How to Get Someone Fired

Everyone experiences moments of frustration with coworkers, but if you have to work with someone who is genuinely incompetent, jeopardizes your safety and that of others, or severely damages the morale of the workplace, it's time to take action. Read the article below to learn how to handle such a challenging situation.

Make sure you have a valid reason for wanting someone fired. Simply disliking the person is not enough of a reason to try and get them fired. You should also remember that even if you and your coworker are in conflict, they still need their job to support their family. Take the time to consider if you're willing to bear the responsibility if they are let go. You should only take action if your colleague is:

• Preventing you from being able to work
• Preventing others from working
• Stealing company time by being frequently late, lazy, or uncooperative
• Creating an ineffective or unfriendly work environment
• Sexually, physically, or verbally harassing you or other coworkers

Gain Support. Your argument will likely be stronger if you have the backing of other colleagues. Ask people around you at the company if they share your concerns about the person in question.

• Ask people in a casual manner. Avoid spreading rumors or trying to convince others to dislike the colleague. Instead, inquire by starting with questions like "So, what do you think of the new secretary?" or "It’s interesting to hear Mr. Tuan talk to his clients on the phone" or "Have you ever noticed what time Mr. Tuan shows up for work?"
• If you find one or more coworkers who agree with your concerns, ask if they would be willing to join you in making a formal petition to management.

Observe the Person's Behavior. Pay attention to their conduct at work to gather crucial evidence for your petition and keep records of incidents. Focus on actions that are significant for reporting.

• Keep a log of dates, times, and detailed descriptions of incidents to strengthen your case and provide your manager with solid grounds for review. It will be easiest if you work the same shift or in the same department as the person.
• Try to distinguish between serious misconduct that affects the work environment and minor infractions. For example, missing a spot at the coffee station is not a major issue and is not comparable to showing up to work intoxicated.

Arrange a Meeting with Your Manager. Use your best judgment to decide who is the most appropriate person to approach and bring up the issue. Ideally, schedule a face-to-face meeting.

• When meeting with your superior, bring the notes you have written and take along any coworkers who also wish to make the petition.
• You should request that your manager keep your identity anonymous in order to avoid causing animosity with the coworker involved.
• Avoid submitting a petition via email, as it is more likely to be overlooked and is less formal than a personal meeting. It also leaves a trace of your complaint, which you may prefer to avoid.

Prepare What You Will Say. List the points you want to address and deliver them calmly. If you come across as too harsh, your boss may perceive it as a personal issue that you are exaggerating, rather than as a genuine petition for the well-being of the company.

• Point out a few positive traits of the person, such as: "I do like Mr. Tuan, really. He’s funny, and I think he’s a good guy, and I hope he truly is, but I am also concerned about him."
• Don’t directly ask your boss to fire the person. However, if your boss asks, "What do you think I should do?", don’t hesitate to share your thoughts, but make it clear that the decision is ultimately theirs.

Let Your Manager Decide. Once you've made your petition, you are no longer responsible for following up on the person or trying to get them fired. Shift your focus back to your own life, both inside and outside of work, and only avoid the troublesome colleague if they continue to disturb you.

Create Situations that Make it Hard for the Colleague to Stay in the Company. Before others see your actions to have the person fired, create situations where the colleague's incompetence becomes self-evident.

• If the person is often late to work, invite them to an evening event the night before. Then, arrange a morning meeting with your manager and mention that the colleague will be attending. On the morning of the meeting, show up alert and ready to work and act surprised when the colleague fails to appear.
• If your colleague has a habit of swearing in front of clients, arrange for a monk and a group of monks to pass by while your colleague is working. Let them complain to your manager on your behalf.

Consider Alternative Approaches. Sometimes you just want to get away from someone. It's time to channel your inner Jim Halpert and use some 'weapons.' Be very cautious if you try to do everything to get someone fired, as you might end up being the one who loses their job.

• Order adult products to your colleague's work address, but make sure the package doesn't have the office address on it, so the delivery driver has to go through extra trouble to find the location. The more absurd the situation, the better.
• Log into their computer and send inappropriate messages, making sure they are sent to your manager's email.
• Change their desktop background to a suggestive image when they are away. Tell the manager you want to meet with the colleague at their desk first thing in the morning, before they have a chance to notice.

Help Them. When your initial reaction is to get your colleague fired immediately, any scenario where they leave the company may seem beneficial. You could suggest that they look for a new job that you think they'd enjoy or constantly tell them how terrible their job is and convince them to quit. If they think they are doing it for their own benefit, you will have achieved what both of you want.