It is rarely a pleasant experience and one that demands a sensitive and caring approach.
For bosses at a struggling department store on the brink of closure letting 140 staff go was never going to be easy.
But rather than call each employee in one-by-one or sending an apologetic letter, email or text, they chose a totally different approach.
They set off the fire alarm, assembled the workforce in the car park and then read out a short statement informing them they no longer had a job to go to.
Last night, the controversial move by bosses at Robbs - a landmark store in the Northumberland market town of Hexham for 189 years - was condemned by the local Tory MP.
Peter Atkinson said: "I understand that the alarm was sounded to gather them all in the same place, where they were given notice of redundancy.
"It is a rather brutal way of doing things, especially when you consider that many of the staff have given many years of loyal service to the store."
Mr Atkinson added: "It is the end of a long era. It takes away part of the history and character of the town and that's very sad."
The staff, unaware of what was about to come, had gathered in the car park on Wednesday morning expecting it to be nothing more than a fire drill.
But in front of stunned customers, who had also evacuated the building, they were told that there was some "bad news".
Having fallen into difficult times and with its parent company in administration a buyer had not been forthcoming and the store was to close in two weeks, they were told.
Before being ordered to return to work they were told not to speak to the media about the impending closure.
But one devastated employee said: "The way we've been treated is appalling and to find out in this way has infuriated a lot of people."
The crushing news came after parent company, Owen Owen, went into administration earlier this year.
The company had already sold the 100,000sq ft store to Scottish property company Buccleuch last September for £7.7m in a sale and leaseback deal but had hoped to find a buyer before now.
Last night, a spokesman for the company said: "It is at the discretion of the store management how the staff are given the news. The fire alarm was set off to clear the store of members of the public."
He said talks with a potential buyer had collapsed and so the store would inevitably have to close.
"It is disappointing that a buyer for Robbs has not been secured to date. Without a decision from interested parties, it makes the continuity of trade non-profitable and we will therefore be forced to close the store on May 12. A final stock sale will begin in store.
"We appreciate that this is a difficult time for everyone involved and I would again like to thank all employees, store concessions and customers for their continued support during the administration process."
The closure of the store has also raised fears about the future of the local post office and butchers who operate from the same building.
Tynedale Council chief executive Richard Robson said: "This is obviously extremely disappointing news. We are initiating discussions with the property owners and are also in discussion with the Post Office to establish whether it would be possible to maintain the franchise in its current location or, failing that, to find suitable alternative premises in or near the town centre."
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Next they will burn staff in the store and claim insurance!
For bosses at a struggling department store on the brink of closure letting 140 staff go was never going to be easy.
But rather than call each employee in one-by-one or sending an apologetic letter, email or text, they chose a totally different approach.
They set off the fire alarm, assembled the workforce in the car park and then read out a short statement informing them they no longer had a job to go to.
Last night, the controversial move by bosses at Robbs - a landmark store in the Northumberland market town of Hexham for 189 years - was condemned by the local Tory MP.
Peter Atkinson said: "I understand that the alarm was sounded to gather them all in the same place, where they were given notice of redundancy.
"It is a rather brutal way of doing things, especially when you consider that many of the staff have given many years of loyal service to the store."
Mr Atkinson added: "It is the end of a long era. It takes away part of the history and character of the town and that's very sad."
The staff, unaware of what was about to come, had gathered in the car park on Wednesday morning expecting it to be nothing more than a fire drill.
But in front of stunned customers, who had also evacuated the building, they were told that there was some "bad news".
Having fallen into difficult times and with its parent company in administration a buyer had not been forthcoming and the store was to close in two weeks, they were told.
Before being ordered to return to work they were told not to speak to the media about the impending closure.
But one devastated employee said: "The way we've been treated is appalling and to find out in this way has infuriated a lot of people."
The crushing news came after parent company, Owen Owen, went into administration earlier this year.
The company had already sold the 100,000sq ft store to Scottish property company Buccleuch last September for £7.7m in a sale and leaseback deal but had hoped to find a buyer before now.
Last night, a spokesman for the company said: "It is at the discretion of the store management how the staff are given the news. The fire alarm was set off to clear the store of members of the public."
He said talks with a potential buyer had collapsed and so the store would inevitably have to close.
"It is disappointing that a buyer for Robbs has not been secured to date. Without a decision from interested parties, it makes the continuity of trade non-profitable and we will therefore be forced to close the store on May 12. A final stock sale will begin in store.
"We appreciate that this is a difficult time for everyone involved and I would again like to thank all employees, store concessions and customers for their continued support during the administration process."
The closure of the store has also raised fears about the future of the local post office and butchers who operate from the same building.
Tynedale Council chief executive Richard Robson said: "This is obviously extremely disappointing news. We are initiating discussions with the property owners and are also in discussion with the Post Office to establish whether it would be possible to maintain the franchise in its current location or, failing that, to find suitable alternative premises in or near the town centre."
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Next they will burn staff in the store and claim insurance!
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