What Is The Probationary Period? And Why Complete Them?
by Shahnawaz Alam Job & Career 23 August 2023
From being in the probationary period myself and seeing many fresher employees in the probationary period, I have learned a few things – workplaces need to have a probationary period to identify whether the employees are well suited for the office or not. But, although they might seem a little scary for a few employees, they can get through it.
The opinion matters survey from 2014 have shown that an 18% of a company’s workforce may not be well suited for the workplace. Yes, an employer needs to have a probation period, but that should not be frightening for a capable new recruit.
Go through this article to find out the necessary information on the probationary period and how to fight through it.
What Is The Probationary Period?
The probationary period is a trial and error-phase for a new employee. When a new employee has been hired, the company keeps them in a testing phase. Both the employer and the employee can test each other and get to know each other during this phase.
The organization has a better evaluation of the employee to offer them a permanent position in the organization.
How Long Is A Probationary Period?
It depends upon the organization or the industry the organization is in. Some organizations have a probationary period of 3 months, while some organizations extend it up to 12 months.
What To Expect During A Probationary Period?
The probationary period has many objectives depending on the workplace’s requirements. Some workplaces want to evaluate new employees. Some such evaluations involve –
- Understanding the new recruit’s capabilities of understanding and handling responsibilities.
- Analyzing their workplace behavioral aspects and skills to fit in with the existing workforce.
- Responding to the authority and ability to take constructive feedback.
No, it is not like the employers are the only ones who take advantage of the probationary period. Even the employees can also use this time to understand their new office. They can evaluate different necessary things such as –
- what is the commute time?
- How long are the working hours?
- Is the office space comfortable?
- More importantly, did they choose the right workplace?
The probationary period helps the employee decide whether to stay in this workplace or not. It also allows the employer to decide if they have made the right investment in the right person.
If the employee is not the one the company was looking for, they can terminate the contract. The same goes for the employees; they can also leave or stay depending on what’s best for them.
Do Employees Get Salary During Probationary Period?
Yes, employees under probation are eligible for salary. They are not unpaid interns. They have the right to get paid for their work. However, the salary for probationary employees may defer from the permanent employees. Also, they may not enjoy the same level of benefits as permanent employees.
But, if you are getting employed as an employee and are supposed to be put on probation, then you need to discuss a few things beforehand. Things such as probationary and permanent employee salaries, health insurance, free transport, leave policies, etc.
But, if you are supposed to be hired as a full-time employee, you have to learn to negotiate your salary. If you believe that you deserve a raise, you can also ask for that.
Why Should A New Employee Complete Their Probationary Period?
Here are some of the important reasons why a new employee must complete their probationary period –
Make A Well Thought Out Decision
A new job means a new opportunity. Whether this new opportunity is good or bad can be evaluated once the employee completes their probationary period. Yes, it may seem difficult to go through a probationary period.
But, if you were to be impatient and leave impulsively, you might lose an opportunity. It is better to understand the benefits and drawbacks of assuming the responsibilities of this new workplace. Then you can decide whether you want to stay or leave.
Learn Some Skills & Develop Some
Probationary periods within a workplace provide you with the scope to learn or develop your skills. These could be the practical settings for exercising your technical skills or the environment to master your soft skills. You will understand the ins and outs of your industry-related skills. Also, this might offer the opportunity to discover new areas of interest or find the skills gaps.
Analyze Strengths & Weaknesses
During the probationary period, the employee is able to understand their abilities. They also learn whether they want to work for the organization or not. They usually evaluate different skills such as meeting deadlines, handling workloads, being reliable, and taking responsibility. These are some necessary skills to have as an employee.
Stay For The Benefits Of A Full-Time Job
Yes, you will take home the salary you were promised for the probationary period. But there are more perks that you need to unlock. A full-time job offers different employee benefits like health insurance and is taken more importantly within the workplace.
Have A Job Security
Yes, there are monetary benefits to getting employed as a full-time permanent employee. Also, when an employee completes their probation period, they have a feeling of satisfaction and a better sense of direction for their career.
What Comes After Probation Period?
Well, in some cases, the manager or the employer might want to increase the probation period for their new employees. There are specific reasons behind such an extension of the probation period. Some of those reasons can be –
- Having more time for the better evaluation of the employee’s performance.
- To provide the new employee more time to finish the projects or assignments before they are hired as a permanent employee.
- Inconsistencies in the employees and their performances may call for more time on the employer’s part to make a more uniform decision.
If the employer requires the new employees to go through a probation period, they will mention it in the contract or the offer letter. The employee needs to agree to it and sign accordingly.
Bottom Line
If an employee is willing to get employed by a full-time employer, they must learn to learn from observation. Also, an employee in a probationary period needs to keep a positive attitude and have a positive attitude. New employees can also try to prove themselves better and give their best at work to be hired as permanent employees.
Did you find the answers to your queries? I hope you did. However, if you need us to answer more of your queries, you can let us know through the comment section.
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