Let’s assume you’ve completed your hiring process, your new employee is on the job, and training is underway.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there were a tool you could use that would let you know for certain whether each new employee was a hiring mistake or a hiring success? Well, there is such a tool and I’m going to share it with you right now.

It’s called the Success Predictor Tool and it consists of a checklist that you will review at 45 days and 85 days of employment.

The Success Predictor Tool lists 19 of your new employee’s key behaviors and characteristics. You will rate each one as either ‘satisfactory’ or ‘unsatisfactory’. It’s important to be clear about the meaning of ‘satisfactory’ and ‘unsatisfactory’ in this context so let’s take a closer look at how we define these terms.

‘Satisfactory’ means your new employee’s behavior is good, considering the training he or she has received. Satisfactory is simply the passing grade and a pass is a pass. Whether it is a solid pass or a fantastic pass is not terribly important when using the Success Predictor Tool.

This is no time for rose-colored glasses—call each category of behavior exactly like you see it. Do NOT rationalize poor performance out of misguided kindness or because some of the other categories are exceptionally strong.

If you find yourself agonizing about how to rate a category, ask yourself this, “If the performance in this category NEVER improved, would I be happy with it?” If you wouldn’t, rate the category ‘unsatisfactory’.

By the way, if others are training or supervising the new employee, ask them to help you with the checklist. Try not to think about each behavior too long. Your first instincts are usually the most accurate when using this tool.

Here is the list of behaviors that you will rate as either satisfactory or unsatisfactory, given the training and job experiences of the new employee to date:

1. Number of times late.

2. Number of times absent.

3. Quality of work.

4. Quantity of work.

5. Response to training and ability to learn.

6. Overall level of knowledge and skill.

7. Respects authority.

8. Follows safety procedures.

9. Follows company rules, regulations, processes and procedures.

10. Cooperates with and is generally liked by coworkers.

11. Achieves (internal or external) customer service standards.

12. Exhibits a positive mental attitude.

13. Exhibits internal motivation and initiative.

14. Exhibits persistence in the face of challenges or problems.

15. Likes the work—is a good fit.

16. Exhibits integrity.

17. Achieves acceptable standards of organization, neatness, and cleanliness.

18. (Optional for supervisory, management, or leadership positions) Exhibits an acceptable level of management/leadership knowledge and skill.

19. Makes me look forward to having this person on my team long term. (Really trust your instincts on this one!)

Now let’s assume you’ve completed the checklist. How do you interpret the results and what should you do with them? First, accept the fact that a good employee will be satisfactory in EVERY category.

Normally the ratings would NOT be discussed with an employee. This tool is for the use of management.

If one or more of the checklist behaviors is clearly ‘unsatisfactory’ at the 45-day or 85-day mark, you should terminate the employee—he or she was NOT a good hire. If you think that is too harsh, review the behaviors and select those you believe truly can be unsatisfactory in a good employee.

When my clients do this exercise they almost always say, “I see. If I truly want a great team, there are no behaviors on the list that I would be willing to tolerate as unsatisfactory over the longer term.”

The quicker you part company with a problem employee—the sooner you correct a hiring mistake—the better it will be for you, your team, your customers, and your business.

Why must the report be done at 45 days and AGAIN at 85 days? First, you want to review your hiring decision at least twice because hiring decisions are so important.

Second, sometimes it is difficult to get a clear enough picture in just 45 days. However, if you are clear that a hiring mistake was made at 45 days or even before that, by all means, terminate the employee.

Third, in most jurisdictions you can terminate an employee during their 90-day probationary period with little risk of a wrongful dismissal suit. In most jurisdictions, if you do not terminate an employee during their probationary period, the rules change dramatically on day 91 and they usually change in a way that is NOT good for employers.

Therefore, it is critical that you remember to do the 45-day and 85-day reports ON TIME or even a few days early. Write this important task in your day-timer on your new employee’s first day!

If more than a small percentage of your new employees prove to be hiring mistakes, then your process is flawed. Why use a flawed process when you know that even one hiring mistake can cost you a fortune? Obviously, the best way to deal with problem employees is to NOT hire them in the first place.

Remember, you always have the staff you deserve. If you think you deserve better, find and acquire a powerful recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and training process. It will pay you huge dividends for the rest of your business life.

Now let’s think about a hiring success—a new employee who rates satisfactory in all the basic behaviors!

At the end of the 90-day probationary period, have a celebration for your new team member! How? Well, you could provide a ‘Welcome’ cake at coffee time with a short welcoming speech.

A celebration reinforces the fact that team membership has been earned and the company takes their culture, rules, processes, and the progress of its team members very seriously.

This is also a great time to have some fun and bind the new person to the team and the company in a special way.

Stephen has helped many employers build superstar teams. For more information on recruiting, screening, interviewing, hiring, training, motivating, disciplining, and inspiring your own superstar team, click on http://www.profitableteambuilding.com

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