Identifying A Recruitment Error

A few months after being hired, your new employee is still not comfortable in his or her position and is not able to assume the mission entrusted to him or her. Whether it is a problem of skills, performance, or a relational problem, this recruitment does not bring you satisfaction.

The question is how to rectify the situation. Being able to identify a recruitment problem, to discuss the subject with the employee concerned, and to know how to terminate an employment contract in the event of poor recruitment: these are the problems you are facing.

What is a recruitment error?

A recruitment error occurs when the employee is not able to fulfill the missions entrusted to him/her within the framework of his/her work contract, and this is in a sustainable way.

The causes of a recruitment error can be multiple:

• Insufficient skills, which the employee is not able to acquire and which cannot be filled by training.
• Difficulties in integrating into the team and working with other employees.
• A negative person who is difficult to manage, who may present a profile of opponent, oppressor, manipulator, or even jaded.
• A personality that is incompatible with your own, making work relationships tense.
• A profile that is over-or undersized for the position, which leads to boredom and frustration in the first case, and a feeling of failure in the second.

How to recognize a recruitment error?

As a manager, you can be alerted to a recruitment error by several signals: missions not or poorly carried out, objectives not reached, conflicting relations, an isolated employee in the team, or a troublemaker.

If the problem is not handled quickly, it can ultimately have an impact on the cohesion, motivation, and productivity of the team. In more extreme cases, a hiring error can even affect the company’s brand image, or even lead to legal risks – if the employee does not comply with applicable regulations, for example.

In any case, a hiring error represents costs for the company: lost profits in case of a drop in productivity, severance pay, and the cost of new recruitment.

How to address the subject with the employee in question?

A recruitment error does not happen overnight. Very often, the manager points out various problems, discusses them with the employee concerned, and tries to find solutions to avoid the breach of the employment contract.

It is when all these steps have not been concluded that it is necessary to tackle the subject head-on with the employee.

Here are a few tips to help you conduct this interview.

• Prepare a file with objective elements so as not to be accused of bias or unfair dismissal: figures and facts.
• Use your emotional intelligence: even if you are annoyed or angry, don’t let it show and use your emotional intelligence. Control your emotional feelings to stay in a constructive exchange.
• Adopt the codes of non-violent communication: remain open to discussion, avoid an accusatory tone, and let your interlocutor express himself and defend himself.
• Know how to value the positive: in a recruitment error, the blame is shared. Try not to put the employee on trial by listing all his or her shortcomings: the objective is to be able to put an end to the situation by maintaining cordial relations, without altering the employee’s confidence in his or her future professional searches.

How to put an end to bad recruitment?

If bad recruitment is proven, the challenge is to be able to terminate the employment contract in compliance with the legal obligations, which differ according to the case.

How to terminate a recruitment error during the trial period?

If you notice a recruitment error while the employee is still in the trial period, you can interrupt the employment contract and end the trial period quite easily.

Be sure to notify your decision before the end of the trial period. A notice period must be respected, which varies according to the type of contract (permanent or fixed-term) and the length of time the employee has been with the company.

How to put an end to a recruitment error with a dismissal?

If the employee is no longer in the trial period and you disagree, it is likely that you will have to make a dismissal. In the case of a recruitment error, it is a question of dismissal for personal reasons, i.e. inherent to the employee, who is not able to ensure the good execution of his or her work contract.

Professional inadequacy and insufficient results can be invoked to justify dismissal for personal reasons. In rarer cases, disagreement can also be a cause for dismissal, provided that it disrupts the proper functioning of the company. This is called dismissal for disagreement.

In all cases, the dismissal must be justified by real and serious causes, i.e. based on real and objective facts.

If you choose to dismiss an employee following a recruitment error, a specific procedure must be followed:

• The invitation to the interview prior to the dismissal
• The preliminary interview
• Notification of the dismissal by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt.

A dismissal indemnity is required under certain conditions.

Is a conventional termination possible for a recruitment error?

If you agree with the employee that there was a recruitment error and that the employment contract should be terminated, the conventional termination, which requires the agreement of both parties, is probably the right option.

In terms of procedure, the employee and the company must meet to define the conditions of the termination together. The result is a contractual termination agreement, which must mention the date of termination, the notice period, and the amount of compensation.

What happens when bad recruitment resigns?

In the event of a recruitment error, the initiative to terminate the employment contract can also come from the employee. If you, as manager and company, do not agree with the employee’s departure, resignation is the solution allowing the employee to leave the company.

There is no specific procedure for resignation, which can be served to the employer in writing or orally. In this case, the employee must respect the notice period specified in the employment contract (unless he/she obtains an exemption from the company).

How to avoid a recruitment error?

Managing a recruitment error is not the most pleasant task for a manager. Even though it is sometimes difficult to evaluate a candidate in two or three interviews. Here are some tips to avoid recruitment mistakes.

Hard Skills and Soft Skills: define the profile you are looking for

As a recruiter, you must define precisely the profile of the employee you need. In addition to the level of experience, knowledge, and technical skills, define the soft skills that will allow you to fulfill this function.

The company culture to be promoted

Whether in the job offer or during the interview, insist on the company culture. For the same position, a large group or a startup can have a very strong impact on the daily work.

Company values are also important. By stating them to the candidate, you involve him in the process. The latter will then be able to assess whether he or she is in line with the company culture or not.

Know how to evaluate the candidate’s emotional and relational intelligence

Since you have validated the candidate’s hard skills via his CV, devote the recruitment interview to evaluating his soft skills. Try to see how he reacts in an emergency, how he behaves in a team. Ask questions about previous positions, use role-playing exercises. 

Co-optation or the endorsement of former employers: a guarantee of seriousness

If you are hesitating between two candidates at the time of recruitment, you can contact their former employers to get an external opinion. Co-option is also an effective solution since it is binding for both parties.

Onboarding: a key step for a successful recruitment

Many candidates leave a position during the trial period. However, this is not always a recruitment mistake.

To ensure that the candidate integrates well into the position, the team and the company, it is essential to support him or her during the integration process: take care of your onboarding.