May 1, 2025

When a new employee is hired, and placed on probation (especially for government, civil service jobs) it is for the express purpose of making sure the person can complete the tasks of that job. But why do so many people “pass” probation and then are found to not be able to complete the tasks of the job? If poor performance becomes an issue shortly after a worker's probationary period ends, it raises the question: "Why weren’t they terminated during the probationary period?" The answer is often because nobody actively engaged in monitoring, evaluating and managing the performance. Why? Here’s some of the reasons and what to do about them:
- Active supervision requires more work. Newer employees require more effort on the supervisor’s part to make sure that they are performing at an acceptable level. Supervisors need to actively take steps to ensure that people within their probationary period are truly and accurately being assessed based on performance, rather than simply assuming they'll go through that time period and become “tenured, permanent, etc.” employees. A supervisor with a probationary employee should understand that they will spend more time with the probationary employee, and that the probationary employee will require more input, effort, documentation, evaluation, correction, coaching than a tenured employee.

Expectation should be the same as tenured employee. From "day one" employers should be setting expectations to ensure employees fully understand, and can meet, the responsibilities of their role. The expectations should be the same as what they will eventually be required to do after probation. Granted, they’ll need time to learn, hence probationary periods, but the goals should be to meet that expectation before the end of the probationary period.

Be truthful and accurate when discussing performance. Supervisors should also be diligent in providing feedback when people are performing well. Give them some confidence and security, but still wait until the end of the probationary period to finalize their offer of employment. If the performance is not what it should be, then make the necessary accommodations, changes, or behavior modifications, but also give the person a realistic evaluation of their probability of completion of probation and that the final offer of employment may be in jeopardy. Even if someone is not going to make it off probation, treat them with the value and respect they deserve and allow them sufficient time to absorb the information and make changes.

Be Consistent. You can’t be inconsistent with regards to performance measuring while on probation (or anytime for that matter) because it leads to equity issues and could lead to claims of discrimination. Although probationary periods protect employers from unfair dismissal, they don't protect an employer from claims with respect to harassment, discrimination and those sorts of things, because such claims don't rely on length of employment. This is another reason to be vigilant in explaining and documenting performance-related problems during probation.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER… The purpose of a probationary period is to make sure the person can complete the tasks of that job. That’s why “probation” should be about performance. To fairly and accurately assess performance does require more work, but if the supervisor/trainer holds the person to the same expectations as a tenured employee, is truthful, accurate, and consistent about the performance, then there should not be any question about why someone was retained or let go from probation.

Quotes to Put into Practice…
“Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it. Autograph your work with excellence.” – Jessica Guidobono, Teacher