10 Polite Ways to Say Someone Was Fired

Explaining that you fired someone is never easy. Luckily, you have options.

This article will explore a nice way to say someone was fired. You can use any of the following alternatives:

• I’m afraid we had to let them go
• They have moved on to a new career
• We had to part ways
• They wanted different things from us
• We could not find common ground
• They disagreed with our policies
• We both agreed it was best for them to step aside
• They have stepped aside
• It was a mutual decision to let them go
• They will no longer work with us

Do you notice how all of them say something positive without saying fired? Well, keep reading to learn why that’s a good idea. We’ll also explore how to use them with different examples.

1. I’m Afraid We Had to Let Them Go

If you want to know how to politely say someone was fired, then “I’m afraid we had to let them go” is a great option. It shows that you regret the situation, though you had to fire someone after an incident.

Generally, you can use this phrase in a formal email. It shows that you did not want to fire someone but ended up doing so as a last resort.

This example might help you to make sense of it:

Dear Howie,

I’m afraid we had to let them go after their most recent performance review. Though, is there anything else you’d like to know?

Kind regards,
Zoe

2. They Have Moved on to a New Career

“They have moved on to a new career” is a great polite alternative to show you fired someone. It shows you what to say to employees after firing someone in a business email.

Generally, most employees will appreciate your honesty. It’s a good way to keep them in the loop without being rude about whoever you fired.

Here is an example to help you with it:

Dear Chris,

Nathan has moved on to a new career since we can no longer tolerate his work-related issues.

Yours,
Bradley

3. We Had to Part Ways

You can announce someone has been fired with “we had to part ways.” It’s a polite and respectful phrase that works well in most contexts.

It works well in a business email when you want to let an employee know that you let someone go. Then, they can come to terms with the firing and figure out what to do next without their old colleague at work.

You can also refer to this example to help you:

Dear Ms. Jenkins,

We had to part ways with Adam earlier this week. Of course, let me know if you have any ideas about a replacement.

Yours,
Darren

4. They Wanted Different Things From Us

“They wanted different things from us” is a polite way to tell your staff someone was fired. It shows you did not agree with the former employee, so you believed it was best to let them go.

Generally, this phrase makes the firing appear more mutual. It shows that you and the employee did not agree, so you both decided it was best if they left work.

Here is an email sample to show you how it might work:

Dear Ross,

Sara wanted different things from us. Since we could not provide them, we both agreed to go our separate ways.

Yours,
Adam

5. We Could Not Find Common Ground

“We could not find common ground” is a polite way to show that you fired someone. It shows you how to announce to the team that someone was fired without using negative terms like “fired.”

It also simply shows that you did not agree with the ideas of a former employee. If you could not find “common ground,” it was probably better to let them go.

You can also refer to the following example:

Dear Tom,

We could not find common ground with Derek. So, he forced our hand, and we had to make a decision.

All the best,
Martha

6. They Disagreed With Our Policies

You can say “they disagreed with our policies” to say that you fired someone in a polite way. It’s generally a good way to let employees know someone will no longer be on the staff list.

If you disagree with a company’s policies, you may lose your job. Unfortunately, that’s how most jobs work. So, it’s totally acceptable to use a phrase like this to announce that you fired someone.

You can also check out the following example to help you:

Dear Deidre,

Jack disagreed with our policies. So, he is no longer in the office. I certainly hope you can understand that.

Best wishes,
Timothy

7. We Both Agreed It Was Best for Them to Step Aside

If you want to know how to tell a client someone was fired, then “we both agreed it was best for them to step aside” works well. It’s a simple way to announce someone’s firing without being rude about it.

It’s also a great way to let clients know they’re still in good hands. You can use this phrase and follow it up by saying that you (or someone else) will work with them instead. This might help to build a new business relationship.

Here is an email sample to show you how to use it:

Dear Mr. Kirk,

We both agreed it was best for them to step aside. So, you will be working with me from now on.

All the best,
Patricia Wood

8. They Have Stepped Aside

You can say “they have stepped aside” after firing someone. It’s certainly a polite way to avoid any uncomfortable conversations about where a former employee might have gone.

Generally, this phrase keeps things professional. It shows that you had to let someone go, or they chose to step away from the workplace. It denotes a more mutual termination, which is a much more respectful way to discuss someone being fired.

Here is an example to show you how it works:

Dear Michael,

Thomas has stepped aside. Therefore, I’m afraid he will no longer be in charge of your file. However, I will get someone else on it for you.

All the best,
Jonathan

9. It Was a Mutual Decision to Let Them Go

You might find “it was a mutual decision to let them go” useful when letting employees know you fired someone. It shows that you worked with the former employee to come to the best decisions.

Sometimes, it’s for the best to fire someone. So, a mutual agreement allows you to maintain your respect for the former employee.

You can also refer to the following email sample:

Dear team,

It was a mutual decision to let them go. I hope there is no bad blood between any of you as a result.

Kind regards,
Jerry

10. They Will No Longer Work With Us

“They will no longer work with us” is a great formal alternative. It allows you to remain polite while suggesting that you have fired someone.

It’s useful to include it in business emails when you want to update the workforce.

Here is an email example showing you how it works:

Dear Martin,

They will no longer work with us, though. So, we will find you a new team member to fill the hole.

All the best,
Daniel