Probation (workplace)

This article is about the status given to new employees of a business. For the punishment given to criminals, see probation.

In a workplace setting, probation is a status given to new employees of a company or business. This status allows a supervisor or other company manager to closely evaluate the progress and skills of the newly hired worker, determine appropriate assigments and monitor other aspects of the employee – such as how he/she interacts with co-workers, supervisors and/or customers.

A probationary period varies widely depending on the business, but usually lasts anywhere from 30 to 90 days. If the new employee shows promise and/or does well during the probationary time, he/she is usually removed from probationary status, and may be given a raise and/or promotion as well (in addition to other privileges, as defined by the business).

The probationary period also allows an employer to terminate (i.e., fire) an employee that is determined to not be doing well at his/her job or otherwise deemed not suitable for a particular position. Some companies have an "at will" policy, which allows a company manager to terminate an employee at any point during the probationary period.

Some companies may place employees on probationary status, particularly if their performance is below a set standard or for disciplinary reasons. In this instance, the employee is usually given a period of time to either improve his/her performance or modify his/her behavior before more severe measures are used.

Probation is usually defined in a company's employee handbook, which is given to workers when they first begin a job.