Managing Performance During a Probation Period: What to Focus On

The probation period is often where the most important managing performance decisions are made.

These first few months can be crucial in shaping an early view of longer-term performance for this new hire.

This is the point where you should expect your new employee to be on their ‘A’ game, demonstrating capability, responsiveness to feedback, and a clear ability to meet the role requirements.

They should want to pass their Probation!

Sadly this doesn’t always happen and you might work out that you’ve made an error in hiring someone.

From 1st January 2027 waiting for a probationer to ‘get it’ whatever ‘it’ is, probably won’t be an option. The Government is bringing, through the Employment Rights Act 2025, the right to claim unfair dismissal after just 6 months service.

That means new hires you took on in November 2026 will have the right to claim unfair dismissal at a tribunal in May 2027.

Please don’t bank on things improving on their own – though it can happen!

One of the most common mistakes during probation is waiting too long to act.

Tomorrow is another day.

Once a probationary period has passed, its passed any extension will be pointless and any termination will not be for failing to complete a probationary period.

If something doesn’t feel right, whether it’s quality of work, pace, attitude or consistency, address it early. Small gaps are much easier to resolve than patterns that have had time to develop.

Early conversations don’t need to be formal. In most cases, a clear and straightforward discussion about what you’re seeing and what needs to change is enough to reset expectations.

Be specific about what needs to change

General feedback like “you need to improve” isn’t helpful and shouldn’t be recorded in vague terms.

Instead, focus on:

• what isn’t meeting expectations i.e. their planning
• what “good” looks like in this role
• what you need to see going forward (including when you want to see it, what it will look like, and how it will be done)

Giving clarity is what gives someone the opportunity to improve and is part of what we talk about when we talk about managing with good intentions.

Put structure around improvement

Where improvement is needed, structure becomes important.

Agree:

• clear, practical actions
• realistic timescales
• how progress will be reviewed

Use probation review forms to capture these discussions and track progress over time. This helps ensure expectations are clear, conversations are recorded, and there is a consistent approach throughout the probation period.

The benefit is consistency. Both you and the employee know what’s expected and when.

Follow up:  Don’t just set expectations and step back

Setting expectations once isn’t enough.

You need to check in regularly, review how things are progressing, and be clear about whether improvement is happening quickly enough.

Consistent review is what turns a conversation into actual change.

Be clear on the outcome you’re working towards

During probation, the question is not whether someone could improve eventually, it’s whether they are able to meet the requirements of the role within a reasonable timeframe, with the right support in place.

That’s an important distinction.

Some individuals will respond quickly to feedback and improve. Others may not. Your role is to recognise the difference and act accordingly.

Keep it simple and act with confidence

Managing performance in probation doesn’t require a complex process.

It comes down to a few core actions:

• raise concerns early
• be clear and specific
• agree what needs to change
• provide support
• review progress consistently

When you approach it this way, you create a fair and transparent experience for the employee and give yourself a clear basis for decision-making. Make sure you evidence it, as we always say, “If it isn’t documented, it didn’t happen!”

Our Performance Toolkit will be going on sale on 2nd November 2026.