Q I am retiring after 20-plus years at my job in a small municipal department. I had more than 30 direct reports, some fantastic, others not. A replacement has not yet been hired, but when that happens, I have been asked to provide an orientation for him/her. Fine by me; I’ll get compensated for my time.

My question is: How much should I share regarding the performance of the subpar employees? Is it even ethical to do so? Over the years I have reviewed their work, corrected them and made suggestions for improvement, but they always backslide. They all work in satellite offices so it is a challenge to monitor their work closely.

— Anonymous

A Oof. This is a tough one. My initial instinct is to tell you to share your insights about the work — or lack thereof — of what you call the “subpar employees.” Your replacement will thank you for it, and you’ll set the person up for more success in adjusting to the new workplace and role. But here’s the thing: You can be judicious and fair in your assessment, creating a space where the person taking over your job will be on the receiving end of important information without being primed to dislike or distrust their new reports.

Tell the replacement there are a few employees whose work could use improvement. You could also provide details about the type of work that is subpar, so the replacement can be on the lookout. The offenders will soon reveal themselves, and you won’t feel so much that you’re tattling as advancing a warning about where people seem to have difficulty.

If the new person asks you to identify the offenders, well, go with your gut.

The fact that you’re even asking if naming names is ethical suggests to me that you think it’s not, in which case, don’t.

I’d also suggest offering the opportunity to check in with you after a period of settling in.

Anna Holmes is a writer, editor and creative exec whose work has appeared in numerous publications, including the New York Times, Washington Post, and The New Yorker.