How To Recover From A Bad Hire

Every business relies on its employees. The people who work for you do everything for your company and without them your business will fall apart. No matter what business you’re in, hiring the right people is essential. Unfortunately, when you hire the wrong person it can quickly become a complete nightmare.

Frustrated manager with eyes closed and palms pressed together

A bad hiring decision is a costly mistake and it takes time to recover from a bad hire. When a terrible employee infiltrates your ranks, it can be hard to get rid of them and costly to find a replacement. This is why it is important to hire the right person the first go around.

At some point in your career, you’ll likely hire the wrong person at least once. It happens and it’s something that can be remedied. If you find yourself in this situation, here are the steps you need to follow to recover from a bad hire:

  • Recognize Your Mistake – It’s important to interact with your team and get to know them as individuals. When you do this, you’ll be able to learn about each and every employee. This will help you determine if one of your team members is causing problems. Did you hire the wrong person for the job?
  • Take Responsibility – Never place blame on someone else. If you made the hiring decision, then it’s your fault that you hired the wrong person. Own up to your decision and address it. Be a leader and learn from your mistakes.
  • Address Issue Sooner Than Later – Take stock of the situation. How can you solve the problem of  a toxic employee in your workplace? What are your options? Can you coach them to success? Is it best to reassign them to a different project or division? Or will you have to fire them?
  • Determine What Caused The Problem – After you deal with the problem employee, it’s time to determine what got you there in the first place. How did this individual beat the hiring process? Is it possible to prevent this in the future?
  • Communicate Effectively – Communication is essential in all aspects of life. Not only will you have to communicate with the problem individual, but you’ll also need to communicate to your team members and your future hiring team. Do so in a timely and professional manner.
  • Start The Hiring Process Over – Now it’s time to start searching for a replacement. This can take time and cost money, but be patient and don’t hire until you’ve found the best person for the job. Learn from the past and make your company better in the future.

Hiring the right people is the key to a successful business. Learn how to always hire the best of the best and your team will take you company far. It’s your job to making hiring your top priority. When you eventually do make a mistake, focus on damage control, and remember this post on how to recover from a bad hire.

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