17 Common Hiring Mistakes: Part 7
Keeping Staff That Do Not Excel During Their Probationary Period
Often, we hold back some salary during the probationary phase with a promise of an automatic raise after the probationary period is over. From long experience with employees, I can unequivocally say that if you are not totally delighted to give the employee the raise, you need to terminate them. There is no gray area here. Either they performed admirably or they didn’t. If they didn’t perform well during the first 90 days, THEY WILL NEVER GET ANY BETTER.
This rule is often a tough one to follow and with good reason. You have invested time and maybe even money to interview, recruit and hire this person. Also, you can’t help but to be personally invested in their success. You made the decision to hire them, you want them to succeed and not to mention that does it not reflect well on the hiring manager to have a bad hire.
But you have to put all this behind you and remember, if an employee doesn’t shine when they know they are being watched, they certainly won’t do any better when they feel more secure in their job. A bad attitude creeping into play early will only get worse.
So go back to the drawing board, and try again. Remember, this employee could be with you for years. Don’t get stuck with a bad hire. Take the time to find the best!
