Hiring employees is difficult. Managers must first define the needs for the position, then take into account job seekers’ experience and expertise, and finally determine how well job seekers match the company’s corporate culture. A misstep at any point in the process can result in a costly bad hire.
Many employers are not allowing enough time to determine if they made the right hiring decision. In a recent Robert Half Finance & Accounting survey, 54 percent of chief financial officers said they give new employees between one and less than three months to prove themselves, while 9 percent of CFOs make a determination in less than a month.
So how can you tell if you’ve made a brilliant or poor hiring decision? Here are six telltale signs of a bad hire.
- Attendance problems. Have new hires missed multiple days of work, routinely come in late, or leave early? Do they take two hours for lunch? These are all indicators that work may not be their priority. Take this warning sign even more seriously if they constantly make excuses for their absences or, worse, don’t care.
- Bad attitude. During the interview stage, your top candidate was so engaging and likeable. Now that she is on board, does she gripe about the work, have a quick temper, or act aggressively toward employees further down the organizational chart? When new hires—or any employees—exhibit such behavior, address the situation immediately and prevent it from dragging down your team’s morale.
- Conflicts with coworkers. If a new employee clashes with the rest of your team and doesn’t fit with the company culture, he’s probably a bad hire. There may not be anything wrong with his work or technical skills, but you need all of your employees to mesh if your department is to be efficient and productive.
- Missed deadlines. When they’re still learning the ropes, some new hires may not hit every single deadline. Unfortunately, you can’t afford this. The repercussions are work delays, lost productivity, and—depending on your business—even penalties and fines.
- Underperformance. Be on the lookout for new employees repeatedly asking the same questions or not understanding the core responsibilities of their role. Sometimes you can salvage the situation by providing additional training, but the effectiveness of that plan depends on their attitude as well as their aptitude.
- Unhappiness. Sometimes new hires simply don’t enjoy their job. Perhaps the longer commute is wearing on them or they dislike various aspects of their job duties. Whatever the reason, they’re dissatisfied. Fair or not, this is a red flag for you. Sometimes the situation can be rectified; other times not.
Knowing what to look for during new hires’ first 90 days can help eliminate future problems. Whether you give employees a month or a year to get up to speed, have a plan in place—and be ready to take action if you realize you’ve made a poor hiring decision.
