| - Keep it objective. Use NOTHING that cannot be backed with facts. This is both for the individual AND your team. - Let HR do their job. Frankly, they should handle 80% of this at a minimum - KISS - don't add any detail, nuance, courtesy-ANYTHING. Just get it done How to decide? Keep that simple too: - are they doing the job? If they're falling short, they are owed a number of chances with honest, objective feedback and equal opportunities to improve. The number of chances depends on you and your HR policies - are they present? People who don't show are more likely to get canned by me - Do they trigger the ahole clause? I do NOT tolerate aholes, they disrupt the team, any business partners and anything else. I don't care how good they are, these I'm most aggressive about getting rid of, although in 20+ years, only 2 triggered that one. Both were superb technically, interestingly and sadly In the end, if I fire someone, they've earned it. I will work VERY hard and patiently with someone who is legitimately trying. Even the most average coder can meet certain standards in my experience - maybe never great, but good. Only the first firing was tough, and he DEFINITELY earned it. Don't overthink this. |
In every professional job I've had, if they like you they give slightly negative performance reviews and never mention what you do right, to encourage you to focus on their weaknesses and to encourage a healthy skepticism in your own abilities to keep you from having the confidence to look around.
If they want to get rid of you, they'll give glowing reviews. The business has judged you'll never get better, so no harm in letting you have excessive confidence. Also, when the shot comes, it comes like a bolt from the blue, so everyone else (who had worse reviews) knows the sword of Damocles is hanging over their head, and there's cause to can even the top performers at any time.
To the OP: if you're considering the person to be at all more important than a shop machine or raw materials, you're doing good, and I laud your compassion.