should I give people a heads-up before their coworker is fired?

A reader writes: I am working with HR to let someone go. The person is directly involved in a number of active cross-functional projects. Typically terminations in our organization are communicated post-event, but I feel like I will be blindsiding several team members. The termination shouldn’t be a major surprise as this individual has had […] The post should I give people a heads-up before their coworker is fired? appeared first on Ask a Manager.

Jun 25, 2025 - 18:10
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should I give people a heads-up before their coworker is fired?

A reader writes:

I am working with HR to let someone go. The person is directly involved in a number of active cross-functional projects.

Typically terminations in our organization are communicated post-event, but I feel like I will be blindsiding several team members. The termination shouldn’t be a major surprise as this individual has had performance issues, including interpersonal issues.

Would you ever recommend giving select team members — potentially managers and project managers — a heads-up that this event is coming so they can somewhat prepare? I thought about communicating it vaguely, e.g. “change is coming that may affect this project,” but that would just create more confusion and paranoia. Or, do I just sit tight and deal with the teams after the deed is done?

I answer this question — and two others — over at Inc. today, where I’m revisiting letters that have been buried in the archives here from years ago (and sometimes updating/expanding my answers to them). You can read it here.

Other questions I’m answering there today include:

  • Text-speak at work
  • Keeping in touch with a coworker who got laid off when I didn’t

The post should I give people a heads-up before their coworker is fired? appeared first on Ask a Manager.