Don't they care about their job? 5 ways to motivate a slacker at work

Say you've just filled an important job opening with the best candidate you could find. They gave a great interview, had a superb resume and came to you highly recommended. But then they start the job. This person shows up late, misses meetings, does not dress appropriately for the workplace and quite honestly seems lazy.

Your first impulse may be to let them go. Don't. This slacker might be just as good as their resume says they are if you do your job correctly. That's right; the problem just might be you!

Here's what to do with new hires to make sure you get the most out of them on the job:

1. Clearly define the role this person will fill on your team. Be specific about the hours, the dress code and your expectations.

2. Have an open conversation about how this person thinks they can become an important part of your team.

3. Assign them a mentor who is successfully working in a similar role.

4. Check in with them often for the first few weeks to see if they have questions.

5. Give up ground. Even though you think you have it all figured out, ask for and accept new ideas from the new person. After all, if you want to improve, you have to change. What better way to change than to get some perspective from your newest team member?






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