Sometimes it happens that a candidate who had the right credentials, seemed to fly through the interview process, and had lovely references turns out to be an unexpected problem after hiring. If it hasn’t happened to you yet, consider yourself lucky, because only 19% of new hires are considered fully successful, according to a frequently cited study, and by the 18-month point 46% are deemed failures.
What to Do When You Realize You Made a Bad Hire
Prepare for an uncomfortable conversation.
August 22, 2018
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Summary.
By some estimates, only half of new hires are considered fully successful. What if you’ve hired someone who’s dragging your whole team down? First, prepare for a direct (and uncomfortable) conversation with your new hire. They need to know how they’re failing to meet expectations so that they can make adjustments. Try to repair the situation with clear, specific feedback. If that doesn’t work, you can consider a reassignment if there’s another role in your organization that would be a better fit for them — but only do this if you think they’d truly succeed in a different role. Usually in these situations, it’s less costly — to all parties — to just let the person go. If you have to do this, try to offer the person a good exit package and a sensitive departure plan.