'That was the day I got to fire an entire company': 15+ Bosses recall the most satisfying times they fired incompetant employees

Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor

Aug 1, 2023 11:00 AM EDT

As a manager, you're going to have to make hard decisions sometimes — you might even have to fire people from time to time.

If you've ever been on the receiving end of being let go, you know it's one of the worst feelings in the world. Losing your job is incredibly personal; aside from making you feel bad about yourself, it means that you now have to scramble to find income to feed yourself and pay the rent. It's like the floor opens up underneath you, and you're free falling until you find the next job that will provide you with financial security. For many people, depending on your industry, it's a given that you'll be let go from a job at some point. It's not always the employee's fault. However, these bosses below answered an intriguing question: "Employers of Reddit: What was the most satisfying, 'You're fired', you ever uttered?"

While these anecdotes aren't included in this post, there were numerous people on the thread who said they'd fired folks and never enjoyed it. Many bosses describe the shocked and dismayed looks on people's faces when they told them. To some degree, it is probably always hard for both parties when parting ways.

The bosses who answered this prompt had some pretty satisfying reasons for firing their employees, however. From repeated latenesses to stealing money from the cash register, these employees needed to go. A bad employee makes the workday harder for the other employees and management alike. Check out these stories below. Then, check out these messy meals that really needed plates.