Pandemic underscores value of making good hires in the first place

Nothing draws out an employee’s true nature quite like a global pandemic. Many workers have risen to the occasion during the COVID-19 crisis and worked tirelessly to ensure the safety of their families and communities. On the other hand, some took advantage of remote work or limited supervision by watching “Tiger King” or baking a lot of bread. One lesson that’s become glaringly clear is it pays to have high-quality staff.

Separating the wheat from the chaff

Employers facing the wide spectrum of human behavior over the past year have often felt like their hands were tied. How can you reward your best employees’ hard work when recognition lunches are no longer an option? Conversely, how do you prove Employee A spent three hours of his shift searching for toilet paper and Lysol wipes at stores across town? And so long as the work is getting done, does it matter?

Most of you will recognize the following scenario or some variation thereof: You had an employee who produced mid-level work and generally showed up on time but had a string of recent “illnesses” that happened to fall on Mondays and Fridays. You were getting close to the breaking point but didn’t feel like you had true grounds to fire him (and he’s got that family to support), so you let it continue for months, planning to address it at the next annual review.