Let me set a very familiar scene:
You have just finished a search for a new executive / leadership role. You have identified your star candidate, the interviews were fantastic, and the candidate has accepted the offer. Throughout the interview process everyone was excited, 'on the same page', and you feel confident that this is the perfect hire and everything is set up for success.
The new employee is now a few months into the role but something isn't quite right. All of a sudden you are receiving that dreaded email or call saying:
"Do you have a few minutes to talk?"
They are handing in their resignation - but what went wrong?!?
Don't feel alone or embarrassed if this has happened to you. It happens all the time! The usual reason given for leaving is that they have been offered another job that is more aligned with their career objectives, more money, closer to home, or a number of other reasons that makes the exit less confrontational. I mean they have only been with you for a few months - this is quite an awkward conversation to have and any reason they can provide to make it easier is welcome.
However, the real reason for many of these departures is down to inconsistency and lack of clarity.
Consistency is Key!
The problem usually stems from the very beginning of your hiring process.
For one reason or another the message or story you are telling the candidate throughout the interview process differs significantly to the experience they have encountered in the job. This can range from a variety of areas including the role & responsibilities, expectations, team dynamic, or company culture to name a few.
To avoid this situation, here are a few suggestions that could help with future hires:
- Clarity on why you are hiring for this position
- What challenges will this person encounter should they secure the job - both internal & external
- How do you measure success? What are the objectives of this role (and make them quantifiable).
- What are your expectations and have they been clearly communicated?
