10 questions managers should ask in probation review meetings

The importance of asking the right probation review questions

During a probation review meeting, it’s important to ask the right questions to open up an insightful, meaningful conversation. This should be led by a line manager or HR professional, who should go into the meeting fully prepared with a range of open-ended questions. Asking the right questions will ensure an effective evaluation of employment to date and help shape what’s to come.

What should a probation review include?

Generally, a line manager who works closely with the employee should conduct a probation review meeting, supported by HR as needed – particularly if the probation period has not been successful and further measures are needed. Probation reviews should be consistent for all new employees, so your organisation should have its own probation review process in place for the meeting and the probationary period in general, and those conducting probation review meetings should be aware of the process and trained to deliver them effectively.

It is important to know what to discuss in a probation review – here are some topics to consider:

Next steps

Once the initial probationary period is over, what will happen next? Explain whether the employee has passed their probation or whether this period needs to be extended for any reason. This is an important conversation opener, clearly communicating next steps to the employee. If a probationary period needs to be extended, a line manager will need to provide detailed reasons for this which will need to be discussed and agreed with HR in advance.

Performance to date

Has the employee been a strong performer during the probationary period? Talk through how they have met organisational expectations and objectives, as well as individual goals. Even strong performers will have areas of improvement, so this is also a good opportunity to set some future goals. This can feed into a new employee’s future performance review process, making the transition seamless.

Goals and objectives

Goals should be actionable, specific and measurable so it’s clear whether they have been achieved on review. Outlining these goals at the start of employment during the onboarding process will be fundamental to being able to measure this during a probation review. Managers should come to the meeting with some goals in mind, and the employee should be encouraged to come up with their own ideas as well. Goal setting is important both from a company and an individual perspective for monitoring ongoing performance but also for employee satisfaction and retention – employees with goals were found to be 6.7 times more likely to feel proud of their organisation.

Company expectations and conduct

Has attendance and timekeeping been as expected? Has the employee’s behaviour been in line with the code of conduct? Is the employee a good fit with the organisation and its values? If there have been any issues, this is a good opportunity for a line manager to make expectations clear, referring to company policy to keep the conversation factual.

Teamwork

How well does the employee work within a team? Are there any specific areas where they could improve? This is also an opportunity to give feedback from other members of the team – 28% of employees report that the feedback they receive is not frequent enough, so introducing it from the start of their employment can be helpful and provide a positive basis for future feedback expectations. Many organisations now have recognition software making it easier for employees to provide feedback and appreciation for each other, helping new starters to feel more engaged and part of the team more quickly. 

Adaptability

Has the employee been able to adapt to changing environments, workloads and stakeholder requirements? Good knowledge of the company will help an employee adapt and be flexible, so ensure they have the resources to educate themselves. This can form part of an automated onboarding workflow in your HR software, empowering the employee to self-serve the resources they need to find, when they need to find it. You might also want to make recommendations for networking so they have the right connections to call on when there’s a problem to be solved.  

10 open-ended probation review questions for managers

A probation review meeting should be a two-way conversation, giving both managers and employees the opportunity to reflect, learn and talk more openly. Open-ended questions will encourage employees to think more deeply and talk through their experience at the company so far. Equally, managers should be prepared to answer any questions that employees might have.

As a starting point, here are some questions to ask in a probation review. They can be adapted based on your organisation and management style:

1. What are you enjoying about the role so far?
   
   
2. What have been your biggest challenges? And how do you think you could address them?
   
   
3. What extra support do you need from me as your manager?
   
   
4. How do you see your role within the company now and how would you like it to grow?
   
   
5. How would you describe the relationships you have built with your colleagues?
   
   
6. Are there any training opportunities you would like to pursue? Or any skills you would like to develop?
   
   
7. If you could change anything about your role or the way the team operates, what would it be?
   
   
8. How do you find the company culture?
   
   
9. What concerns do you have about the role?
   
   
10. What have you done in your role that has made you feel proud?

While organisations should have clear probation review guidelines, every conversation will be different depending on the employee’s role, the employee-manager relationship and many more factors. For managers, running a successful probation review meeting requires training and self-development as well as having a bank of useful questions to hand. Managers should be given specific training so they can be fully prepared.

Additional considerations for the end of a probation period

Managers will need to undertake probation review meetings according to company procedure – while this will differ between organisations, it is generally required that managers formally document the conversation and any agreed follow ups such as goals, action plans, roadmaps, timelines and additional training. They should also officially record whether the employee has passed probation, which can generally be considered as the end of the onboarding period.

It’s worth noting that the outcome of a probation review meeting should not come as a surprise. Performance should be discussed in depth during the probation period via regular check-ins between employees and managers.

If an employee has not been performing as required, it may be decided that they have not passed their probation and their employment will be terminated. However, hiring is difficult and expensive in today’s employment market, so if the employee would like to continue in the role, an extended probation period and performance improvement plan could be offered as an alternative. Reasons for an extended probation period or contract termination will need to be accounted for verbally and in writing, and managers should be fully prepared to provide robust evidence.

How to tell someone they have not passed probation

Clear, direct communication is essential when telling someone they have not passed probation. Keep it factual – tell them at the beginning of the meeting and have all evidence available, including detailed examples of where they have not performed as required.

Managers should work with HR to prepare, ensuring all legal requirements are fulfilled to prevent future claims for breach of contract or wrongful dismissal. HR will also be able to offer coaching and advice on how to deliver the news professionally, so managers can go into the meeting feeling fully prepared.

The conversation should be clearly documented, with everything discussed put down in writing as a point of reference. Following the meeting, there will be other duties to complete including:

• Sending official communication in writing confirming the final date of employment
• Calculating and communicating final wages and accrued holiday
• Detailing any equipment that needs to be returned to the office

If employees ask for a reference following a failed probation period, it is usually best to stick to the facts. Confirming basic details such as dates of employment and salary is generally sufficient.

The final steps in successful probation review meetings

Probation reviews are the first step in the performance review cycle, which should be an ongoing process. They lay the groundwork for future meetings and check-ins, starting a productive dialogue between managers and employees. Consider how performance management can be integrated into your HR software to help automate and streamline processes, record all essential information and optimise the employee experience right from the start.