How to Leave Work at Work

Q: I’m burning out and it’s effecting my business. Any suggestions?

A: Running a small business can be the most exciting, challenging, and perhaps even exhilarating experience of one’s life. Amid all the headaches, deadlines, and responsibilities that only you can fulfill, there’s something satisfying about knowing that, at the end of the workday, you did a lot of good work.

That is assuming, of course, your workday ends at all.

Small business owners can and should take their enterprises seriously, leaving no detail to chance or simply assuming something will get done, especially when there’s a deadline involved.

But one can also be over-committed to a small business, to the point of obsession that can damage one’s physical and even mental health, family relationships, and the business itself. It’s one thing to burn the midnight oil when necessary. But done too often, the only thing that gets burned is you.

What an entrepreneur needs is balance—the ability to give 100 percent to the business, and then leave it to give 100 percent to his or her personal life. That’s not always easy to do, especially when you’re starting out or tackling a huge workload. But it can be done. And more importantly, it has to be done.

Here are some tips for leaving work at work—literally and figuratively:

Plan your workday. Make a weekly to-do list of administrative, routine, and project-specific tasks, and prioritize them accordingly on a day-to-day basis. Make sure there’s some flexibility for unexpected calls or emails. When you’ve done everything on your list, consider yourself done for the day.

Plan your away time. Set aside several evenings, weekends or brief “mini-vacations” for family or personal activities, and give them your full attention. Make this time sacred; stow the cellphone, and keep away from email. It’s OK to be responsive to customers, but not at their beck and call.

Share the load. Delegate responsibilities to employees, even when the workload is relatively normal. If you’re a one-person shop, identify qualified colleagues for outsourcing extra work. You may miss out on some revenue, but you won’t be compromising the quality you’ve promised your customers.

Cultivate an outside interest. Do something that’s fun—a hobby, sport, community activity, a favorite book or TV series. You’ll feel and think better and you’ll be refreshed to return to the work side of your life.

Firing worker requires honesty, documentation

October 4, 2015

Q: What do I need to know about how to go about firing an employee?

A: Among the many enjoyable aspects of running a small business, there are some less desirable responsibilities. Most owners probably would agree that having to fire an employee ranks among the most difficult.

Many things may justify termination - poor performance, abusive or disruptive behavior, excessive tardiness and absences, among others. While a warning, coaching or change in responsibilities may solve the problem, an owner can't always afford to take a wait-and-see approach. Employees who don't measure up to expectations can be a drain on the business's growth, reputation and working environment.

In most states including Texas, an employee may be fired at any time for any reason, or no reason at all, but there are limits. For example, federal law prohibits employees from being terminated for reasons of age, race, gender, religion or disability. It's also illegal to fire employees for complaining about illegal activities, health and safety violations, or discrimination and harassment in the workplace. Employees also have the right to take family or medical leave, military leave and time off to vote or serve jury duty.

Should you have legal grounds to fire an employee, be sure to document all the reasons and when they occurred, plus any disciplinary measures taken and the results (or lack of them). Along with justifying your action to the employee, this will help protect you against any subsequent claims that the firing was discriminatory.
 
Now for the tough part - actually firing the employee. You should do this in a private setting, with another person present to witness how the conversation unfolds. If you're concerned that the employee may become violent, it may be helpful to have security personnel close by.
 
Be open and honest with the employee, explaining from the outset the reason for the meeting, including measures taken to correct problems and their outcome. Give the employee some time to collect any personal belongings, but also make sure he or she is promptly escorted off the premises.
 
You are required by law to notify the employee about eligibility for unemployment insurance, and any benefits such as a continuation of health insurance, if applicable. This can be done at the meeting or in a follow-up letter.
 
The employee also may be entitled to receive accrued vacation pay or sick leave in the final paycheck, as well as commissions, bonuses and unfulfilled company expenses.