It’s never easy when the person you recently hired doesn’t live up to the potential and promise you saw during the hiring process. You imagined them fitting in seamlessly with your team and quickly leveraging their skills and experiences to excel in their role. Fast forward six months, and doubts begin to creep in: “What did I miss? Did they overstate their abilities? Why didn’t I dig deeper during reference checks? Was this a mistake?”
Statistics show that replacing an employee can cost anywhere from 50% to 200% of their annual salary, factoring in recruitment, onboarding, training, and lost productivity. Ensuring that new hires succeed isn’t just a financial imperative, it’s essential for your team’s growth and morale.
When you see a new hire struggling, it’s important to step in proactively and work to turn things around. Here’s how to approach the situation effectively:
- Reflect on the Situation – What exactly are you observing? Are there glaring gaps in their skills, general underperformance, or occasional slip-ups? Look for patterns and concrete examples. Engage others who work with the new hire to gather additional insights.
- Consider the Root Causes – Poor performance can stem from various factors such as lack of skills or training, personal issues, misalignment with company culture or values, ineffective management or unclear expectations. For new hires, struggles might also arise from overcompensating to prove themselves, fear of failure, or feelings of isolation. Also, don’t overlook the influence of team dynamics or interpersonal conflicts.
- Open the Lines of Communication – If you’ve been conducting regular and effective one-on-one check-ins, the employee should already feel comfortable sharing their experiences and concerns. When addressing performance issues, be direct about your observations without being confrontational. Ask open-ended questions to understand their perspective and uncover potential underlying problems.
- Set Clear Goals and a Plan of Action – During the conversation, collaborate to define specific, reasonable performance targets and timelines. Establish clear milestones for improvement and agree on a process for regular updates and adjustments. Transparency and agreed-upon expectations are key.
- Provide Support and Resources – Once you’ve pinpointed the areas for improvement, offer the necessary tools and support. This could include training programs, mentorship opportunities, or shadowing experienced colleagues.
- Hold Yourself Accountable – Improving performance is a two-way effort. While the employee must take steps to address issues, you play a vital role in creating an environment that fosters their success. Dedicate time for guidance, offer constructive feedback, and consistently encourage their progress.
- Maintain Open Communication – Increase the frequency of check-ins if needed and provide a space for the employee to express their concerns or ideas. Celebrate small wins and acknowledge progress to keep morale high.
Even with all this, sometimes a new hire may not be the right fit. If performance issues persist after substantial investment in their development, ask these critical questions:
- Is this role truly the right fit for their skills and strengths?
- Could another role within the company better suit them?
- Is it time to make the tough decision to part ways?
In the event you determine that there is not a path forward in this role, making that decision and communicating it also requires your time, attention, and compassion. Rather than avoiding a fuller conversation, take the time to ensure that the employee moves on with a clear understanding of their strengths and the areas they need to develop, a sense of feeling supported during their tenure and not feeling like a failure.
Supporting a struggling employee requires patience, empathy, and proactive management. With these steps, you can often turn things around and help a new hire become a valuable asset to your team.
How are you engaging with your new hires to set them up for success?
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If you enjoyed this post, you can read more like it in our book, The Power of Thoughtful Leadership: 101 Minutes To Being the Leader You Want To Be, available on Amazon.
To learn more about managing new hires with proactive support and compassion, contact Robyn at rmcleod@chatsworthconsulting.com.
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