New Hire Isn't Working Out in the First 90 Days: What Are My Options?
You hired someone six weeks ago. The first week or two seemed okay, but now it’s clear something is not working. Maybe the skill level was misrepresented. Maybe the fit with the team is worse than expected. Maybe their attitude has been a problem from day one. Whatever it is, you’re wondering how to handle it.
The early employment period is actually the easiest time to make a change, but only if you handle it correctly.
First: Diagnose the Problem Honestly
Before deciding what to do, be clear about what is actually wrong. There is a significant difference between:
• A skills gap: the employee does not have the capabilities the role requires
• A performance gap: the employee has the capabilities but is not applying them
• A conduct issue: the employee’s behavior, attitude, or professionalism is the problem
• An onboarding failure: the employee has not been given adequate training, tools, or direction
The last one is worth examining honestly. Many early-tenure “performance” issues are actually onboarding failures in disguise. An employee who has not received clear expectations, proper training, or sufficient manager time may appear to be underperforming when the real issue is that they were not set up to succeed. Before concluding the hire was a mistake, ask whether the organization did its part. For a structured approach to setting new employees up for success from day one, see New Employee Onboarding Checklist.
Option 1: Invest in Correction
If the issue is a skills or knowledge gap that is addressable, and the employee shows genuine effort and engagement, investing in additional training and closer manager attention may resolve it. Set a clear 30-day improvement framework: specific expectations, daily or weekly check-ins, defined success criteria. Document everything.
This is worth pursuing when the hire had genuine potential that has not yet been realized, when the onboarding was weak and you believe the employee deserves a fair start, or when the cost of starting the hiring process again is significant relative to the cost of investing more time.
Option 2: Have a Candid Reset Conversation
Sometimes the right move is a direct conversation that resets expectations clearly. The employee may not fully understand how their performance is being perceived. A candid, documented conversation that says “here is what I am observing, here is what needs to change, here is the timeline” gives the employee a clear chance to respond and course-correct.
This conversation should be documented. It is effectively the verbal warning stage of progressive discipline, even this early in employment.
Option 3: Terminate
In at-will states, you can terminate a new employee at any time for any legal reason. The early employment period is not a legal protection for the employee. A 90-day probationary period does not create job security or alter the at-will relationship unless your policy specifically says otherwise (and if your employee handbook says employees become “permanent” after 90 days, you have inadvertently created a contract right).
Termination is the right call when:
• The skills misrepresentation is significant and fundamental to the role
• The conduct issues are serious and did not improve after direct feedback
• The fit problems are structural and unlikely to improve with time
• Continuing the employment is creating problems for the team or the business
Even in early termination situations, document the reason, conduct the termination meeting with HR or a witness present, and handle the separation professionally. For a step-by-step walkthrough of that process, see How to Conduct a Termination Meeting.
What to Avoid
Do not let a bad hire linger out of discomfort with the conversation. The cost of keeping the wrong person in a role, in productivity, team morale, and management time, almost always exceeds the cost of making a difficult decision earlier.
Also do not terminate for reasons connected to a protected characteristic, even in the first 90 days. Anti-discrimination laws apply from day one of employment. If the new hire disclosed a medical condition, a pregnancy, or a religious need during onboarding and you are now terminating them, ensure your documented reason is completely unrelated to those disclosures.
The Lesson for Next Time
Early departures are often symptoms of a hiring or onboarding process that did not screen well or set the employee up for success. After any early separation, do a brief post-mortem: what signals were missed in the interview process, what could have been done differently in onboarding, and what would change in the next hire for this role.
Get a New Hire Onboarding Checklist & Template
A structured onboarding process reduces early attrition by giving new employees clear expectations, proper training, and regular check-ins from day one. Our template covers pre-arrival through the 90-day milestone.
→ New Hire Onboarding Checklist & Template — $49 | pragmatichrgroup.com
Editable Word document + PDF. Instant download. Created by a SHRM-SCP certified HR professional.
Questions about this or other HR topics? Visit pragmatichrgroup.com for more resources.
