The Shocking Reason My Colleague Was Let Go: A Cautionary Tale
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Chapter 1: The Unfortunate Incident
It all began with a distressing call I received on Slack. My colleague, an exceptionally talented developer known for writing impeccable code and resolving issues that stumped the rest of us, was in tears.
He had just 20 minutes left before his access to company data would be revoked, as he was informed that his tenure at the company had come to an end. Fortunately, he was nearing completion of a job offer with another firm (Twitter, in fact—though he faced another layoff soon after). The emotional toll of being dismissed weighed heavily on him.
What led to this talented programmer’s dismissal?
Section 1.1: The Pivotal Error
In my view, my job has its challenges, but it's relatively straightforward. You tackle minor tasks, and everyone is satisfied. My colleague had efficiently cleared through all the assigned tickets, even pulling from the backlog for additional work.
He not only excelled in completing tasks faster than his peers but also maintained a high standard of quality. Although he made a few minor errors, they were not related to his coding skills. Concerns were raised when he reported being overwhelmed with work, and later, when he had less to do. Additionally, his blunt comments during code reviews didn’t endear him to his teammates.
However, these issues alone were not enough to warrant his termination.
Subsection 1.1.1: The Meeting Dilemma
The tipping point? He began skipping meetings. While he attended refinement sessions to stay productive, he questioned the necessity of participating in retrospectives when he felt there was no work to discuss from the Sprint.
This rationale seemed sound to him.
Section 1.2: The Fallout
Unfortunately, management did not appreciate his reasoning. After a few weeks of this behavior, he was summoned to HR. He articulated, “If I have no work, why should I attend meetings?”
The response he received was alarming: “We may need to reevaluate your position here.”
While he wasn’t terminated immediately, his pattern of behavior persisted, and the company made no effort to encourage his attendance at meetings.
Chapter 2: Key Takeaways
For Developers
Regardless of workload—whether overwhelmed or underutilized—never neglect your meeting obligations. These gatherings, often seen as tedious, are integral to your role.
For Employers
Clear expectations are vital. When an employee fails to meet these standards, the same commitment to coaching and development should be applied as would be used in hiring new personnel. Onboarding new employees is costly, making retention an imperative.
Section 2.1: Strategies for Prevention
Companies must rethink their onboarding processes for developers. A buddy system alone won’t suffice.
Encouraging staff to actively participate in scheduled meetings should be a priority. It’s not a complex task.
The Importance of Growth and Adaptability
If you’ve kept up with my previous writings, you’ll notice a recurring theme. Companies often neglect employee development, leading to a decline in workforce quality.
When team members fail to collaborate effectively, it hampers overall product quality and communication within the organization.
Conclusion
It’s the same old narrative with tech firms. Will anything ever change?
Probably not.
About The Author
“The Secret Developer,” a professional software engineer, can be found on Twitter @TheSDeveloper and frequently shares insights on Medium.com.