The probation period provides an opportunity for both the company and the trainee to understand their abilities to meet the criteria for the particular position offered. It gives the liberty for the employer to terminate the trainee in case of any issue or divergence found with company policies.
This probation period policy decides the employee conduct, behavior and performance levels whether they were up to the expectations or not.
The employers observe the new employees keenly during this tenure, so one should be careful enough to survive their employment probation period and achieve the objectives of the company and receive positive feedback from them.
What is the Probation Period?
The probation period of an employee is the time provided to employees when they join the company and the employer analyzes their suitability for the job role and organizational work culture.
An employee working under a probation period are not permanent employees. Only after successful completion of their probation, their confirmation as a permanent employee is decided.
Why is the Probation Period Important?
The sole reason for setting up probation periods for new joiners is to bring in best and efficient employees onboard.
According to the Opinion Matters survey, about 18% of new employees joining the organization fail to succeed probation period.
The main aim of using the probation period is to judge the employee based on their skills and abilities. Also, there are chances that the hiring process may not turn out effective and perfect all the time.
Managing Employees During Probation:
As per the definition of a probation period, it is a trial period served by the new employees joining the organization during which they are reviewed by the employers. It also helps the employee to get trained and an opportunity to learn new things related to work and the organization.
Though the employees are working as temporary during probation periods, they can turn their employment in to permanent with their good work performance and behavioral traits.
Here are some of the things which the employers should discuss before a probation period with the new employees,
- Achieving Employee expectation in job performance
- Best customer service skills by the employee
- Regular attendance of the employee
- Matching the values and vision of the organization
- Providing training or help required for the job
- Help the employee develop their skills and abilities
- The process of problem resolution (if any)
- Discussing when and how the probation period review would be done
Things to Assess During the Probation Period:
The probation period review meeting are taken in a generalized way. It is similar to any other annual review meeting. Usually, the length of the probation depends upon the organization and also the job role offered.
The probation period term can go on from 3 months to 6 months. There are also instances where the probation period is extended upon requirement.
Some of the things to consider in probation review meeting are,
- Work performance
- Showcasing of skills and abilities when required
- Attendance performance
- Assessing employee behavioral traits
- How the employee is getting along with the organization culture
- Employee relationship
- Flexibility etc
The Outcome of the Probationary Period:
Based on the probation period review meeting, the outcome of the employee is decided. Here all the things related to the employee and his performance are reviewed, necessary feedback is given, appreciation for the good work, areas where more focus is required, etc.
If the employee succeeds in his probation period, then he is given permanent employment status by providing an official letter. But if the employer thinks that the employee needs a little more time then the probation period is given an extension.
How to Pass your Probation Period at Work:
Here are a few tips to survive the probation period employment law at the workplace.
1. Know about the company in detail:
Spend some time to understand the functioning of the company, study the offer letter thoroughly, policy mentioned against the probation term in it. Do detail research on the company, its affiliations, and places located.
Also, have a look at the organization chart, get all the emergency contacts. These basic questions will help to drive further core learning of the job responsibilities and roles.
Understand the company culture and working environment, it helps to create certain awareness to manage in the workplace.
Know about the new initiatives and new launches which may help to get back to work and simplify the training process.
2. Find out HR policies:
In every company they provide employee orientation programs, concentrate on the program, make sure of each topic mentioned in it, it makes easy to survive the probation period.
One will get to know the terms and conditions to be followed, and what behavioral activities will cause to the termination.
Also, know about leaves and probation period that one has to undergo, and to which extent can it be delayed. Make sure of the facilities provided, so that one can make their arrangements if needed.
One would also get to know the other benefits, regarding the eligibility period to claim their bills.
Also, know about the dress code and timings to be followed.
3. Know your tasks:
Build a good relationship with a mentor or trainer and understand the roles and responsibilities to be performed. Performance is measured so every learning is important. Be aware of the key role that is being played in the workplace.
Understand the skills required to meet the job requirement. Collect the documents and achievements related to the role which may help in the assessment which will be taken post completion of probation period.
Prepare a self-assessment tool and cross-check with mentors with results. Sometimes grading and salary dependent upon the performance during this period.
4. Understand the standards:
One should follow the ethics of the company to avoid termination. Violating them creates a bad impression among the management, adhering to the standards helps to survive in the company for a long period, and it is the outstanding quality required for any professional.
Behavior is also an important criterion, so follow the standards to make a job easy and it creates an easy pathway to achieve goals. It also avoids risk by following standards and policies.
To deliver quality results company follow these standards, so they make sure that employees also would do the same. It makes the task easy if they have a standard set of rules to follow to complete it.
5. Maintain to do list:
In the early days of joining always maintain a notepad that helps to refer to certain topics and apply them whenever needed. Keep noting the tasks perform daily and the pending tasks that carry for the next day.
It helps not to skip any important and catch the bad impression of employers. Also, update with everything happening in the department and also with the things to revise or review further.
Find out the expectations from employers and try to fulfill them from time to time with the help of the to-do list. It will also help to refer to the crucial tasks that resolve.
6. Get along with peers:
Interaction with seniors or co-workers increases knowledge and there is a lot to learn apart from classroom training. One can hear updates and new happenings in the company. It creates a positive attitude among the team to work efficiently.
One can take help from others to make decisions or to complete the assigned task. It also helps to be a good team player. Incorporate culture, one should bring along with peers, so this will also observe while the probation period.
Appreciating others’ work also helps to maintain harmony in the workforce environment. Being a good observer will help to learn many things.
7. Clarify queries:
It is the right time to clarify all the doubts regarding the nature of the job. Once the responsibility hand over, there is less scope to ask doubts. Also, it gives the impression that the employee is attentive and active.
Instead of hiding a question to oneself and create errors in live work, it is better to ask without fear. But make sure the other person free and they do not disturb while doing something important.
Note down all the questions, ask for the permission of the concerned person to take out his/her time to solve it, and then clear the doubts. It also states that a person is enthusiastic about his work.
8. Do not involve in conflicts:
Try not to create any issues or be part of it, do not get into allegations, which may lead to termination or gets highlighted for bad reputation. One may not be aware of the actual situation, do not comment or throw words at other employees.
Treat everyone with respect and also expect the same from others. Since it is a sensitive period, behavioral issues may easily lead to the termination of the employee. Concentrate only on professional things rather than unnecessary disputes.
Never argue with superiors, answer them politely, it helps to sustain the probation period. Be part of a safe working environment.
9. Be active and energetic:
The employees are expected to be cheerful and inspire others, a person who is calm or arrogant cannot survive any job.
Have a meal with other employees, interact in tea time. One should be active enough with their clients, then only they can do the market and able to survive in the market.
One should have good interpersonal skills to impact his/her ideas to others. Be first to accept the task and complete it, stay active in all aspects, it will be an added advantage to get interesting responsibilities further.
Employees are important resources of the company so they make sure they are fine and satisfied with the job.
10. Ask for feedback:
Get from mentors and managers, keep improving its positive feedback, in the case provide with negative feedback, find out the loops which pushing behind and find ways to recover from it.
It helps develop since accuracy is essential. It results in the score, so be careful to identify mistakes and avoid them.
Not only in the quality of work also regarding the performance, take frequent feedback and see the improvement. There is a time to get back to the standards and perform well.
One cannot measure their performance, so take feedback and enjoy the probation with minimal errors.
12. Make sure to have comfortable resources:
With no proper training and resources, one cannot complete his/her work probation period. Ask the immediate point of contact person regarding the training material/ trainer.
One cannot say that there is no proper training provide while assessing since the company invests money and time for the employee to have a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities to perform.
Raising the issue in the early days will help to save time for both the employee and employer.
Do not ask for strange comforts but should be reasonable enough. Make sure the training helpful for the role assigned.
13. Develop professionalism:
Especially for the freshers, this allows developing professional behavior. All they need to do is observe people and learn how a matured professional looks like and how one deals with the situation. Develop communication skills, interpersonal skills, and management skills.
How to motivate others while being in a team and present themselves at meetings and conferences.
How to maintain the work schedule and dress codes, standards to follow all these can learn while the probation employment period and the employers allow them to understand during this period.
It gives the opportunity how to deal with clients, with the internal team, and with the management team.
14. Be punctual:
Professional conduct is observed, so do not try to be late. Timely check mails and the meeting schedules and attend them regularly, this discipline will help them to complete their tasks within time and it will not create the situation to stay extra hours, manage the time smartly and efficiently.
At the end of the day, everyone meets the productivity targets but what is important is to deliver them within less time. All these counts in assessment and evaluation. Try to present yourself as unique than others.
It also helps for the early appraisals, one need not wait for the regular appraisal time, if the performance is outstanding they would offer them good opportunities.
15. Strive for progress:
Check the tasks regularly, once done with it. Learn new things and know about the work to its roots. Research on it, what are the other methods follow and all the relevant tasks interrelate with it. Have a big picture of the complete process, so that it gives a better understanding.
Keep striving for progress, improve the productivity results day by day, understand the outstanding performer results, and have trained with him on how one can be able to attain such results so that it helps to improvise.
Do it step by step, learn basics, then intermediate level then switch to an extraordinary level. In this process, one can engage themselves busy throughout their probation period.
16. Show Skills:
One may possess different skills within them, try to elevate them if it is relevant and necessary for the moment. These skills may help to grab new or amazing opportunities post probation period, also they may get the chance to have a good package.
So whenever they find the opportunity to utilize skills try to exhibit them, it helps for their future growth. Make sure those are realistic and related to the work.
Try to nail as an important asset of the company, develop a unique working style to treat as the best employee and avoid extension of probation period.
Performance is what matters throughout this period. Collaborate all technical skills and behavioral skills in the workplace.
17. Try not to cause any damage:
One might deal with expensive assets of the company, so make sure that one does not cause damage to it, have proper knowledge before using them, at times employers may recover from the employee who caused damage to it or they may terminate the employee if it costs more.
Do not try to cause any damage to the environment, get training on all the safety guidelines of the company and apply them. Be alert and do not allow others to cause damage to the systems or devices used by them.
It is generally the responsibility of every employee of the company to safeguard their environment and instruments of the company. So be conscious.
Conclusion:
To conclude one will give grading or rating post their probation period, many factors influence their performance like skill level, work culture, medical fitness, standards, discipline, problem-solving skills, leaves, etc.
Every employee under the probation period assigns to each mentor and manager. They supervise their skills and evaluate results, as per this performance they will assign role and treated as a permanent employee of the company.
The company has every right to terminate the employee in case of violations, so one can follow the above tips to avoid such a situation.
