Probation review preparation

Purpose

Give a manager a balanced, source-linked view of progress during probation. The pack distinguishes completed evidence, observed behavior, feedback, and matters that still need assessment.

Scope

Review the employee’s probation objectives, role expectations, dated work evidence, feedback, and permitted attendance or training records for the review window.

Excluded: making the confirmation or termination decision, diagnosing health, collecting new feedback, or treating undocumented impressions as evidence.

Data basis

• Role description and probation plan with milestones, dates, and success criteria.
• Employee goals, work samples, project records, and documented feedback.
• One-to-one notes and attendance or training completion records permitted by policy.
• Probation policy defining review window, evidence standards, and decision options.

Result

A manager review brief, evidence matrix, and unresolved-evidence register.

Quality criteria

• Every criterion has evidence, status, date, source citation, and an evidence-quality note.
• Positive and concerning evidence are both represented for each material criterion.
• Feedback is attributed by source and date without presenting opinion as fact.
• Missing evidence is separated from failed performance.
• The brief states which policy decision options the evidence can and cannot support.

Instructions

Use the probation policy’s review window and criterion definitions. Prefer dated deliverables and documented observations over recollection. Distinguish met, partly met, not met, and not assessed only when the policy defines them; otherwise use descriptive status. Do not infer reasons for absence or missed work. Keep sensitive records to the minimum required for the review.

Adapt before use

The evidence pack remains limited to records authorized by the employee-relations policy.

• Add the probation policy and role-specific success criteria.
• Map goals, feedback, work-sample, and attendance fields.
• Define permitted evidence and privacy limits.
• Specify review window, status labels, and decision options.