Q: I often think I ‘ve found the right employee, but once he or she is on board, I get some depressing, even alarming, suprises. Is there something wrong with my approach?
Answer – This could happen, the possibility is always there, however much a good recruitment process or on boarding process is in place, there could be instances once an employee is taken on board and starts working, the person might not be the person you expected the person to be in terms of performance on his //her deliverables and attitudes, behavior, etc, etc . I would recommend , no sooner you feel this way and see this happening to have a one to one quality conversation with your new team member with an open mind and discuss the issues at hand, whether it may be one’s performance levels, attitudes, adapting into the culture and team, even things like attendance and punctuality …
You need to express clearly and candidly at these one to one sessions on the expectation gap and be with an open mind to listen to the new employee’s side of the story as well. You should give a constructive feedback at this stage and probably list out a plan together to cover this gap. Planned out feedback sessions, say, once in every two weeks should be scheduled to see if there is an improvement and the gap is reducing and the new recruit is coming around. At the end of a 3 month period you should conduct an appraisal session and document and handover in writing as well the significant shortfalls and the areas of improvement, etc, needed. So you are in fact building up the employees file. But in your mind you should not get discouraged or disappointed, but be determined to give the new recruit a good chance to turn around and come up to the expectation levels. Before the end of the probationary period which is generally six months, another appraisal /evaluation should be done to identify if the employee has in fact shown significant improvement and if not the probationary period should be extended in writing setting out the specific reasons for extending the probationary period. At this point, if the new recruit, or before, if the new recruit does not show any improvement at all, you need, together with the HR Manager, have a discussion with the new recruit and even reluctantly go in to the termination process unless otherwise the new recruit also understands and tenders his/her resignation which is a much better course to follow. After the extension of the probationary period as well if the new recruit has not shown significant improvement, its best that a one to one session is carried out with the new recruit and very clearly express, despite numerous opportunities given to him/her, there seem to be a significant gap in the expectation and performance levels which has a significant impact on the business and also the person him/herself as well, as there is no progress for the person either and that its best for both parties if the new employee tendered his/ her resignation,otherwise, it would end in a termination of services which is not a very pleasant exercise . Hence it’s best, in this scenario, if the conversations build up to the new recruit giving his/her resignation rather than going into the termination process. During this whole process one should always work hand in hand with the HR department and have the conversations with the newly recruited employee together with the HR Manager and all requirements,documented, etc, and maintained in his/ her personal file.
Through the above process you need to be with an open mind, not disappointed or discouraged and also not clouded with others opinions and stories as you need to independently make the assessment on the new recruit. Always try to go as much as possible with measurable facts and even when having the one to one sessions with the new recruit, show the facts as well.
In order to avoid such situations described above as much as possible it is best to follow the described processes below.
When an existing employee tenders his/her resignation and you are aware that the need is there to find a suitable replacement for the position there a few key areas one must focus on ….
1. You need to critically analyze the job role and do a Personal Profile and a Position Profile which will reflect as correctly as possible the tasks the role entails and the requirements/ prerequisites’ the replacing candidate should possess. This needs to be looked into with a fresh mind and all anew. I would say we need to put in adequate time and thinking into this first step so that we are clear in our minds as to what we are looking for in the new employee who will be taking over this position.
2. Always bear in mind that no two people are alike and you cannot look for the same type of person who left the organization to take on the new role. So we need to always be with an open mind to explore and find the best fit candidate.
3. The CVs received needs to be very systematically shortlisted to match all the requirements in the job profile and personal profile drawn up initially. There are no short cuts here, it needs to be done in a proper systematic manner.
4. Candidates should face tests prepared by the HR teams and followed up with presentations, psychometric testing, etc., to see from all angles the best fit candidate, depending on the position and the job role.
5. Generally, once the HR testing and interviews are conducted, the selected candidates would be put forward to the operations team to interview where you will also be an interviewee as his Superior/ Manager, before the final selection is made.
6. This interview is a very crucial part of the selecting process. I would always say there would be a gut feeling attached in this process as well/ instinct.So you need to be with a very open mind and be completely present right throughout the interview. The questions you will pose at the candidate and the answers you will get will reveal information to a great extent for you to understand the candidate. You need to make this meeting as comfortable as possible for the candidate so he/ she is relaxed and is more their normal selves and would answer you with more insights and details in a relaxed manner and mind frame.
7. The person’s experience may not be the same as the candidate who left your team, but you need to be mature and open in your thinking to see if the different experience will add more value if you take the candidate on board. For example, the candidate may have sufficient experience, but in a different industry, and you know that particular company is a fast growing company and having worked in that industry and organization would have exposed this candidate to handle multiple projects/ work under tight deadlines, be in a fast pace work environment, etc. and that kind of person would be able to add a lot of value to the current position you are trying to fill plus bring in more dynamism too. So even though the candidate would not have experience from the same industry, he/she should be able to handle the position, plus probably bring in a fresh perspective to the job role. In fact, the whole change could bring in fresh blood with more energy, different thinking which could in fact be a plus to the role and the improvement of the role itself. So a lot lies in our hands as well to be with open minds to accept change, of course for the better.
8. At the interview itself, you need to be very clear and candid about the role, what it entails and your expectations.So there are no suprises to both parties in the event he/she is taken in as the replacement. You need to ascertain his/her style of working and if it fits into your expectation and also on how your team works. Say, a candidate was working under a lot of supervision and in your role the person needs to think and work on his/her own, you will realize the person will not fit into the role or your team. The person’s attitude, will also need to be checked out whilst your having that interview and of course when the reference checks are carried out on the candidate as well.
9. Reference checks are a very vital procedure in the whole recruitment process. Not only from the referee s the candidate cites on his/her CV, but other contacts, previous employers, etc. are especially important,in the event, given the seniority of the role and also the nature of the job. if it is a very confidential job the replacement needs to do, integrity and ethics are a key ingredient he/she should possess. He/she may have the required qualifications and experience, etc,. but if he/she does not have the most important ingredient of ethics, honesty and professionalism, he /she will definitely not fit the role or the expectations and the code of a company. We need to be very careful in this regard as, if he/she has a past record with his/her previous employers of acting unprofessionally/ dishonestly, what is the guarantee he/she will not to do the same in his/her new role. You should never be in a rush and this step of checking on the candidate from multiple sources is essential given the position and the role. They say “a leopard will never change his spots” … this could be the case if a person has a bad track record in his previous places of work or of his /her character.
10. Once you have decided and chosen a candidate and when that person joins your team, the on boarding process is very critical and also that you need to spend a lot of time with that new employee initially as those quality conversations with your new team member will give you the opportunity to express your expectations very clearly and also will give the new employee the opportunity to understand very clearly what is expected from him/her. Of course some of it would have been discussed at the point of interviewing, but it needs to be reiterated .
11. A very clearly articulated Job Description should be drawn up and handed over to the new employee where you explain the tasks whilst going through the same with him/ her and giving the new employee the opportunity to clarify any grey areas and understand better the role and the expectations. Even the Service Level Agreements setting out timelines should be clearly given and explained and if required clarified as well so that both parties are on one page before both parties sign off on same.
12. Also, mentoring /coaching at this point of time is a must so the two of you will be on one track and not go in two different directions. Also the buddy system where the new employee will be assigned to a buddy who will be able to help the new recruit to get into the way of working in the team, understanding the team, understanding the company and its culture etc. will also support the on boarding process.
13. Systematic on boarding, quality conversations between you and the new team member will help both of you in bonding plus understanding each other. A team functions well when all are on one page not only on how the tasks/work should be done but all understand the goals of the team and get aligned to the same. An open door policy where at any time the new employee has access to you will give him/her more confidence and you would also be able to build a healthy work relationship with the new team member. “Understanding” each other is a key ingredient for a good and healthy work relationship.
14. I always believe interim evaluations during the probationary period needs to be done and the Manager is responsible for the same. So there are no suprises for the new employee at the end of the probationary period and also the manager is able to get the new team member back on track if he/she should need be, during this period. Both parties will be satisfied by this process. If we are able to initiate and do these few processes in a systemic manner, I believe we will not be in for any suprises or dissatisfaction after a few weeks or months and I would say the same would apply to the new employee as well
I would like to express once a candidate is on board as an employee into an organization and into your team, there is a huge responsibility on your part to make things happen right with the new team member. You need to be with an open mind, not comparing the new person with the person who left the organization and identify and appreciate the new employee giving him/her confidence to excel in his /her new role. It’s like a new baby coming into the family …. Similarly, all that care, time and teaching need to go into make the new member a successful team member in your team …… always bear in mind that no two fingers are alike, but both are as important , both will have its own strengths and weaknesses and it’s up to a mature, professional leader/manager to bring out the best from the new team member ….. bmd