What is a probation period?

Quite simply, a probation period is a ‘trial period’ for new recruits to make sure they’re actually equipped to do the job you hired them for and that they’re a ‘good fit’ for your business. It starts at the point your new employee starts, from day one, and is usually between 3 to 6 months long.

The duration of the probation period depends on the type of contract, the role and the work itself. The more technical / senior the role, the longer you may wish it to be. Probation periods can be extended - they’re not fixed in stone - but we can speak more about that later in this blog.

What do need to do for a probation period?

The first thing you need to do is to set clear goals, objectives and expectations for the probationary period. This means you not only get the best out of your new employee, that they understand what you need them to do but also that you can accurately assess their suitability for the role.

It's always a good idea to get to know your employee during the probationary period. You may need to make certain reasonable adjustments to help them perform better. If you understand their working style, get to know them as a person to understand their motivators, you can figure out how they like to work and how to get the best out of them. Don’t forget, this a two-way street – your newbie is assessing your business and whether they think it’s the right role for them too!

Managing a probation period

Regular one to ones will help you identify any concerns early on (from both parties) and save you time in the long run. Keeping in touch is key to a good working relationship. Follow each conversation with written notes, this will highlight good management of the process and identify key tasks to work. It’s also good to ensure there’s mutual understanding and agreement.

Being prepared, knowing exactly what you want your employee to do, and communicating clearly is a great way to get the best out of all staff, especially new ones.

Following a ‘probation review form’ (a template we can help with) is a good way to ensure you’re fair and consistent in your approach. Having a process to follow will enable your communication to be clear and precise.

Extending a probation period

In some cases, you may need more time to assess your new recruit. Not a problem if handled correctly. You do need to give them a probation extension letter setting everything out clearly. You can extend the probation by a reasonable amount of time, usually for 1 to 3 months. During the extended probationary period, you should hope to see improvements in performance and most often you will and the employee will stay in the role they were hired for.

Extending probation can be unsettling for the new employee, so make every effort in the probation extension letter to be clear about:

• The reasons why you have extended the probation period.

• How long the extension will last.

• The specific improvements you expect to see by the end of the extension period.

• Any extra support or training you will be able to provide.

You’ll need to manage expectations, it’s crucial you let the employee know the likelihood that you will terminate their contract, for example, if they fail their probation because your standards aren’t met.

The right to this extension should be written in your contract of employment (again, we can help you with this).

Dismissal during a probation period

You can normally jump straight into dismissal… however we recommend this is a last resort. It’s better to consider extending the probation before failing the probation as in many cases people do ‘step up’ within the extension.

You do need to think carefully about dismissing employees without extending the probation. The normal ‘2 year service’ rules for dismissal in probation due to discrimination or health and safety issues don’t apply. If there is potential for an employee to feel that is the case - for example dismissal during the probationary period due to sickness or dismissing a pregnant employee - give us a call to run through the implications (it’ll save you time and money later down the line).

It’s important to have clauses in your contract of employment surrounding notice periods overall. In this case, you should include how long the notice period will be whilst on probation (generally shorter than the usual notice period). If you decide you have to let the employee go, you should send them a termination of employment letter and you must pay their statuary notice period of 1 week, unless your contract states otherwise.

If the thought of probations, contracts and managing staff leaves your head spinning, don’t worry, we’re can help. With a team of friendly, professional HR Consultants on hand, we can work with you on a Pay-As-You-Go basis with no long-term commitment or contract.

Visit https://www.peoplemanagementpartners.co.uk/pay-as-you-go-hr to find out more or get in touch today: https://forms.clickup.com/f/2fp8d-1148/QLIX05Z7HA2I4CBFLA

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