As HR professionals, you look for the holy grail in candidates: the candidate with the right background and who will also fit naturally into the company’s culture.
To get there, you’ll sort through candidates with the experience but who won’t thrive at the company and those candidates who will win over all their colleagues but don’t have the skills needed to fulfill the organizational strategy.
Every hiring manager will hire the wrong person at some point. It’s what you do after you realize your mistake that counts.
The simplest solution to a poorly-performing new hire is to fire the employee. While simple, it’s rarely the right choice.
If your hire fits into the company culture and is a competent worker, then it’s a much better use of your resources to figure out how to support that employee. You might invest in upskilling, further education, or even transitioning them to a different role or team. But it’s rarely prudent to sever the relationship. With a little thought, they can repay the investment and be a real benefit to the company.
In the event the employee is tough to redeem both culturally and professionally, then it may be smart to part ways.
Trust your gut and once you make a decision, act on it.
When you decide to transition the new employee, it’s important to work with them. If they aren’t a fit for their current role, then they probably know it.
Now is the time to decide whether to invest in their current role or transition them to a role where they will add more value. You can’t do this without working directly with the hire.
Talk to the new employee about what they think their strengths and weaknesses are. They may be able for their role with some skill development. Or you may find their woes are the result of a missed step in onboarding.
Use this knowledge to help the employee embrace their strengths.
Everyone makes a bad hire at least once, but if you find yourself in the position repeatedly, then there’s likely something awry in your hiring process.
Reassess everything from the job description to the onboarding process to look for weaknesses. Ask company leadership and direct managers for their input in the process. If you still face a loss, get outside help.
Are you struggling to place the right candidate? Let RightStone help. Our RightStone 360 process uses quality control checks at every part of the engagement to place qualified consultants with the right role every time.