HR Guru: The importance of probationary periods

You might think that once a new team member is hired, selection has concluded; you’d be wrong.

During the probationary period, a new staff member is still deciding whether they are happy with their decision to join your nursery, and as an employer, you will often be deciding whether it was the right one.

Probationary periods are a HR construct designed to give the employer and the employee an opportunity to establish the performance norms as the new hire transitions from ‘newbie’ to performer.

It is recommended that the probationary period is six months long and that job offers are made subject to its successful completion. The probationary period should be referred to in the contract of employment, state the duration and any conditions the employer wishes to place.

We recommend line management meet with the new hire at the end of day one, end of first week, end of first month, after three months, and at the end of the probationary period.

If they have concerns about the employee’s progress in the role, this should be raised in these informal meetings, with actions agreed and documented.

Should the new hire not demonstrate the performance the employer needs to see, the period can be extended, or a manager can terminate the employee’s employment in the probationary period.

If a probationary period needs to be extended, the line management must meet with the employee who is within their probationary period and explain what performance improvements are required and that the probationary period will be extended.

Any support that the line management will put in place to assist the employee to achieve the expectations of the employer should be documented and a letter provided to the employee setting out the extension. A copy of the letter extending the probationary period should be placed on the personnel file.