So, your new hire just let you know that he needs the month of August off for his annual family reunion in Brazil and that he will take that unpaid, but he absolutely needs the time off because his grandmother is ill. Meanwhile, one of your new senior managers has shared that she will be working remotely on Mondays and Fridays because her therapist said that would be best for her current mental health state. One of your colleagues mentioned that her new hire has requested a weekly career advancement discussion, weekly, yet she has not completed a project or task on time since she started 30 days ago.

Managing today’s workforce, of all ages, backgrounds, and expectations, can be a real challenge.

None of these situations are inherently wrong. But when they show up as surprises after someone is hired, they often point to gaps in the hiring process, not poor leadership. In this video, I share practical tips leaders can use before extending an offer to reduce the risk of making a hiring mistake. We talk about expectations, clarity, boundaries, and the kinds of conversations that matter early, when they are easier, cleaner, and far less costly.