“Quick Quitters” and How to Avoid Hiring Them

Ever heard a story like this?

“I started a new job not really having any idea how hard it would be. They told me it was the easiest job they had. I had to lift and carry 50-lb boxes all day.  At first I thought I could do it. But I have an old knee injury from my time in the military.  Two weeks in and I’m in pain by noon and limping by the end of the shift.  After six days straight, I could barely get up out of a chair – even with pain medicine. I lasted two weeks and then at the beginning of the third week I just didn’t show up for work.  I know that wasn’t right but I just couldn’t hack it and the money just wasn’t worth it.”

Unfortunately, stories like this are becoming more and more common as our workforce (what’s left of it) get’s older and sicker.  According to a 2022 report from Job Seeker Nation, one in three newly hired workers are “Quick Quitters” (quit within 90 days).

And the main reason? The job wasn’t what they thought it would be.

Hiring the wrong person is expensive.  A 2022 online article from SHRM states that the average recruiting cost is nearly $4,700. That number can go up to as much as 3 times the person’s annual salary, depending on the hiring and onboarding process.  In addition to costs, there’s the lost productivity and decreased morale when the remaining staff have to cover for the person that just quit.

So how do you ensure that job applicants really understand the physical requirements of the job? One approach is to show them a description of the job so at least they see the requirements on paper.

But even then, it’s hard for workers to gage their own strength and stamina.  It may have been awhile since they performed a physical job.  And most people are notoriously poor judges of their own abilities.

The best way to avoid hiring workers who are not physically up to the job is pre-hire/post offer Physical Abilities Testing (PAT).  Job applicants take a test that determines whether their physical abilities match the job demands.

Is this legal?  It depends.

Legal defensibility hinges on developing and implementing the test correctly.  Developing a legally defensible test starts with conducting a thorough analysis of the physical requirements of the job and then developing a job-specific test.  So, if the job requires lifting 53 lbs. to 45 inches, the test is customized to those parameters.

This testing can help eliminate “Quick Quitters” in 3 ways:

1. When applicants are told about the test during the interview process, some will self-select out of the application process. They know in their heart of hearts they can’t do it.
2. Word gets around that the company is requiring a test and the Quick Quitters don’t apply.
3. They take the test and fail.

Now in the world of workforce shortage, the thought of losing any applicants may make a recruiter’s stomach churn.  But in the long run – that’s if you consider 90 days long – what have they achieved if the new hire doesn’t last?  Best case the company gets a Quick Quitter.  Worst case they get a new hire that goes on to sustain a work comp injury.

How do we know this works?

Glassoway and Flory, studied turn over in a group of nursing assistants hired with and without prehire Physical Abiltieis testing.  They discovered that pre-employment PAT reduced employee turnover nearly 20% and decreased their injury rate approximately 26%.

A study conducted by a member of the Tucson, AZ fire department indicated a shortage of qualified firefighters and a resulting immediate hiring need. This need arose largely from annual termination of over 20% of new recruits because they could not meet position performance standards...the job criteria. The study's author presented the solution of implementing pre hire Physical Abilities Testing (PAT) for new recruits before entry into the firefighter academy to help solve this dilemma and lead to a higher number of physically prepared firefighters able to effectively and safely perform their duties.

In a review of 13 outcome studies, involving over 78,000 tested applicants, ErgoScience found that its clients saved, on average, 78% in workers comp costs and realized an average 11:1 ROI.

The other HR concern is that pre-hire Physical Abilities Screening will slow down the hiring process so that recruiters will lose qualified workers as well those who are not.  The truth is…not necessarily, depending on who does the testing.

ErgoScience testing is performed with an online application and administered through a network of top notch clinics that understand the importance of rapid turn-around.  We track our efficiency through our app and we average 2.3 days from our employer client’s request until the test results are ready – with reports available as the applicant is leaving the clinic. If the company is simultaneously running a blood test, the physical abilities test results are often available before blood test results are released from the lab.

The bottom line is that implementing pre-employment physical abilities testing to determine if an individual can successfully perform the required criteria of the job is a solution that most businesses with physically demanding jobs should consider. Beneficial for both employer and employee, PAT alleviates much of the burden on those responsible for hiring employees, confers significant savings for employers, and increases safety and job satisfaction for employees... which all work together to significantly reduce the risk of turnover.

Download this compendium of case studies to see how 13 different employes reduced work comp costs among new hires on average by 78% and achieved an average 11:1 return on investment. We know -it sounds too good to be true but it's not! Read our case studies to see how we helped them achieve these remarkable results.

For more information, contact info@ergoscience.com.

!