really important step. “If an employee is terminated without a clear reason, they may feel confused, angry, or unfairly treated, which can damage the employer's reputation and lead to negative consequences such as legal disputes or negative publicity or physical altercations at the workplace.”
Now, after Barbara’s outburst that negative people need to be fired, we asked the expert how to deal with them professionally without firing them. Stroud mentioned 3 main points: “Address the behavior directly (let the employee know how it's impacting their work and the work of others), set clear expectations (for behavior and performance, and provide regular feedback and coaching) and a performance improvement plan (to help employees improve their performance when they are not meeting the expected standards).”
So, guys, if you are noticing that you are surrounded by toxic people, don't suffer and start searching for new career opportunities.
People were not happy about this attitude towards firing people
