All new hires should be given a fair chance to acclimate to their new position and get used to the way things are done within your company. However, after some time, you may start noticing signs that the onboarding period simply isn’t going well for your new employee.
So how can you tell if it’s just new-hire jitters or if they’re not a good fit for the role? To help, 10 members of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) weigh in on the following question:
“What’s one sign that onboarding isn’t going well and that the new hire might not be a good fit for the role?”
Here’s what they recommend you look out for.
1. Poor Treatment of Others
“I always look to see how they are treating their managers and fellow employees. That tells me a lot about how long they are planning to stay, their character and overall commitment to the role. If they are pushing back on current procedures or acting uninterested with their managers, that is a telltale sign they won’t be a good fit for the organization.” ~ Nic DeAngelo, Saint Investment Group
2. Consistent Mistakes
“It takes time for a new hire to adapt to the new work culture and learn the new ways of doing things. But some candidates continue to make mistakes even after repeated reminders. They just can’t follow the instructions. If you have someone like that, they are clearly not someone you want on the team.” ~ Josh Kohlbach, Wholesale Suite
3. Dismissed Feedback
“One sign that onboarding isn’t going well and the new hire might not be a good fit for the role is when the candidate is dismissing feedback. A good hire will always learn the team dynamics and new ways of doing things, no matter how experienced they are. If they aren’t taking notes of the feedback, you know you have the wrong person on the team.” ~ Thomas Griffin, OptinMonster
4. Tension With Existing Employees
“One sign that onboarding a new hire isn’t going well is if they aren’t getting along with existing colleagues. This may be a sign of unfriendliness and a bad attitude, which could lead to an overall negative atmosphere. It’s important that new hires start with enthusiasm and a willingness to get along with everyone while doing their tasks.” ~ Stephanie Wells, Formidable Forms
5. Pushback on Procedures
“New hires who push back on procedures are typically not a good fit. It’s OK for a new hire to ask why things are done a certain way to try to fully understand, but it’s another thing to push back on procedures just because the new hire doesn’t like the established processes. There will be opportunities to bring new ideas to the table, but first, new hires need to show they can follow directions.” ~ Jonathan Prichard, MattressInsider.com
6. Inconsistent Communication
“Undue delays and a lapse in communication are often sure signs of a bad fit. An effective hire tends to make mistakes and ask for feedback fast. At Fractal, we’ve had similar experiences working with A-players we’ve brought in. When problems happen surrounding deliverable dates without any follow-up communication, it’s a sign that the new hire is struggling and might be a bad fit.” ~ Brent Liang, Fractal
7. Negative Feedback From the Team
“Onboarding usually fails on a personal level. With a clearly outlined job, the majority of failures will be interpersonal skills that were missed in the interview process. Constantly check in not only with the new hire, but also with the trusted team members around them. If someone is showing you a different image than your team is reporting, it’s most likely time for them to go.” ~ Jason Azevedo, MRCA
8. Failure to Ask Questions
“If the new hire has no questions about the work culture, it is a red flag. Onboarding doesn’t mean dumping all the information on the new hire in a fixed template. It means creating a space that helps them ease into their role. If you are telling them everything, they might struggle to make it by themselves when you are out of the picture. Motivate them to ask questions. Show, don’t tell.” ~ Candice Georgiadis, Digital Day
9. A Lack of Attention to Detail
“A lack of attention to detail is one sign we look for when we’re trying to decide if someone is a good fit for a role. If they don’t seem to care about the little things, it’s a sign that they might not be cut out for the job. It’s important to bring these issues up early and to support the new hire, but if they continue to show a lack of attention to detail, it might be time to let them go.” ~ Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner
10. Poor Commitment
“All new employees take a while to demonstrate competence, but commitment, or the lack thereof, is often apparent right away. If the new hire isn’t fully engaging themself in the training for the job, whether it’s by coming in late or leaving early or maybe just not asking the questions that any committed new employee would have, that’s often a big red flag.” ~ Kyle Michaud, Carolina Dozer
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