When Someone on Your Team Is Underperforming
How to address performance issues before they become termination conversations
Underperformance sneaks up on you. Someone misses a deadline. Then another. The quality of their work slips. They seem checked out in meetings. You tell yourself it will get better. It doesn’t.
By the time you realize you have a problem, you’ve already lost weeks or months. The team is covering for them. You’re stressed. And the person who is underperforming probably knows something is wrong but hasn’t heard it from you directly.
This playbook walks you through addressing underperformance before it becomes a termination conversation.
Start Early
The biggest mistake managers make is waiting too long. You notice someone is struggling, you give them the benefit of the doubt, you wait to see if they turn it around on their own. They don’t. Now the problem is bigger and harder to fix.
Address underperformance as soon as you see a pattern. Not the first missed deadline. Not the first subpar pull request. But once you see it happening more than once, talk to them.
Early conversations are easier. They feel like coaching, not discipline. The person still has time to course correct without feeling like they’re on thin ice.
Get Clear on the Problem
Before you talk to them, get specific about what underperformance means. Not “they’re not meeting expectations.” What expectations? What does good performance look like for their role, and where are they falling short?
Write it down. Examples:
Missing deadlines: Which ones? How often? What was the impact?
Quality issues: What specific work had problems? What should it have looked like?
Communication gaps: What meetings are they missing or unprepared for? What updates aren’t happening?
Vague feedback leads to vague improvement. If you can’t clearly articulate the problem, they can’t fix it.
Check for External Factors
Before you label it as a performance problem, rule out external factors.
Is the work actually achievable given the resources and time available? Are there blockers outside their control? Did priorities shift without them knowing? Is the team dynamic making it harder for them to succeed?
Sometimes what looks like underperformance is actually a system problem. If that’s the case, fix the system. If it’s not, move forward with the conversation.
Have the Conversation
Schedule a one-on-one. Do not surprise them with this in a regular check-in. Tell them ahead of time you need to discuss their performance. This gives them time to prepare and signals that it’s serious.
Be direct. Do not soften it so much that they miss the message. Start with something like: “I need to talk about some performance concerns I’ve been seeing. I want to make sure we address this now before it becomes a bigger issue.”
Then lay out the specifics. Use the examples you prepared. Be clear about what you’ve observed and why it’s a problem.
Listen to their side. There may be context you’re missing. Maybe they didn’t know the deadline was firm. Maybe they’ve been dealing with something personal. Maybe they thought someone else was handling part of the work. This doesn’t excuse the underperformance, but it helps you understand what’s going on.
Set Clear Expectations
Once you’ve talked through the problem, define what improvement looks like. Not “do better.” What does better mean?
Be specific:
“I need you to meet sprint commitments. That means if you commit to three tickets, all three get done or I hear about blockers early enough to adjust.”
“Code reviews need to happen within 24 hours. If you can’t hit that, let me know so we can figure out coverage.”
“When you’re in sprint planning, I need you prepared with estimates and questions about unclear requirements.”
Also be clear about the timeline. How long do they have to show improvement? A month is reasonable for most situations. Less time feels punitive. More time drags it out.
Document Everything
Write down what you discussed. Send them a summary after the conversation. Include:
The specific performance issues you raised
What improvement looks like
The timeline for improvement
Any support or resources you’re providing
This isn’t about building a case to fire them. It’s about making sure you’re both aligned on what needs to change. People forget details. Having it in writing keeps everyone on the same page.
Provide Support
If someone is underperforming, figure out what support might help. This doesn’t mean doing their job for them. It means removing obstacles.
Do they need clearer requirements? More frequent check-ins? Pairing time with a senior engineer? Training on a tool they’re struggling with? Adjusted workload while they get back on track?
Offer what’s reasonable. If they need help, help them. But make it clear that support doesn’t change the expectations. They still need to improve.
Follow Up Regularly
Don’t have the conversation and then go silent for three weeks. Check in weekly. Not to micromanage, but to see how it’s going and course correct if needed.
If you see improvement, say so. Positive reinforcement matters. If you don’t see improvement, say that too. Don’t wait until the end of the timeline to tell them they’re still falling short.
Know When to Escalate
If you’ve had the conversation, provided support, checked in regularly, and the performance hasn’t improved, it’s time to escalate.
This is where you involve HR, start a formal performance improvement plan, or begin the process toward termination. That’s outside the scope of this playbook, but the point is: you gave them a fair shot. You were clear about the problem and the expectations. If they didn’t meet them, you did your job.
What Not to Do
Don’t avoid the conversation. It won’t get better on its own. It will get worse, and by the time you address it, you’ll have even less goodwill to work with.
Don’t make it personal. This is about performance, not personality. Stick to observable behaviours and outcomes.
Don’t assume bad intent. Most people who underperform aren’t doing it on purpose. They’re overwhelmed, unclear on expectations, dealing with something outside work, or genuinely don’t realize there’s a problem.
Don’t let it drag on forever. If you’ve given someone a reasonable timeline and support, and they’re not improving, don’t keep extending the deadline. It’s not fair to you, them, or the team.
Why This Matters
Underperformance doesn’t just affect the person who is struggling. It affects the whole team. Other engineers pick up the slack. Deadlines slip. Quality suffers. And if the team sees you ignoring the problem, they lose trust in you.
Addressing it early, clearly, and fairly is the kindest thing you can do for everyone involved. It gives the person a real chance to improve. And if they don’t, you’ve done everything you reasonably could.