One Bad Apple - Survey: Managers Spend More Than One-Quarter of Their Time Managing Poor Performers

TORONTO, Nov. 13, 2012 /CNW/ - Managers asking themselves "Where does the day go?" may now have an answer. Chief financial officers (CFOs) recently surveyed by Robert Half International said that, on average, supervisors spend more than one-quarter (26 per cent) of their time overseeing poorly performing employees.

However, managers aren't the only ones to suffer the effects of a bad hire. Eighty-three per cent of respondents said a poor hiring decision at least somewhat impacts the morale of the team, with more than half (56 per cent) saying morale is greatly affected.

The survey was developed by Robert Half, the world's first and largest specialised staffing firm. It was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on interviews with more than 270 CFOs from a stratified random sample of Canadian companies with 20 or more employees.

CFOs were asked, "In general, what percentage of a manager's time is spent coaching and/or supervising poorly performing employees?" The mean response was 26 per cent.

CFOs also were asked, "To what extent do you think making a poor hiring decision affects the morale of your team?" Their responses:

    <<
                        Greatly ................... 56%
                        Somewhat .................. 27%
                        Not at all ................ 11%
                        Don't know/no answer ......  6%
                                                   ----
                                                   100%
    >>

"Companies simply cannot afford hiring mistakes -- not only are bad hires costly for the organisation, but the impact on team morale can be significant," said Kathryn Bolt, Canadian president of Robert Half International. "When team members notice someone underperforming, they know they will need to take on additional responsibilities to pick up the slack, which can lead to resentment and frustration."

Robert Half identified five don'ts and do's when hiring:

    <<
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Don't                  Do
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    1. Go at it alone.     Tap colleagues for their thoughts on needed
                           attributes and competencies for the open role, and
                           work with a specialised recruiting firm to find
                           the best candidates.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    2. Think the Internet  Cultivate a talent pipeline by personally reaching
    has all the answers.   out to your network and recruiting sources. Online
                           tools can be valuable, but personal interaction is
                           the most important aspect of the hiring process.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    3. Take too long.      Extend an offer once you identify your top
                           candidate. Companies that don't move quickly risk
                           losing good people to other opportunities.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    4. Offer a low salary. Offer a compensation package that, at a minimum,
                           meets the market standard. Stay current on
                           prevailing trends by reviewing resources such as
                           the 2013 Salary Guides from Robert Half.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    5. Fail to             Identify the skills that are mandatory and those
    differentiate between  that can be developed. The goal is to hire the
    must-have and          person who is the best match for the job and your
    nice-to-have           work environment.
    candidate attributes.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    >>

About the Survey

The study was developed by Robert Half International. It was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on more than 270 telephone interviews with CFOs from a random sample of Canadian companies with 20 or more employees. For the study to be statistically representative and ensure that companies from all segments are represented, the sample was stratified by industry and number of employees. The results were then weighted to reflect the proper proportion of employees within each industry.

About Robert Half International

Robert Half International was founded in 1948 and is traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The company has more than 350 staffing locations worldwide and offers online job search services on its divisional websites, all of which can be accessed at www.roberthalf.ca. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/RobertHalf_CAN.

SOURCE: Robert Half Canada