[Real Life HR] A New Employee Quits

Q: A recently hired employee quit within their first few months. Should I be worried?

A: It never feels good when a new hire leaves within the first few months of their tenure with you, but unless it happens repeatedly, it’s probably not a red flag. Most HR professionals would agree that turnover is a source of stress. Losing an employee can feel like losing an investment, and replacing that person has its own costs—advertising, onboarding, training, and coverage to name a few. But we also know that turnover is a manageable cost of doing business, and sometimes even welcome. In short, turnover is a metric to take seriously, but also realistically.

That said, digging into your recruitment and onboarding processes may help you tighten any loose ends. Look for disconnects between what is advertised and what the job actually entails. Conduct exit interviews if the departing employee is willing and ask open-ended questions about their experience. If you feel like you’re getting only “safe” answers, be more pointed in trying to determine if the role was as they imagined based on how it was advertised, and whether there were any processes or people that contributed to their decision to leave.

Building a process that creates a true job preview for candidates should prevent them from feeling like they’ve been “had.” New employees who come in with a clear picture of what to expect and then have an experience that matches those expectations are more likely to stick around.

Learn more about recruiting and hiring trends on the blog. 

Content provided by Ahola's HR Support Center