Terminating an employees contract is one of the less pleasant things you will have to do so it pays to know what the process is.

These are some of the key steps you need to go through:

Know precisely why the employee is being dismissed - the grounds should be based, obviously, upon nondiscriminatory reasons. Don't do it on a whim and collate records of misdeeds and the grievance procedures that have already taken place.

Keep it brief. Get the bad news across at the outset. Avoid long speeches and platitudes.

Let them speak - Let the dismissed employee have an opportunity to get their side across, without interruption.

Settle the account - Have any final payroll cheque, benefits, or holiday payments prepared in advance and provide the dismissed employee with a financial statement.

While most employees respond to a dismissal with shock and anger, be cool, calm, collected and professional so the employee understands why you're doing what you're doing.