How Much is Mediocre Talent Costing You?

By Jezabel Southard

Posted on March 7, 2014

Hiring managers work hard to find the right candidate every time they add a team member.  Interviews, reference checks, and other steps in the hiring process are intended to find the best possible candidate.

Unfortunately, a number of factors can result in a mediocre hire – or in a long-term employee losing his or her drive, doing only the minimum required to keep going.  Mediocre employees have no long-term connection to the company’s goals or mission; they are typically working only to get through the day.

It takes little imagination to realize that mediocre employees cost a business in terms of lost productivity.  But these employees can also be expensive in other ways, including:

• They require additional manager attention.  Mediocre employees lack either the internal perseverance to work through a project or the initiative to identify and address potential problems proactively.  As a result, managers must spend more time working with mediocre employees.
• They drag down motivation in other team members.  When a mediocre employee does the minimum amount of work required, other team members must pick up the slack.  This situation breeds resentment and drains energy and enthusiasm from other team members.
• They can harm your company’s reputation.  When a mediocre team member interacts with clients or customers, they may convey the image that your company as a whole is mediocre.  Clients or customers who are discouraged by their communication with an unmotivated employee may assume your whole company is unprofessional, and may seek help elsewhere.
• They are more likely to quit – or be let go.  Whether a mediocre employee leaves voluntarily or is asked to go, all mediocre employees tend to “turn over” more quickly than dedicated employees.  The company must then deal with the resulting costs of replacing the worker.

How can you avoid allowing your business to slide into the mediocre-employee trap?  Talk to your staffing partner.  By talking to your recruiter about exactly what you’re looking for, you can improve the quality of your candidate pool, minimizing the chances that a new hire will turn into a mediocre team member.

The experienced recruiters at Terra Staffing have earned our firm a spot on the “Best of Staffing – Client” list.  Our score for client satisfaction is over eight times higher than the industry average, and we work hard to improve on our work.  Contact us today to learn more!

Categories: HR and Management Advice

Tags: Cost of Mediocre Talent, Financial Impact of Mediocre Talent, Financial Risks with Hiring, How Much Is Average Talent Costing You, Impact of Average Talent on Hiring Costs, Mitigate the Financial Cost of Average Talent, Seattle Hiring Strategies, Seattle Recruitment Strategies, Seattle Staffing Expert, Top Recruiting Firm in Seattle Metro Area

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