The price of a bad hire: One day a week of managers’ time

There are plenty of downsides to employees who don’t pull their weight. They dump work on their colleagues. They push back deadlines. And, according to a new report, they suck up a full day a week of their managers’ time.

That’s nearly 17% of the hours a supervisor could have otherwise spent guiding a great project or rallying the troops, according to staffing firm Robert Half International.

The firm questioned more than 1,400 chief financial officers. Of them, 95% said poorly performing workers cause a negative effect on office morale.

“Bad hires are costly, not just for the drain they place on the budget but also in terms of lost morale, productivity and time,” said Max Messmer, chief executive of Robert Half, in a statement.

So, how to avoid a bad hire?

Managers shouldn’t rely solely on their own instincts -- they should ask employees what they’re looking for in their teammates, according to the report. And don’t stall when extending an offer, because sitting on a hiring agreement can cause promising workers to jump ship to competitors.

Finally, lowball salaries do not a good worker get, according to Robert Half. Pay employees what they deserve and they’re more likely to work harder.

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