I have to fire someone who has been around for 15 years

That is difficult.

I can share an experience at the college where I teach which may or may not be relevant to your situation.

There was a new faculty member who was not meeting expectations. She rejected offers of help and opportunities to be mentored.

I was on the Rank and Tenure committee at the time, and we had long painful conversations about this. We finally had to decide to give a negative review and recommend termination.

As it turned out, she had already figured out that she was not a good fit for us and was looking for a different position. So, she had interpreted all the offers for help as "bullying", as she had assumed she would not be back next year anyway, so "why are people hounding me?"

Not easy to do... But if they're had the counselling and warnings ...

I'd give them a heads up first.

Maybe they will redeem themselves if they know about the consequences.

@Notladylike 🤔do not feel any guilt or remorse over what you did by what you say you have gone out of your way for this person .you have given them chance after change there is point where you can do no more ands you took the right step

Well, you tried to make it work. Most of the time, before someone gets fired, they were given a chance to improve. Sometimes it's just not a good fit.

It happens. 15 years is a very long time nowadays. All you can do is give them a heads up that the exit is coming and to prepare

Firing people, even when they deserve it, is never a pleasant task. The one saving grace is that they bring it on themselves, or mostly they do.

Some people have just been there too long and they can become too cynical, too inflexible and too comfortable. It happens unfortunately.

Ugh... I've never had to fire anyone, but I have been asked to give a statement about someone at work. No matter how hard I tried to sugarcoat things, I would not lie either. I went home that day and felt like I had sealed the fate of my coworker, but I was asked very specific questions that were unavoidable. The next day she was fired and although I didn't actually do it, I felt as though I had fired her.

I hate having to fire or to lay someone off. It's even harder when I know them on personal level

Do you have the authority to fire someone who has been around for 15 years who just wouldn’t take any ownership or do anything to help themselves?

You tried and they didn’t do anything to help themselves so you did all you could.

You do what you have to.