You’ve hired a new employee. You’ve trained them, given them the tools necessary to do their job. You’ve checked on them at one week, then two weeks, then a month. They seem to be getting the hang of things, they may be a little slow still but they’re learning. You’re ecstatic and congratulating the team on doing such a wonderful job incorporating this new individual. Then it starts, right around the 60 day mark. First a complaint here or there regarding mistakes. Little things. Then it becomes more frequent, mistakes get larger or compounded. The reports show this individual is doing right around 10-20% of the work while their counterpart is taking the rest. After speaking with those who interact with this individual, you’ve pinpointed a few key items to work on. You sit with the troubled employee, coach them, set clear expectations. The next week dawns with them making marked improvements on Monday, then they show up half an hour late on Tuesday and seem to spend the day in another land.
When do you release them back into the wild?
There’s no perfect formula. You’ve done what you can and they’re just not cut out for the position. Before terminating, consider these key questions:
- Have you given them the right training and tools to be successful?
- Would more training or time to work on their shortcomings help?
- Do they have the right skills? Can these skills be developed?
- Is babysitting them through the process worth it, or do you need to just cut your losses and move on?
Recently I had this situation. Ultimately I decided to cut our losses. The individual was just not cut out for the position we had them in and I didn’t have anywhere else to put them. Each situation is different and each employee is different. Sometimes releasing them back into the wild to help them find a better fit is the best way to change their life.
HR Changes Lives 