As managers, we all have experienced difficult or just plain bad employees. You give them chances, follow protocol, but at the end of the day it just isn’t working so you let them go. What gets tricky is when you receive a reference call from another employer or hiring manager asking for details on their departure and work ethics. Our emotions always tend to want to be involved, but as a manager we need to stay professional. Below are 3 ways to handle reference requests for bad employees.

Communicate with Employee

If the employee asks if you will be a reference and you honestly have nothing nice to say, it is best to communicate that with them ahead of time. This will allow them to know where you stand and choose for themselves how they want to handle the situation in the future. If they know ahead of time that you are likely not going to give them a good reference then they will know not to list you or to ask the next employer not to contact you as one of their professional references. However, if they still choose to use you as a reference, then they will not be blindsided or shocked by your answers.

Find the Silver Lining

If you do choose to answer a reference call for a previous employee, remember to choose your words carefully. Even if they did not work out for you, they may end up being a great fit somewhere else. If things ended badly, be honest but kind. Try your best to separate your personal emotions from the situation and stay professional. Find the silver lining and highlight at least one good quality. For example, “Yes, she had an attendance issue but she was great with customers”.

Keep it Brief

Regardless of how you feel about the previous employee, it is best to stick to the facts. Answer the questions that are being asked, but you do not have to give a 20 minute explanation with examples and stories. They will get the point with a simple answer and it will keep any biases from spilling out. Keep in mind that the person calling has likely already made their mind up about this potential candidate, they are just doing final checks. If there is something you feel they need to know, be sure to express that to them. However, they do not need to know everything that ever happened with the employee. Reference checks are just that, a check. It should be short, honest and to the point.

Handling reference requests for bad employees can be tricky. You want to stay professional, express your concerns but also keep your personal emotions out of the conversation. Letting the employee know ahead of time that you have nothing good to say will hopefully allow that employee to go in another direction. However, if you find yourself having to answer questions, stick to the point and keep it brief. This will allow you to stay on track and keep your professionalism intact.