Your initial excitement about your fabulous hire has waned, and after that person has spent a few months on the job, you've realized that he's not so fabulous after all. In fact, you're wondering if the position is even the right fit for this new employee. What can you do if you've hired the right person for the wrong job?
Recognize and Assess Your Mistake
First, you need to determine whether the person should be working for you at all. If you notice that an individual is not committed to the workplace or that he or she does not seem to have any of the skills promised during your interview, then you might need to let that individual go.
However, if you see that you have a talented and committed employee who is not the right fit for one of your insurance jobs, you have a different conundrum. Do you want to keep that person as an employee, and if so, what can you do?
Explore Training Options
Sometimes, people come with a wide variety of experience within a particular position. At other times, their experience is patchy: they are strong in one area but have little experience in another. For instance, if you've discovered that your new employee is really struggling with the computer program that you use for client management but does brilliantly when it comes to customer service, you can offer training to fill that gap. Don't assume that people come into the position with all of the skills to succeed; offer training to ensure that they can move into the job successfully.
Can You Change the Job?
Sometimes, an individual has many hard skills but does not have the soft skills for a particular position at your agency. For instance, if the employee in question is in a position that requires a lot of client interaction but he does not excel in that area and works better with data instead, is there an opportunity for him to focus on a more research-oriented role? You might have just found the right person for a different position.
According to Business News Daily, you should have an open, honest conversation with your employee about this to "find out if they have a skill or talent that is underutilized in their current position." Ask that person how they could best put their skills to use in the company, and your employee might be able to give you insights that will help the agency move forward.
Create a Culture of Change
To ensure that everyone's talents are being used to the full, make sure that you have a company policy about job transitions and offer opportunities for mobility inside the company. This allows employees who might be slightly underperforming at their job to transition into a new position that inspires them and that better uses their natural talents.
Create a positive attitude toward these changes inside your organization as well. According to Forbes, this will help you avoid the situation of having a sub-par employee who gets promoted or allowed to stay on for purely emotional reasons. This doesn't serve those individuals or your agency as a whole.
Determine Whether Your Agency's Needs Have Changed
Sometimes, the person you hire is an excellent fit for your company at the time, since you are trying out a new marketing strategy, developing a website, or adding a new type of insurance to your business. However, over time, your company shifts and your employee's skills are no longer as useful to your organization. If you're hiring someone for a position that supports a new endeavor at your agency, look at that person's skills so that you can determine whether he or she will be able to move into a new position in your company in the event that your trial doesn't work out. That way, you can retain a strong employee in a new position in the company.
At American Agents Alliance, we're dedicated to helping your small insurance agency become stronger. Are you looking for hiring assistance, help with benefits, or assistance with other aspects of running your business? Talk with us about our many membership benefits and learn more at our annual Alliance Convention.
