CONGRATULATIONS! You did it! You filled the open position. It took a while, used up valuable resources of time and money, and cost you some projects because you weren’t staffed up. YES! You’re on your way.
“Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. There are games to be won…” Dr Suess
But, your candidate started a couple of weeks ago, and now…. Ugh. They just aren’t the winningest winner you thought they would be. They’re often late, do not meet goals, don’t follow policy, or get downright snarky when given feedback.
It’s not always easy to know when a new employee isn’t going to work out. They seem excited and motivated in the interview, but things sure did change once they actually started working. There are sure signs to help you determine whether or not someone is a good fit for your company, and if they’re not, it might be time to fire them. Here are a few signs that it isn’t not going to work out:
- They’re not getting along with other employees. Don’t let a bad hire push good people out the door. (read more about this here)
- They’re always negative. One bad apple and all—one poison person can demoralize the rest of your team.
- They’re constantly making mistakes.
- They’re not contributing to the team.
- They’re not coachable.
- They’re not a good fit for the company culture.
Letting go of an employee who is not meeting expectations is hard enough but holding on to them could be damaging your brand. Firing someone is never easy, but protecting your business is more important in the long run and though hard, it’s necessary. Here are a few tips for firing someone without ruining your business relationship:
- Talk to the employee and see if they’re willing to improve.
- If they’re not willing to improve, let them go.
- Be clear about why you’re firing them.
- Be respectful and professional.
- Offer severance pay if possible.
No one likes to make a hiring mistake, but it happens to the best of us. The employee you’ll regret the most is the one you kept on too long. If you find yourself in this situation, don’t panic. Just take a deep breath and follow these steps to fix the problem.
Got hiring woes? Read this and then give us a call. We can help you!
