Is It Wrong To Terminate?

Many people associate Christianity with always being nice and kind, turning the other cheek, and overall just being weak. Or they believe that a Christian should never “wrong” anyone else…and they consider any sort of termination to be wronging the employee. The problem is that this does not match up with what the Bible teaches.

First of all, there are obviously many reasons for an employee to be terminated. I would say that most reasons could be divided into three categories…

1. Violating company policy
2. Layoff
3. Lack of Performance

The first two reasons are usually self-explanatory. For the sake of this discussion, I will stick to number three. It is usually for terminations in this category that people think a Christian company is wrong.

The Bible

As I have said before, the first place I believe we should turn is to the Bible. When it comes to performance vs. expectations, the Bible does not have a chapter on employee decisions. However, when we look at some of Jesus’ teachings, we can clearly see that He holds people accountable. Let’s take the Parable of the Talents for example. I won’t include the entire passage here, but you can read it on your own (Matthew 25:14-30).

In this parable, the master clearly had expectations for the performance of the servants while he was gone. It is also clear from verses 21 and 23 that the master was pleased with the performance of the first two servants. Note that their performance was not necessarily equal, but their praise was the same. Obviously the master’s expectations were different based on the amounts with which they started.

As for the third servant, the master was displeased. As a result of the failure to meet the master’s expectations, the third servant was cast out. Was that fair? Did you expect the master to thank him for his lack of performance and invite him to the same party as the other two servants?

Performance vs. Expectations

Please know, I am not a Bible scholar and I do not pretend to know all of the lessons that can be pulled from this passage. At the same time, I do see very clearly that Jesus is painting a picture of performance versus expectations. I believe, based on the pattern, if the third servant had only added one more talent, that the master would have praised him on par with the other two. But that is not what happened.

So how do we translate this lesson into our businesses? First, I believe there are some actions that must be taken before deciding to terminate an employee. Here is a list of prerequisites that should be met before dismissing an employee (taken from Business By The Book by Larry Burkett)

• Clear job description

• Clear set of standards for performance

• Clear communication of expectations

• Clear, quick, and written/verbal communication of lack of performance

• Trial correction period

When Do You Terminate?

If these requirements have been met and the employee continues to fall short of expectations, the decision to terminate (with dignity!) is certainly an option. Of course, I would first recommend taking a hard look at the employee to make sure they are not just in the wrong job.

I have moved people out of positions where their performance was far short of expectations, only to place them in a completely different position and see them soar! However, if you have prayerfully considered this option without seeing a solution, termination is warranted.

I will touch more later on what you can do as a Christian business during and after the decision to terminate to show the love of Christ, but for now, I want to leave you with one more thought.

Our Accountability

Just as our employees should be held accountable for their performance, how do you think you as a business owner will be held accountable for your performance at the end of your life?

Do you believe Jesus will stand there and quiz you on your gross sales revenue for the last ten years? Will he ask for your net profit as a percent of sales? What about number of employees or locations?

I, for one, think His line of questioning will be different. Read my post Reason #3 To Run Your Business According To Your Christian Faith for more thoughts on this question.

Do you struggle with the decision to terminate employees?

Have you worked to set clear expectations for every employee?

What do you need to do differently?

[Original date of post: October 12, 2011]

If you are in corporate America, there are a number of metrics that analysts use to gauge your performance. If you are in a small business or non-profit organization, these metrics are likely different. Being a Christian business owner or leader adds a twist to this issue.

Perspective

Adding value to your business can be defined differently, depending on your perspective. We are going to look at this method from the perspective of a Christian business owner or leader.

The C12 Group has a model for measuring this added value in the Christian business. However, the main difference between the C12 model and almost all other models is the perspective. While most businesses measure success or performance on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis, the C12 model is very different.

Tri-Value Model

In stark contrast to most other business added value models, C12’s Tri-Value model considers the eternal perspective. Rather than judging a business’ leadership based on short-term performance only, this model takes a more balanced approach. The Tri-Value model is certainly not the final word on measuring performance. Instead, it is designed as a tool to keep us focused on the truly important areas of our jobs as well as to facilitate accountability in those areas.

In this post, I will give you a brief overview of this model. In the following three posts, we will look at each of the three components in more detail.

Overview

The first component of the Tri-Value model is Team Value Added (TVA). This measurement deals with how well we are creating added value within the team of people that work in our company. There are two main categories in TVA. The first looks at how well the team is operating as a whole. The second category considers the development of the individuals on the team.

The second component is Economic Value Added (EVA). EVA measures whether the business is worth more in solid equity from year to year. It is a simple formula that helps us determine if we are adding to our company’s value or spending it.

Finally, the third component of the Tri-Value model is Spiritual Value Added (SVA). If we are truly looking at our company from an eternal perspective, and I cannot think of a single good reason why we would not, then this is our most important measurement. SVA attempts to measure the eternal fruit our company is producing.

Disclaimer

Please do not think that I am saying that all performance can be measured with numbers. Nor can we quantify all spiritual aspects of ministry in business. That is simply not possible. There are some aspects of business success that are impossible to put into a formula. Certainly, the Holy Spirit works in ways we cannot even understand, much less measure!

Instead, this type of model is intended to be a tool to elicit discussion and create conversation around our performance as it compares to our vision. The Tri-Value model should be used as a part of an ongoing planning and assessment process in your leadership of the business. If so, it can provide clear accountability for your leadership while helping you to remain true to your eternal vision.

Make sure to follow along all week as we break this model down into its components and look at how to use it!

What tools are you currently using to measure your performance in your business?

Do you feel these tools are effective at gauging your performance from the eternal perspective?

What benefits do you see in the Tri-Value model?