You might be asking yourself why this post is in the CEO blog. Well, I wanted to place it here because there is a new employment trend happening. What is it? Getting yourself fired. Yes, there are people out there who WANT to get fired so they can go on unemployment. While this demographic of applicants is low, it still is happening.

Below are three surefire signs to look for when you think an employee might be trying to get him or herself fired;

1. Excessive sick days. As an employer, there is nothing you can do about sick days accompanied by a doctor’s note. However, if there is a pattern of Friday call-outs, followed by no note, then you have a serial applicant on your hands. This is a person who loves to find work and loves to call out. Address this problem by addressing the person. If the calls outs continue, he or she is looking to get fired.

2. Disgusting hygiene. This is a sensitive issue to address. Some people go out of their way to not brush their teeth, hair or wear deodorant hoping to be fired. In fact, many employers were polled as making up a reason to get rid of a stinky employee without addressing the actual issue. In this case, as well as the one above, address the issue and see if the behavior gets corrected.

3. Unable to compromise. Listen, we live in world where shared ideas are embraced. Just look at the masses of people who embraced social media as a concept. If you have an employee who will not listen to your constructive criticism- you have a major problem on your hands. Firing someone is often the easy way out. Coaching someone can change their lives and your company. Try coaching at first and see where it goes.

Happy almost Monday!

Britanie Olvera