Why Does HR Make It So Hard To Fire People? - Part 1

For over half a century, managers have been complaining: "HR won't let me fire this guy." This myth - and yes it is a myth - is so common that experienced managers teach it to new managers, and it affects entire firms' performance management systems much for the worse. The reason so many managers can't fire people is not because they can't. It's because they don't want to do it the right way, and they want to blame HR.

HR gets a bad rap an awful lot of the time. And yes, even from us over the years. We call 'em as we see 'em. But in one situation, HR has always been right, and yet been blamed for being so. It's wrong, and we may be the best source for defending HR's stance on firing. Here we set the record straight:

HR is right about not letting managers fires just anyone at any time for any reason. Managers have a special duty of thoroughness and ethics that too many of us never meet.