Managing Employee Termination in Engineering Teams

Parting ways with a team member is one of the most challenging responsibilities an engineering leader will face. Handling this process poorly can lead to legal risks, security vulnerabilities, and damaged team morale. This text-based course guides you through the entire termination process with empathy, structure, and professionalism. You will learn how to align with HR, document performance issues objectively, manage the transition of system access, and support your remaining team members through the change. What you'll learn: Understand the foundational legal and ethical principles of employee termination; Document performance issues and behavioral concerns with objective, clear written evidence; Collaborate effectively with HR partners to ensure a compliant and smooth transition; Conduct difficult offboarding conversations with empathy, clarity, and professionalism; Manage technical security risks by coordinating access revocation and handovers; Support remaining team members to maintain morale and psychological safety. The course begins with foundational concepts of performance management and legal frameworks, then moves step-by-step through preparation, the termination meeting itself, and the post-offboarding recovery phase for your team. Designed for new engineering managers, tech leads, and aspiring technical leaders, this course requires no prior HR experience. Read through our structured guides and practical scenarios to build your leadership resilience today.