Why 31% of Your New Hires Quit Within 6 Months
By the time someone underperforms, you’ve already lost thousands. We helped a leading Southeast Asia retailer reduce early attrition by 6-7%. Here’s how.
89%
of hiring failures are due to behavioural misalignment, not technical deficiency
37→31%
group-wide attrition rate reduction in real case study
$18k+
average first-year earnings lost due to bad hire (U.S Dept. of Labor)
The problem starts long before the performance review
Most companies think hiring went wrong when someone underperforms at 6 months. But the real issue? It started during the interview,
1
You assessed skills, not behaviour
Can they code? Manage? Sell? Important but not predictive. Behavioural fit determines if they’ll actually succeed.
2
You relied on “culture fit”
Without defining what that actually means behaviourally, it’s just gut feel and bias dressed up as strategy.
3
You made gut-feel decisions
Even with structured processes, final calls come down to “who feels right.” That’s a six figure gamble.
How a Southeast Asia Retailer Cut Early Attrition by 6-7%
The Challenge
Different markets. Different education levels. Different retail environments. The company needed to find reliable ways to predict performance, especially in markets where candidates often lack formal higher education. "We can't rely on past performance or resumes. In many cases, people haven't gone to university or even completed formal education."
The Insights that Changed Everything
Using behavioral profiling, aptitude testing and personality assessment, they analysed high performers vs. underperformers across four brand categories. The discovery: High performance looked completely different across brands and markets. In the luxury watch division, success meant methodical relationship-building. In fast retail, high performers were responsive and energetic. Same company. Totally different behavioural profiles.
What they Changed
- Job descriptions rewritten to focus on behavioural traits, not just experience
- Interviews redesigned with behavioural role-plays and store-based assessments
- Training rebuilt around curiosity, communication, and collaborative competitiveness
- Partnerships with universities to align curriculum with success behaviors
The weakness isn't in their resume. It's in your process.
Three shifts that reduce hiring risk
You don’t need to overhaul your recruitment function. You need three strategic changes.
You don’t need to overhaul your recruitment function. You need three strategic changes.
A candidate with an impressive track record in fast-paced sales might struggle in a methodical, relationship-driven environment. It’s not a skill issue, it’s behavioural misalignment. Understand how people work, not just what they’ve done.
Stop using vague terms like “culture fit” or “team player.” What does success actually look like in this role? Fast decision-making or methodical analysis? High autonomy or collaborative structure? Define it before you hire.
Behavioural profiling doesn’t replace judgment, it informs it. You still make the final call. But you make it with clarity about how someone’s likely to perform, not just how they interview.
Globally Trusted. Locally Delivered.
Thomas International assessments validated across decades and millions of users worldwide
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of Assessments
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Want to Know If This Approach Fits Your Situation?
Every organisation is different. What worked for a regional retailer might need adaptation for your context. Let’s talk about your specific hiring challenges.