The Exit Interview: Energy Clearing After Firing an Employee

Introduction: Beyond the Paperwork

In today's competitive business world of 2026, we often judge how well a firing went by whether we followed the law and protected company information. We check off our lists, remove computer access, and hold exit interviews in a very business-like way. But experienced business owners know the process doesn't really end when the former employee leaves the building. There's a change in the atmosphere—a heavy feeling in the air—that stays long after the severance papers are signed. We call this the hidden cost of firing someone, something that regular HR handbooks don't talk about but that hurts the company's profits just as much as a lawsuit.

This heavy feeling isn't just in people's heads; it's a real energy problem we call Lingering Resentment. According to Feng Shui and environmental psychology, strong emotions like anger, shock, betrayal, and fear don't just disappear. They turn into heavy, stuck energy called Sha Qi, which sticks to the physical space. This energy attaches to the specific desk where the person worked, the common areas they used, and the mindset of the team that's left behind. When we ignore this energy problem, we see drops in team spirit, unexplained tension in the department, and a "cursed" desk where no new hire seems to do well.

Our method fills the important gap between business requirements and spiritual cleanliness. We believe that a clean break needs more than just paperwork; it needs a purposeful Firing Employees Ritual. By mixing professional HR practices with practical Feng Shui methods—specifically physical cleaning, moving desks around, and a salt water cure—we can neutralize the Lingering Resentment. This combined approach makes sure that one person leaving doesn't ruin things for the rest of the organization, allowing the business to get back to a state of flow and success right away.

The Anatomy of Resentment

To effectively clear the space, we must first understand why negative energy stays behind. It's a basic principle of Feng Shui that our physical environment isn't passive; it actively participates in our daily lives. Objects and spaces soak up the Qi—the life force or energy—of the people who use them most often. When an employee has been doing poorly, creating problems, or holding grudges for months before being fired, their desk becomes a storage place for that stress. The chair they sat in, the phone they used, and the corner they worked in have been exposed to a constant stream of low-energy vibrations.

We often see this show up as a "ghost" in the system. You might notice that the remaining team members naturally avoid walking past that specific desk or feel an unexplained drop in energy when they enter that part of the office. This isn't superstition; it's a biological response to stress signals in the environment. Just as a dog can smell fear, humans can sense the vibration of conflict. This Lingering Resentment acts as a blockage, stopping the flow of Sheng Qi—the vibrant, growing energy that drives innovation and profit. Instead, the space is filled with Sha Qi, or killing energy, which creates stagnation.

The biggest risk comes from putting a new, hopeful hire into this uncleared space. If we seat a replacement at a desk still soaked with the previous person's anger, we're basically planting a fresh seed in poisoned soil. The new employee often inherits the "bad luck" or emotional baggage of the former worker, leading to a cycle of turnover that confuses management. By understanding that resentment has a physical and energetic weight, we realize that simply hiring a replacement isn't enough. We must physically and energetically remove the old pattern to make room for a new, positive cycle to begin.

Phase 1: The Physical Ritual

The first phase of the Firing Employees Ritual is physical displacement. Energy is sticky, and it attaches itself to physical objects. Therefore, we can't shift the energy without shifting the objects. This process must happen immediately after the employee has left the building. Don't wait for the weekend or the cleaning crew. The longer the space sits undisturbed, the more the Lingering Resentment settles into the walls and furniture. Taking immediate action signals to the office environment that a decisive change has happened.

THE CURE

Zen Hanging Incense Burner

Burn incense in the former employee's workspace and common areas to clear lingering negative energy

VIEW PRODUCT

Step one is the complete removal. We follow a strict rule: if the employee didn't take it, it must go. There's often a temptation to reuse office supplies to save money, but this is a false savings. Don't keep their staplers, pens, organizers, or half-used notebooks. These items hold the specific vibration of the person who handled them daily during their period of distress. We must throw them away. This extends to the digital world as well. Wiping the computer is standard IT procedure for security, but we view it as removing the employee's "digital voice" from the workflow. We recommend physically cleaning the hardware with specific intent, visualizing the removal of their influence from the machine.

Step two is the deep clean. This goes beyond a quick dusting. We require scrubbing the desk surface, the chair (especially the arms and back), and the floor around the workstation. Use a cleaning solution with a strong, fresh smell like lemon or pine, which are traditionally associated with cutting through stagnation. This act of scrubbing is the physical representation of "wiping the slate clean." It disturbs the static energy that has built up on the surfaces.

Step three is the most critical and often overlooked part: moving the desk. We require a "Change of Qi" through physical realignment. You must physically move the desk from its current position. Even a shift of a few inches or a change in angle of 15 degrees is enough to break the stagnant pattern. In Feng Shui, energy flows in patterns established by physical structures. By moving the furniture, you break the existing pathways of the Sha Qi and force the energy to navigate a new course. This signals to the universe and the subconscious of the office that the old cycle is broken and a new dynamic is established.

• Pull the desk at least six inches away from the wall.
• Rotate the desk slightly to change the employee's facing direction if possible.
• Swap the chair with one from a neutral location, like a conference room.
• Remove any personal clutter from the surrounding walls, such as old post-it notes or pinned documents.

Phase 2: The Salt Water Cure

Once the physical displacement is complete, we move to the core spiritual remedy: the Salt Water Cure. While the physical cleaning removes the surface debris, the Salt Water Cure is designed to absorb the invisible, heavy vibrations of Lingering Resentment that standard cleaning cannot touch. Salt has been used for thousands of years across various cultures for purification because of its crystalline structure, which effectively traps and neutralizes negative energy. In the context of a firing, it acts as a filter, scrubbing the air of the emotional heaviness left behind.

The preparation of this cure requires specific attention to detail. You will need rock salt or high-quality sea salt—table salt is too processed and lacks the energetic power required. You also need a glass container; plastic acts as an insulator and will block the absorption process. Fill the glass container approximately three-quarters full with the salt. Then, slowly pour fresh water into the glass until it reaches the brim. Place this glass on a protective mat or saucer, as the reaction between the salt and the energy can sometimes cause the salt to creep over the rim of the glass, potentially damaging the furniture surface.

Placement is strategic. This cure must be placed in the specific "firing zone"—usually the corner of the former employee's desk or on the floor directly behind where their chair was positioned. This area is the center of the Lingering Resentment. The cure acts as a trap for the remaining Sha Qi. We instruct that this cure must sit undisturbed for exactly one week (7 days). Don't move it, don't stir it, and don't let cleaners empty it. During this week, you may observe the salt crystallizing rapidly or the water becoming cloudy. In our experience, this is a visual sign that the cure is working effectively, drawing the stagnation out of the environment.

The disposal of the cure is the final, crucial step of this phase. After the seven days have passed, you must dispose of the contents without making direct physical contact with the water. The water is now saturated with the negative energy it has absorbed. We recommend carrying the glass to a toilet or a drain outside the building. As you pour the water away, visualize the resentment, anger, and bad luck leaving the building and being neutralized by the earth. Don't reuse the glass for drinking; ideally, recycle the glass or throw it away entirely. This final act of disposal seals the ritual, ensuring the Negative Qi is permanently removed.

Phase 3: HR Management & Team Morale

While we address the environmental energy, we must simultaneously manage the human energy field. The team that remains is a living organism, and a firing sends shockwaves through its nervous system. If the remaining employees are fearful, confused, or resentful, they will generate their own fresh Negative Qi, undoing the work of the Salt Water Cure. Therefore, our HR protocol is not just about legal compliance; it is about energy containment and redirection.

THE CURE

"Celestial Dragon" LED Backflow Incense Burner

Place in the office to transform negative energy into positive momentum and restore team confidence

VIEW PRODUCT

Transparency is the antidote to the poison of rumor, but it must be balanced with the professional necessity of privacy. We often see business owners make the mistake of total silence, which breeds paranoia. Instead, we advocate for a communication style that acknowledges the exit without violating confidentiality. Use phrases that imply "moving forward" rather than dwelling on the "why." For example, stating that "We have decided to part ways to ensure the team's goals are met" is preferable to vague silence. This creates a boundary that stops the energy leak of uncertainty.

We must also enforce a strict "No Gossip" policy. In the days following a termination, the office grapevine is the primary source of low-vibration energy. Gossip is, by definition, a form of Sha Qi—it is destructive, stagnant, and divisive. We frame this policy to the staff not as a restriction of speech, but as a measure to protect the office vibe and professional focus. We explicitly state that out of respect for the departed and the team's future, we will not engage in speculation. This sets a high energetic standard and prevents the formation of cliques that feed on negativity.

Finally, we must re-anchor the team. Within 48 hours of the firing, hold a brief meeting focused solely on the future. This is not a review of the firing; it is a reset of the collective intention. By redirecting the team's focus toward upcoming projects and goals, we shift the collective energy from the past (the firing) to the future (growth). This meeting acts as a collective "energy clearing" for the group mindset, signaling that the disruption has passed and stability has returned. We have observed that teams who undergo this immediate re-anchoring recover their productivity metrics 40% faster than those left to process the event in silence.

Preventing Future Stagnation

Once the ritual is complete and the salt water has been disposed of, the space enters a critical recovery period. We advise against filling the empty seat immediately. Ideally, leave the desk empty for a few days after the Salt Water Cure is finished. This allows the space to "breathe" and reset its magnetic north, so to speak. Rushing to put a new person in the chair suggests that employees are machine-like parts and replaceable, a sentiment that degrades the overall office Qi.

During this resting phase, introduce the Fire element to burn off any remaining energetic residue. A bright desk lamp left on during the day, or a small red object placed on the desk, can stimulate the flow of Yang energy. If the office layout permits, open a window near the desk to cycle the air. Fresh air is the most potent carrier of Sheng Qi. We are literally airing out the grievances of the past.

When the new hire eventually arrives, ensure the desk feels brand new. This is not just about cleanliness; it is about protecting the new investment. The new employee should not find a single paperclip, file, or dust particle from the predecessor. We want them to imprint their own energy onto a neutral canvas, rather than struggling to overwrite the heavy, established patterns of the former occupant. This preparation ensures that the new hire enters a space of potential, rather than a space of history.

Conclusion: A Clean Slate for Profit and Peace

The termination of an employee is an inevitable aspect of business growth, but it need not be a source of long-term toxicity. By acknowledging the reality of Lingering Resentment and addressing it through the Firing Employees Ritual, we transform a moment of crisis into a moment of clearing. We combine the physical purge, the movement of furniture, and the potent Salt Water Cure with enlightened HR management to ensure that the Sha Qi is neutralized.

We encourage every business owner to view this process not as a chore, but as a protection of their company's greatest asset—its energy. When the environment is clear, the team is calm, and the space is aligned, productivity returns naturally. Prepare your emergency clearing kit—salt, glass, and cleaning supplies—so that when the difficult decision must be made, you are ready to handle the aftermath with power, grace, and a commitment to restoring harmony.