Successful recruitment begins the moment you decide to hire a new employee – and continues through your hiring strategy and process. Sometimes, despite all your best efforts, a bad hire happens. If you fear that’s the case, there are signs you can watch for to help verify your concern.
Red Flags
Let’s hope it didn’t get this far. But if a new employee is on board and you see certain negative patterns emerge, you need to address them ASAP – because they likely won’t go away on their own. Watch for:
- A general lack of understanding about their role: Everyone needs some time to get up to speed, but right from the onset, a person should have a solid understanding of what’s required to produce desired results.
- A bad attitude: You can train for job skills, but not for the right attitude to fit your company culture. The wrong attitude may not be immediately apparent. Many people are adept at putting on a good “act” during interviews and their honeymoon period at your company. If the wrong attitude bubbles up to the surface and lingers there, you probably need to take action.
- Lack of adaptability: Within the parameters of their job description, it’s essential that employees are prepared to be flexible to grow and change with your company.
- Constant references to their “old job.” Drawing on past experiences is necessary and admirable in a new hire; in fact, it’s just what you need. But if a person is constantly saying, “At my old job, we did it like this,” or “My former co-workers didn’t do it like that,” this is neither helpful nor productive.
- A new hire making the same mistakes over and over again: Everyone makes mistakes. Be sure that a new hire learns from them and doesn’t keep repeating them. Be tolerant of people who are doing something for the first time or in a new environment. Provided you have properly trained and coached them, it’s not ideal if they keep making the same error.
- Tardiness or a lot of unexpected time off: Unless there’s an emergency or other genuine reason, your new hire should be on the job as expected. Make sure any tardiness or time off is closely monitored. Especially if it comes with other signs of being dissatisfied with the job, it could suggest that the person is either planning to leave or will continue to be unreliable.
- Self -importance or arrogance: Confidence is a great asset, but you don’t want someone who thinks they’re better than their team, the company or the job. Unnecessary arrogance is a sign to look into how a new hire fits in and what their wider attitude toward work is like.
- Not delivering: This is the bottom line. When all is said and done, an employee needs to do their job and meet the standards set for them when hired. Some traits can be overlooked, if a person is great at what they do. Someone who challenges the status quo isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But if they fail to deliver results, it’s time for a change.
What to Do
Turn to a recruitment partner you can trust as you prepare to address issues with new hires and take whatever ensuing steps are needed to enhance your talent management program. Read our related posts or contact PrideStaff Fresno today to learn more.