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DCU People
Benefits | Probationary Toolkits | Employee Checklist
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Employee Checklist
Preparing for a Probation Assessment
These guidelines will help both managers and staff members to prepare for a probation assessment during the probationary period.
A probation assessment is a planned meeting between a Line Manager and a staff member with set objectives:
a) review progress and priorities
b) acknowledge achievements
c) resolve issues, if necessary
d) discuss future priorities and development plans
The effectiveness of the discussion is enhanced by appropriate advance preparation by both the manager and staff member.
Here are the recommended preparatory actions:
- Set up a mutually agreeable time and location for the meeting, ensuring no interruptions
- Both parties review the job Description
- Both parties review documentation from previous performance conversation (if applicable)
Checklist
The probationer - or newly appointed or promoted employee - has the responsibility of ensuring that each stage of the probationary process is completed on time.
As probationer you need to:
- Understand that the process is an assessment of performance and determines future suitability in the role
- Accept that the onus is on you to meet performance standards and take responsibility for your development
- Prepare adequately for all probation meetings
- Fully engage with process and respond with feedback
- Ensure that the expectations and duties of the role are understood, and seek clarification when necessary
- Understand the overall work objectives/duties
- Jointly formulate, with the Line Manager, objectives / milestones for the full 12-month period
- Be self motivating and identify your development needs within the context of the role and how they may be addressed as early as possible
- Attend any training courses that have been identified as a requirement or support
- Take on board any suggested improvements and apply these improvement
DCU People supports you by ensuring that
- Probation assessments are conducted as planned
- Assessments are conducted in a fair and transparent manner
- You are given sufficient opportunity to improve if performance issues are identified
- The final recommendation is communicated to you with sufficient notice in advance of the end of the probation period
- Any recommendations for failure / extension / pausing of probation are dealt with through the appropriate channels