CareerBuilder Survey on Bad Hires

Hiring the wrong person for the job can disrupt a workplace but it can also affect the bottom line. A CareerBuilder.com survey of 3,000 companies suggests that more than half said that a bad hire has negatively affected their business. CareerBuilder’s Michael Erwin explains. “27% of U.S. employers report that single bad hire costs them more than $50,000 and there’s a couple of factors: one is training, one is the cost associated with recruiting the person and one is bringing them on with benefits.” New hires need both the skills and personality for the job, adds Erwin. “Not only do you need that person that has the skills but they also have to be a good fit for the company culture and if you don’t have the two on the same page that is when you get into the realm of having a bad hire.” Erwin concludes that company losses go beyond the cost of recruiting and training employees. “Sales are part of it because if you have an open seat, somebody who is not selling for your company and you have struggled through the recession and you are coming out, that is going to impact how quick you come out because you don’t have that person to fill those orders.” He says there is no 100% foolproof way to avoid a bad hire, but human resources officials should not rush to fill positions.