127: Necessary Endings: Helping Not-So-Great Employees Find a Better Fit Elsewhere

After weeks (or even months) of looking for the right candidate, you finally identified “The One.” But, several weeks of onboarding later, it’s clear that you were mistaken. You could always fire them, but that brings up a litany of other concerns. You could try working with them again, but that may put an unnecessary strain on your company’s valuable resources, with no guarantee that it’s going to make any difference... So, what’s the ideal solution?

Derek Conrad, a senior manager on Rea’s government team, joins unsuitable to discuss what you can do in this scenario, even if it seems like a lose/lose. We dive into the topic of “necessary endings,” and why you sometimes have to prune in one area to help other areas flourish.  

When is it time to move on?

Derek believe that you need to set expectations with your employees early on; they need to understand their role, their responsibilities, and what they’re trying to accomplish. This will make the whole process much smoother. Derek also suggests giving your employees at least six months to learn and get used to their new job. If, during that time, you identify an issue, try solving it through coaching, first.

If your coaching efforts are ineffective and the employee is still draining time or resources after six or more months, it may be time to move on.

If you have employees, you will be interested in these other topics discussed in this episode:

• Your options after you decide it’s time to move on.
• Why it’s important, for both the company and the employee, to act swiftly, rather than continuing to allow a bad situation to drag on.
• What will hold you back when you are making these crucial decisions.

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