Kerry Getz - Anger Management

One chronic underperformer can hold back an entire team. Here's how to let someone go with professionalism—and compassion.

Is one of your workers holding back the rest of your team? If you've given them plenty of chances to improve and things just aren't working out, it's time to consider another option: termination. The good news is we've got step-by-step instructions on how to fire an employee as painlessly as possible. To keep you on the safe side, we researched six important laws to know before firing an employee. We also talked to three seasoned managers about how they cope with the grim-reaper experience. And we even investigated forced ranking, a controversial practice for "culling the herd" that has been used at firms like GE, Yahoo!, and Microsoft. Hey, look at it this way: at least you're in good company.

Update: Check out our video, Have You Fired Someone Today, for advice from Kerrie Halmi, owner of Halmi Performance Consulting, about the methods companies should use to let go of a problem employee.