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💺 The Right Person. The Right Seat. The Right Time.💺

  • Writer: Jessica Brown Ph. D
    Jessica Brown Ph. D
  • May 29
  • 2 min read

Ask any HR leader what they’d give to guarantee the right hire at the right moment — and the answer is simple: everything.

Because getting it wrong? That’s expensive — and not just in dollars.


💸 The cost of a bad hire can be as much as 30% of that employee’s annual salary (U.S. Department of Labor). But that’s just the start. Add lost productivity, disrupted teams, damaged culture, and the ripple effect of delayed business outcomes — and the price tag skyrockets. 🚨


And this isn’t just theory—here are some real-life examples:


🔹 Zappos famously offered new hires $2,000 to quit during onboarding — a bold move to filter out mismatches early. Why? CEO Tony Hsieh once estimated that bad hires had cost the company over $100 million. Today, that clarity of fit is part of their legendary culture and customer service.


🔹 J.C. Penney brought in former Apple exec Ron Johnson to lead a turnaround. But the cultural misfit and strategic misalignment led to a $985 million loss in one year. The company has since returned to more customer-aligned leadership, rebuilding trust and stability.


🔹 Google used to take pride in hiring "smartest in the room" candidates. But after internal reflection, they discovered those hires didn’t always collaborate well. Google learned from early hiring missteps by rigorously analyzing what makes someone successful in their environment. Now, they use structured interviews and data to make better decisions about culture fit.


✅ The Benefits of Getting it Right:

  • High-performing teams

  • Reduced turnover

  • Greater innovation

  • Stronger company culture

  • Increased employee engagement and customer satisfaction


✨ It’s not just about filling roles—it’s about aligning talent to purpose and potential.


So the real question is: What systems do you have in place to ensure you’re making the right hires?  Share below!


 
 
 

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