Having a chauffeur can be a great addition to any household big or small. But if the chauffeur doesn’t match your needs and requirements, it might be time to look for a solution. Something a conversation is all that is needed. But sometimes, it might be best to part ways. Which can be a tough decision to make. And not something you should take lightly! Find out here when you should fire your chauffeur. And how you should do it in the right way, too.
Why Fire Your Chauffeur
Firing someone is not a decision that should be taken lightly. So firstly, it is important that you are really clear about why you want to, or should, fire your chauffeur. Your chauffeur might be completely unaware of your thoughts or plans. They probably rely upon this job for their income, and perhaps support their family too. Making someone redundant can have a big impact on their lives. So you owe it to them, and yourself, to make sure you are making the right decision. And that you do it in the right way.
Where possible, try to get someone else’s opinion too. Perhaps another family member, or the head of household. Because they might see things you have missed or didn’t know about. So consider consulting someone else about it.
So what could be reasons to fire your chauffeur?
Personal Situation
Personal situations for you can change. You might have a great chauffeur, and you are very happy with the work that they do. But you might find yourself in a financial situation where you might no longer be able to afford the chauffeur. It could also be a relocation issue. If you are moving to a different part of the country, or a different country altogether, for example. It is probably unlikely your chauffeur can and wants to, relocate with you.
All these reasons are very valid reasons to let someone go. Just know that there might be other options too. Financially, it might be an option for your chauffeur to work part-time instead of full-time. They might even be happy with freelance ad hoc work. If your reason for firing might be one of the above, really do consider the options. And be open and honest with your chauffeur about it. They might well want to come up with a solution that could work out well for you both.
Skills and Performance
If your personal situation has not changed, there might be other reasons to fire your chauffeur.
Do you feel they are lacking the skills to do the job, or are not performing the tasks in a way you want them to be done? This is something to be taken seriously. If you are paying someone to be your chauffeur, it should be executed well.
Having said that, there might be two sides to the story. So before you jump to conclusions and fire your chauffeur, there are other things you need to do.
If you are not happy with the level of work your chauffeur is providing, make sure to have a conversation. Prepare a list of topics you want to discuss. Things you are happy with, and things you are unhappy with. Make sure to give your chauffeur time to process that information. Equally so, give them a chance to explain, and potentially change the way they work. They might have had no idea you were unhappy and thought they were doing a great job!
So this is your first step, have the conversation and see if you can resolve the issues. Make sure to give your chauffeur at least several weeks to show they can improve. And perhaps work on changing the schedule, or working times. But if after this time period you are still seeing no improvements whatsoever, then it might just be that the chauffeur is not the right match for your household and the work required. At that stage, letting someone go might be the best for all parties involved.
Illegal Activity
This probably requires very little explanation. If you indeed find your chauffeur doing any form of illegal activities in your working hours, has shown up to work under the influence or has put you or any of your household in danger, you can have grounds for immediate dismissal.
How To Fire Your Chauffeur
Making anyone redundant can be a very challenging thing to do, and should never be taken lightly. Knowing you have made the right decision by making this person redundant is one thing. Doing it in the correct way is another. Firstly you want to make sure that legally you are taking all the right steps. This UK Government website page can help you along a lot already.
So what is the best way to fire your chauffeur?
- Plan A Staged Approach
Meaning that, before you would get to the firing stage – you have a sit down with your chauffeur and discuss anything you are unhappy with. Give them an opportunity to improve. (This does not count for ‘illegal activity’ as mentioned above). - Stick To Face To Face (where possible)
Keep communication very clear. Sending an email or making a phone call with potentially devastating news for your chauffeur, is not professional. Make sure to schedule the time to have a sit-down meeting with them, where you can argue your case and explain why you have made the decision you have. - Don’t Get Emptional
Firing someone can be an emotional and challenging thing to do, and emotions can run high during the conversation. Even if you are letting someone go because of negative reasons, try to keep the conversation polite and friendly. Sympathise, acknowledge this is a difficult thing for them to hear and that you are sorry for having to do this. Even though the end result will be the same, there is no need to make it more negative than it is and everyone will feel better for it.
How can Polo & Tweed help?
So if you have decided to fire your chauffeur – Polo & Tweed can help you find a new, much better-suited chauffeur. We are leading experts in finding the best chauffeur for you and your household. We have a very selective and thorough recruitment process making sure only the best possible matches will be selected for you. Let us help you in the search and take all the stress out of it! Do get in touch with us here and one of our recruitment consultants can talk you through what we can do for you.