Question: Why is it important for employers to carefully vet prospective employees in the hiring process?
Answer: Companies can’t afford hiring mistakes. They are costly and can erode staff morale, productivity and time. Finding the right match is time-consuming, and busy managers sometimes fail to devote adequate time to the hiring process. It’s more than just identifying promising résumés or profiles. Finding a compelling résumé or profile is only a start. Skills assessments, thorough interviews and reference checks, ensuring a cultural fit and managing the offer process effectively are musts. Bad personnel decisions rarely happen by chance. Managers usually discover they failed to give proper attention to the hiring process.
Q: Can underperforming employees be costly to a business?
A: Bad hires are costly not just for the drain they place on the budget, but also in terms of lost morale, productivity, time and resources. Exact cost estimates vary, but it can be as much as 150 percent of a person’s salary — if not more, according to consulting firm Bliss and Associates Inc.
Q: What are some tips for employers to avoid making a bad hire?
A: Look at the big picture. Many firms make the mistake of focusing on filling old vacancies the first chance they have an opportunity to add staff. Instead of looking at individual positions, evaluate your overall needs and your entire talent base.
This could be a good time to build your bench strength. The right strategic hires can boost the capabilities of your company and give it a competitive edge. You may be able to attract people with specialized expertise, advanced degrees and impressive experience. Even though the talent pool in Hawaii is limited, it is imperative that you work with your network and talent finders to attract the skills and experience you need in the market. Your internal talent is what will set you apart from your competition.
Know when you need flexibility. If you’re less than certain about future prospects in certain areas or know when you’ll need a particular skill set for a short period of time only, consider bringing in contract or temporary professionals.
Ask employees for their feedback. Don’t forget to solicit input from your staff about where they see the greatest needs for additional resources. Even if you’re a manager at a small company, you still may not notice skills gaps as clearly as your front-line employees do.
Look for the intangibles. A candidate’s skill set is not limited to functional abilities — it also includes how well he or she works in a collaborative environment. Employers that don’t take soft skills such as leadership and communication into account may set themselves up for a bad hire.
Q: What are potential warning signs of a poor performer?
A: >> A drop in productivity. A decline in performance or work quality and increased forgetfulness about deadlines, meetings and appointments could indicate a worker who is gradually disconnecting from the job.
>> Longer lunch breaks and frequent absences. This may be an indication that an employee is disengaged and may be bored with the work.
>> Missed deadlines and increased errors. Everyone misses a deadline from time to time, but apathetic workers make it a habit — one that can throw off the efficiency of an entire department or company. Numerous errors from a previously conscientious employee are a sign of disengagement and may signal lost interest and an impending departure.
Q: What are some tips on how managers can address performance issues?
A: Communication is king in helping remedy the situation. It’s important that managers take the time to meet with the underperforming employee in person to discuss any issues. When speaking with the employee, managers should make sure to focus on specific actions and not criticize the person in general. For example, instead of saying, “You always miss your deadlines,” mention how a report that was recently submitted late resulted in a client no longer working with your firm. It’s also important to find out what may be behind the performance problem. Is the person overworked? Is he or she dealing with a personal matter affecting work? Discuss your expectations with them and ask what tools they need to meet them. Finally, keep a written record of the performance issues and your discussions with the employee, working with your HR department as appropriate.
Q: What are some of the things workers can do to start a new job on the right foot and avoid becoming an underperformer?
A: >> Don’t sit back and wait for your colleagues to reach out to you. Make the rounds in your first week on the job and introduce yourself to new colleagues, even those you may be working with only in a limited capacity.
>> Get a read on the company. Making incorrect assumptions about personal Web usage, electronic security, the social media policy or the dress code can cause problems.
>> Pay attention to the unwritten rules, too. The nuances of the prevailing corporate culture aren’t always spelled out in black and white. Astutely observing people’s behaviors, work styles and communication preferences — and adjusting yours accordingly — will make your adjustment smoother.
>> Practice proper diplomacy. Your manager will expect you to offer fresh perspectives and solutions. But be cautious about how and when you present your ideas and feedback.
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Interviewed by Alan Yonan Jr.
