How much faith are you willing to invest in someone joining your business?
Have you thought about the impact that a probation clause can have on someone’s likelihood to join a business? It can be a lot bigger than you might think.
Visualise this; you’ve been through a lengthy, thorough interview process. Your preferred candidate has met with the senior leadership team and been approved by all. You have had excellent references to confirm that your assessment of the individual is correct and you are excited for them to join the business. You agree the required package and send them the contract. It’s at this point that they see the probation period is 6 months long and that their notice period is 1 week within this time frame. Their heart sinks as they ask themselves whether they can take the risk of giving up their current role for one which they could be out of within a week. They questions why a business is happy to offer them a role at this level but isn’t willing to do more in making them feel secure. Haven’t they instilled the confidence required within the interview process? Haven’t their past achievements demonstrated their ability? Do people regularly leave within the probation period at this business? Is attrition high? Should I be concerned?
Probation periods which don’t offer candidates at least a reasonable level of comfort and security can raise so many questions and can be a genuine deal breaker for people. Your contracts say something about your business, make sure its consistent with your ethos and the communications and values shown throughout the process.
Do you need to have a different notice period at all in your probation period? Do you need to have a probation period in the first place? People want to feel reassured throughout the entire process that the business that they are joining wants them. Wants them to be successful, to be happy, to be comfortable and excited about joining, to be able to be themselves rather than a nervous version of themselves. Probation periods can show that you invest in people long term. They show that you trust your recruitment and decision making processes. And they can do the opposite if you’re not careful.