top of page

The Real Cost of a Bad Hire in Built Form and Infrastructure.

  • Writer: Kelly Stubbs
    Kelly Stubbs
  • Apr 21
  • 2 min read
ree

Hiring is never just about filling a seat. Especially not in Built Form and Infrastructure, where one misstep can affect timelines, budgets, and entire project outcomes.


So, when a hire doesn’t work out, the cost isn’t just a sunk salary. It’s lost productivity, team disruption, and long-term damage to your business momentum.


Let’s unpack what a bad hire really costs—and more importantly, how to avoid one.


1. The Visible Costs: Time, Salary & Resources

On the surface, the costs of a bad hire seem easy to measure:

  • Recruitment fees

  • Onboarding costs

  • Salary paid while underperforming

  • Time your leaders spent in interviews and training


But even these “basic” costs add up fast—especially in technical, time-sensitive environments. You're often looking at tens of thousands of dollars before factoring in the deeper impact.


2. The Hidden Costs: Productivity, Morale & Trust


This is where the real damage happens.

Productivity losses—The rest of the team has to pick up the slack or work around the person who’s not performing. Deadlines stretch. Tensions rise.


Team morale—Good staff notice when someone isn’t pulling their weight. Resentment builds. You risk losing the people you actually want to keep.


Client confidence—In Built Form and Infrastructure, a weak link can shake trust quickly—especially if your hire interacts with stakeholders or clients directly.

These are the ripple effects that aren’t visible on a balance sheet—but they’re the ones that keep leaders up at night.


3. It’s Not Always About Skill

Often, a bad hire isn’t “bad” on paper. They may have the qualifications, the years of experience, even the project exposure. But if they’re not aligned with your values, culture, or ways of working, it won’t stick.


That’s why hiring for fit is just as important as hiring for function.


At EPC, we don’t just ask, “Can they do the job?”We ask, “Will they succeed here, with these people, on this kind of project?”


4. The Opportunity Cost

Every bad hire delays the right one.


While you're managing underperformance or navigating an exit process, you're not moving forward. You’re in damage control mode.


That delay doesn’t just hurt your current project—it slows your future plans too. The opportunity cost of inaction can be huge.


5. How to Avoid the Wrong Hire


Here’s what makes the difference:

Clear expectations from the outset – Job specs that go beyond the basics. What’s the real context of the role?


Values alignment – Do they genuinely fit your culture? Will they thrive in your environment, not just survive?


A recruiter who ‘gets’ your business – You don’t need more CVs. You need insight, screening, and advocacy from someone who knows your sector and your standards.

That’s how we approach recruitment at EPC Consulting. We dig deeper. We ask better questions. And we don’t stop at “qualified.”


Because the cost of a bad hire is too high—and your team deserves better.


Final Thought

Every hire is a chance to strengthen your business. But a poor fit can set you back more than you think.

If you’re ready to raise the bar on how you recruit, we’re here to help.



 
 
bottom of page