The High Price of a Bad Hire

From a drop in morale to a quality issues, a bad hire can have negative consequences for any employer. Knowing what to look for and being aware of the impact to your business are key in mitigating the risks.

Risks of a Bad Hire

The tangible and intangible costs of a bad hire to employers are greater than many companies realize. Direct consequences are easier to isolate, yet indirect consequences can be far more costly than an employer may have anticipated.

Hiring the wrong person can result in:

• Low employee and team morale
• Unnecessary internal conflict and stress
• Decreased productivity
• Missed or delayed goals and deadlines
• Unwarranted financial burden and sunk costs
• Process interruption and re-work
• Difficulties attracting and retaining employees due to internal and external gossip
• Undesirable impact on clients and vendor relationships
• Negative impact to company image, reputation, and brand
• Decreased sales and profits

When you consider that many of these items have the potential to develop into larger and longer-term problems, you can see how the cost of a bad hire can add up.

Interview Tips to Mitigate a Bad Hire

To address some of the intangible aspects of a bad hire, such as corporate and cultural fit, solicit feedback on preferred work environment, management styles, communication preferences, required support, conflict resolution strategies, and overall work expectations during the interview process.

When addressing more tangible facets of a job, ask for explicit and detailed examples of how an employee handles various work-related issues. Examples conflicting deadlines, productivity and organizational strategies, and customer and vendor relationship management. Try to listen for intangible traits within a candidate's response, as this will provide additional information and validation for decision-making.

Know When to Seek Professional Help and Advice

Not all employers are versed in specific interview techniques or have time to interview, and some simply prefer not to handle various aspects of the hiring process. It is wise to solicit outside professional help to aid in searching for the most suitable candidate to meet job specific requirements. Professional recruiters such as Modis can assist employers in every step of the hiring process to ensure the best candidate is hired the first time around.

Let us help you find good hires!

Save yourself the time and hassle of a bad hire by having one of our Recruiters find you qualified candidates. Contact one of our 73 offices across the United States to get started.