Probation and confirmation policy: reviews, extensions and decisions

Priya joins a services firm as an analyst. Her manager says probation is six months. Month six arrives, nobody holds a review, and Priya keeps working. Three months later she is told she was never confirmed. Whether she was or not now depends on an argument, because the policy is silent. A clear probation and confirmation policy settles that argument before it starts.

The policy sets out what is expected of a new employee during probation, how the company will assess it, and how a decision becomes official. It applies to new hires, and the company must decide whether it also applies to internal movers and to employees moving into a new grade.

Probation is the period in which both sides test the match. The company checks skills, attendance, behaviour and fit. The employee checks the work, the manager and the culture. It works only when expectations are set on day one and feedback arrives before the final week.

Define the terms the policy uses. Probation period, review, extension, confirmation and relieving date should each have a one-line meaning. The appointment letter should repeat the same terms, because the letter and the policy must agree. If they differ, the letter is usually what a dispute turns on.

• Duration: one fixed period for all roles, or different periods by grade. Longer periods give more evidence but delay benefits and can unsettle people.
• Review frequency: a mid-probation review plus a final one is a common minimum. Monthly check-ins catch problems earlier at the cost of manager time.
• Extension conditions: when an extension may be used, for how long, and whether it may happen more than once. This must sit within the law and the employment contract.
• Confirmation authority: the manager recommends, HR checks the file, and a named senior approves.

Notice during probation is a separate choice. Some companies keep a shorter notice for both sides during probation. Whatever you choose is written as [number] days in the appointment letter and agreed with your adviser. Leave and other entitlements during probation are covered in the leave policy, so refer to it instead of restating numbers.

Goals turn a vague hope into something that can be assessed. In the first week the manager and employee agree three to five probation objectives drawn from the job description created at hiring. They also agree what good attendance and behaviour look like for this team. See the recruitment and hiring policy for how that job description is produced.

Training and guidance belong in the same conversation. If the employee needs a tool course or a shadowing week, record it. A person cannot fairly be marked down for skills the company promised to teach and did not.

1. 1

   Day one: issue the appointment letter and probation plan.

   HR gives the letter and the objectives sheet. The employee signs the acknowledgement.

2. 2

   Week one: agree objectives.

   Manager and employee write the objectives and support needed on the probation plan.

3. 3

   Mid-point: hold the review.

   Manager completes the review form with examples. Employee adds comments. HR files both.

4. 4

   Two weeks before the end: final assessment.

   Manager rates each objective, attendance and behaviour, and recommends confirm, extend or end.

5. 5

   Decision: approve in writing.

   The named approver signs. HR issues the confirmation, extension or termination letter before the end date.

6. 6

   Record: update the file.

   HR updates the employee record, benefits eligibility and the review diary.

Employee: [name]     Manager: [name]     Review: mid / final.
Objective 1: [text]     Status: met / partly met / not met     Evidence: [example].
Objective 2: [text]     Status: [value]     Evidence: [example].
Attendance and punctuality: [comment].
Behaviour and teamwork: [comment].
Support given so far: [training, coaching].
Next steps before the final review: [actions].
Employee comments: [text]     Signature and date.
Manager recommendation (final only): confirm / extend by [number] days / end.

When performance is below expectation, tell the employee early, in writing, with examples and a date to improve. A short improvement plan inside probation is fairer than a surprise at the end. HR must see the documentation before any decision to extend or end, so that the reasons stand up if questioned.

Extensions deserve extra care. State the reason, the extra period and the specific outcomes to be shown. Without these, an extension is just a delay. Check the rules with a qualified professional because the contract and the law both bear on it.

Keep a probation file for each employee: appointment letter, probation plan, review forms, training record, final assessment and the decision letter. HR keeps a diary of end dates and alerts managers a few weeks ahead. Confirmation letters should be issued on time, and the policy should say that if no written decision exists by the end date, HR escalates to the approver the same day.

Each new joiner signs a line confirming the policy was read and accepted, with date and version. Revisit it each year, and after any dispute. Our performance appraisal policy guide shows how probation ratings link to the first appraisal cycle. For drafting help, see the policy drafting and review service or send us a brief.

Title and ID: Probation and Confirmation Policy, HR-POL-006.
Purpose: to assess fit fairly and decide confirmation on evidence.
Scope: all new hires, [and internal movers where applicable].
Definitions: probation, review, extension, confirmation.
Policy statements: probation is [number] months; reviews at [month] and [month]; decision recorded before the end date.
Procedures: plan, review, assess, decide, notify, file.
Roles: employee, manager, HR, approver.
Approval authority: confirmation approved by [role].
Exceptions: extension only with written reason and approval.
Violations: missed reviews are escalated by HR.
Statutory notes: [adviser to confirm].
Forms: probation plan, review form, decision letter.
Edition [number], issued [date].
Annual review owner: [role].
Employee declaration: I accept these probation terms. Signed [name], [date], edition [number].