Have You Ever Fired a Low Performer?
Explore how to effectively handle the difficult process of firing a low-performing team member. Understand the importance of empathy, thorough communication with all stakeholders, clear documentation, and maintaining team morale during this challenge as an engineering manager.
Firing an employee is a difficult and taxing process. Not everyone has had the experience of being forced to let a team member go, but when it happens, you’re expected to conduct yourself gracefully and make sure the process is as smooth as possible. As a manager, you’ll experience some emotional strain from this incident as well.
What the interviewer is looking for
- Whether or not you have had this experience, how well you understand the process, and what input you use to make this decision.
- How you manage communication with that employee.
- How you manage communication with the rest of the stakeholders.
- How well you document a strong case