It takes a lot of deliberation and effort to bring a new team member on board, especially in small businesses. The strain on resources can be more apparent than at larger companies, meaning the hiring process must be very strategic. It’s no small task to entrust your entire livelihood to a stranger for a few hours at a time, so tanning salon owners do their best to guide and educate their employees over time.

Ultimately, not everyone will end up being the perfect fit. After so many attempts at addressing bad behaviors or retraining, the unfortunate reality of having to fire someone sinks in. After you rip off the Band-Aid, so to speak, you think the worst is behind you. The truth is that your work isn’t done.

Whether they’re showing it or not, at least a few of your employees are freaking out. Much like when you face your mortality for the first time, your staff is suffering from the rude awakening that they could be fired next. Gossip and assumptions fly between team members, productivity  goes down, and so does morale.

But this doesn’t have to be the case. Managers, operators and owners would do well to anticipate the ripple effect of firing an employee and take steps to prevent the chaos. By using that time as an opportunity to foster transparency about the company’s plans and situation, you can eliminate unnecessary worry and actually improve the relationship you have with your team.

Click here to read the entire article in the latest issue of Smart Tan Magazine online.