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More than the economy, what these recessionary times have wrecked is self-confidence. With the sword of Damocles perennially hanging over employees, it takes a few words from the employer to blow one's self-esteem to smithereens. "You are being laid off because of your incompetence," are adequately marauding words to devastate self-respect, maybe stash a career into the trash-box.

Which brings us to the fundamental question of whether we can actually terminate somebody without the episode having a terminal effect on his self-esteem.

In a competitive business market, where the scales of productivity are constantly being tipped by unforeseen factors, it sometimes becomes imperative for an organisation to indulge in some workforce flab-trimming, howsoever unsavoury that may be. The subtlety is not in laying off as in the method of doing so. Let's admit that lacklustre performance can never be a yardstick for termination, as it would reflect more on the hiring ineptitude of the company than on the employee himself.

Every employee contributes to building an organisation — some a little more, some a wee bit less. Every individual deserves respect even in the face of termination. One reason I staunchly contest termination as tantamount to coming under the chopping block.

Let me give you an instance. In my earlier assignment, I was entrusted with the unenviable job of terminating some employees from the organisation. To be fair to each individual's endeavour, I called for the personal file of every employee and tried to gauge their contribution to the company since the day they joined.

After a thorough perusal, I summoned those who were presumably slightly less productive for the company and told them the reason for the cessation of their employment. I ensured I never spoke derogatorily about their performance and tried my best to keep their self-esteem intact.

Notes were exchanged, debates held, on what necessitated the termination. All dues were settled. As a gesture of amity, we even took them out to a small lunch and parted ways from there. Since then, anyone is yet to tell me that those terminated have spoken a single ill word against the company. In fact, some of them sent me greetings on a recent occasion.

The lesson is: lay off if you must, but do it in a way that jobless people leave with loads of self-esteem. Not only will it help them find a new job faster, but the effortless move will help give the organisation a more humane, employee-friendly image.

N Raghuraman is an editor with DNA