Not every new hire pans out. If you’ve onboarded a new employee who’s struggling to hit their targets, how can you decide whether to invest in them further—or whether it’s time to terminate their employment?

* Reevaluate their onboarding experience. After their first month, ask yourself: Did you set clear expectations? Have you given them the tools necessary to succeed? Have you been available and accessible? If you identify gaps in their onboarding experience, it’s your responsibility to fill them in and chart a more successful course forward. Reset expectations, reopen the lines of communication, and ensure they have all the tools and support they need to succeed.

* Communicate with your manager. Keep your boss up to date on your concerns. This way, you’ll not only get the benefit of their advice and support, but you’ll also ensure they’re not caught off guard if you end up deciding that the new hire isn’t the right person for the job.

* Check your gut feeling. Knowing what you know now about the role and the employee, would you enthusiastically rehire this person for the same role? If you had a whole team made up of this employee, how strong would it be? If they walked into your office tomorrow and quit, would you be relieved?
This tip is adapted from “Should You Fire a Bad Hire?,” by Kurt Wilkin

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