[khanm]

You should make it as quick and painless as possible, first thing in the morning and on a Friday. (so that they have the weekend to think about what happened and so that they dont show up on say tuesday if you fired them on monday...awkward)

Get everyone who sits around them first to be occupied in a meeting somewhere else.

5-10 min later...

Then arrive at the employee's desk and tell them that you would like to speak with them for a moment outside. just make a remark as they get up to get any personal belongings.

walk them out the door and let them know that you appreciate their efforts but seem to come to a conclusion that they will not be needed anymore and that HR will have anything they really need from their personal work desk at the end of the day.

First thing Monday let everyone know in a one on one meeting that the employee has been discharged in a serious way.

No one should be making a big deal out of this.

the end...