The other scenario is a smooth gradient in employee productivity. Visible low performer for this question is defined as someone who can be fired and the second-worst employee can agree “they needed to go” and still feel secure in continued employment. A smooth gradient is a team where each member’s productivity falls within the reasonable uncertainty of the employee above them—you fire the lowest performer on those and risk needing to replace half the team because everyone starts polishing their résumés when they can’t see that much difference between themselves and the person who got the ax.