Firing of employees

Margolis, J. D., & Molinsky, A. Navigating the bind of necessary evils: Psychological engagement and the production of interpersonally sensitive behavior. 2008. Academy of Management Journal, 51, 847-872.

Article Summary

According to Joshua Margolis and Andrew Molinsky, necessary evil is “a work-related task that requires a person to cause physical, emotional, or material harm to another human being in order to advance a perceived greater good” (Margolis & Molinsky 847). The research explores often overlooked best practices necessary for the well-being of persons who undertake emotionally difficult tasks. The managerial best practices include developing an understanding for oneself as well as recognizing one’s limitations. According to Margolis and Molinsky, “the core challenge for everyone who performs necessary evils come from having to do two seemingly contradictory things at once: be compassionate and be direct” (Margolis & Molinsky 849). The authors observe that managers who resort to layoffs often feel such mix of emotions such as anxiety, sadness, shame, anger, guilty, and sympathy. The authors recommend that companies ought to focus on getting the task done together with ensuring the general well-being of those affected, as well the well-being of managers who are forced to perform layoffs. The authors assert, “no matter how dire the company’s economic state or how poorly the employee performed, all human beings want to be respected for the effort they have devoted to the company, and they want to leave with their dignity intact” (Margolis & Molinsky 864).

Article Critique

The article deals with a relatable issue of layoff as a necessary considering the tough economic times those corporations are grappling with. The strength of the article is reflected in the manner the authors argue that necessary evils such as layoffs/firings or downsizing can indeed be carried out in a clear yet respectful manner. The actions can be managed in a manner that accommodates the emotional cauldron that individuals experience when they are the ones to effect the unpopular decisions.

The research sourced experiences of professionals from a wide range of occupations, including management, addiction counseling, medicine, and law enforcement. These managers were found to exhibit a mix of emotions when performing necessary evil actions. Furthermore, they remained psychologically attached to these emotions throughout the undertaking of the decision while fully aware of the suffering of those on the receiving end. The findings also demonstrated that managers were highly creative or improvised when performing necessary evils so as to customize their actions toward the victim in a manner that best demonstrates the unique challenges of the situations of the particular needs of the victim. The authors observe that “stress relief and learning are the two key components for taking care of yourself after performing a necessary evil” (Margolis & Molinsky, 898). Those managers who have limitations of managing their emotional reactions and at the risk of getting overwhelmed need a scripted response to a necessary evil.

While the research would come in handy for executives and psychologists, it fails to address such pertinent issues as the conditions in which managers employ varying response styles when executing a necessary evil. This is key because the influencing factors may affect differently individual managers leading to varying different response styles (Campbell, 293). The research also fails to collect data on outcomes for both the ones at the receiving of the necessary evils as well as the perpetrators of the actions.

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