Survey: Managers Lose Nearly 1 Day a Week Managing Poor Performers

A new employee who “doesn’t work out” does even more harm to a company than sapping its recruitment and training budgets, suggests a local staffing agency.

The research revealed managers lose 17 percent of their time – nearly one day per week – supervising or coaching underperforming employees. Bad hires also drain morale, according to 95 percent of the respondents, according to Laguna Niguel Branch Manager Jennifer Caison of Accountemps.

Here Are Some Tips For Avoiding a Bad Hire

• Tap colleagues for their thoughts on needed attributes and competencies for the open role, and work with a specialized recruiting firm to find the best candidates.
• Cultivate a talent pipeline by personally reaching out to your network and recruiting sources. Online tools can be valuable, but personal interaction is the most important aspect of the hiring process.
• Extend an offer once you identify your top candidate. Companies that don't move quickly risk losing good people to other opportunities.
• Offer a compensation package that, at a minimum, meets the market standard. Stay current on prevailing trends by reviewing salary resources. 
• Identify the skills that are mandatory and those that can be developed. The goal is to hire the person who is the best match for the job and your work environment.

Tips for Addressing Performance Issues 

• Communication is king. Meet with the underperforming employee in person to discuss the issues. Focus on specific actions, and don’t criticize the person in general. For example, instead of saying, “You always miss deadlines,” mention how a report that was recently submitted late resulted in a client no longer working with your firm.
• Also find out what may be causing the performance problems. Is the person overworked? Is he or she dealing with a personal matter affecting work? Should responsibilities be reassigned?
• Discuss your expectations, and ask what tools the employee needs to meet them.
• Keep a written record of the performance issues and your discussions with the employee, and work with your human resources department as appropriate.