Q: Last week you recommended that a new employee who was “not working out” be fired. While I understand all the reasons why termination within the first 90 days makes sense, it still seems too many hiring managers have some vague, often un-communicated expectations that they expect people to live up to. Supervisors often get a pass for poor management under the umbrella of a probationary period. Shouldn’t they also bear some responsibility when things don’t work out?
A: Absolutely. I agree that responsibility for the success of a new hire is shared by both manager and employee, and it’s very possible that the manager didn’t do a good job at clearly outlining expectations. The employee wasn’t helping either, but more on that later.
Managers normally spend a great deal of time and effort while recruiting, but after hiring, they seldom stay involved. Some get too busy. Some want to give the new employee space to learn, others don’t see the newbie as fully productive yet, therefore not worth engaging. These rationales are all wrong. Right after hire is when new employees need the most support and involvement from management.
This is why I recommend having an on-boarding plan outlining what the employee will do, learn, experience and accomplish during the first six months. On-boarding starts on the first day, which is structured to make the employee feel welcomed, informed and connected with peers. The plan continues by defining specific learning goals, task completion milestones, and dates for checking-in along the way. There’s no ambiguity about expectations here.
Employees must do their part as well. Even without an on-boarding plan or attentive manager, new hires can succeed if proactive. If not getting feedback from the manager, they should request a “how am I doing?” chat. Sending FYI emails informing the manager of activities, as well as self-introductions around the workplace can also be helpful. All these actions demonstrate employee engagement and interest in the job, but most importantly, may give the worker early warning of a performance problem, with ample time to correct it.
Realistically, not every hire will be a success. But supervisors and employees can follow these suggestions to increase that likelihood.
© Copyright Eva Del Rio
