Everyone who wants a job has heard of probation periods. To most people, it is a vague concept.
So, what is the probation period? It is the time-frame in which a new employee undergoes training and observation in the new organization he/she has joined.
It provides clarity to the employee about the organization’s working ethics, and its goals. The employer also gets an idea about the employee’s working, punctuality, and zeal to work, which will decide his/her future in the organization.
It also trains the employee according to the organization’s standards so that he/she can provide the output suited to it.
Probation is an essential deciding factor whether you will continue further in the organization or not. If your performance is not as per the organization’s and manager’s standards, you might not continue working there.
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Probation Period — A Golden Opportunity
The probation period provides a fitting chance for every new employee to prove their hard work in the organization. If you ask questions like “what is the probation period?” or “how long would it last?” and so on, it will only prove burdensome. You might make some mistakes while working and get confused. The meaning of the probation period and its goal is to be 100% dedicated to the organization and try to learn something.
The duration of probation varies between organizations as well as industries. Industries and larger MNCs that have fieldwork usually have a more extended probation period to make new employees aware of the job requirements and get them trained according to it. For IT MNCs and others, the probation period is dependent on the company policy. This period may vary from 1 week to 3 months approximately.
Make the Most of it
Now, you have understood the probation period meaning. Let’s move on to how to be successful and pass your probation with flying colours.
Some of the things you can take care during probation are
1. Punctuality
One of the most critical factors that would decide your future in the organization is your punctuality. Your supervisor/manager will keep a note of your arrival to and departure from the office. It reflects your professional attitude.
You should start early to reach the office on-time and not late. Sometimes, you might need to stay back if something urgent comes up. You should try and avoid keeping personal appointments at this time. Thus, it will not conflict with your work schedule.
2. Positive Attitude is the Best
Joining any new organization is always different for everyone. You might not like the colleagues, atmosphere, or your manager. Also, the workplace/cubicle and the system you need might be unavailable/ not up to the mark or the person taking care of this may not be available or is not responsive enough.
Everyone may not understand the probation period’s meaning. So, you should be positive and have patience until everything gets handed over to you. Staying positive gives you the strength to get out of the tense situation and is a point in your favour.
3. Behaviour and Curiosity
Some organizations may test your analytical decision-making skills or your ability to work under pressure. Organizations sometimes try to explain to you what the probation period is with real-world issues they face to examine your problem-solving skills.
4. It’s Ok to Make Mistakes
During probation, you might end up making some mistakes for the tasks assigned. At such times, you should not lose interest but keep on working hard. Another thing to remember is to accept your mistakes and try to avoid it the next time.
5. Communication is Key
Another factor in determining the quality of the probation period is the communication you establish with colleagues. You should take care that being a team-player and having interpersonal skills, interacting with everyone is one of the solutions to find the answer to what is a probation period.
6. Observation and Application
Every organization has its working style, which everyone follows. During your time at probation, you should be able to observe how people work to understand it. Curiosity is one of the qualities that will prove beneficial to you. You should try to ask and work with your colleagues who will give you the experience of work and gain skills.
7. Self-Assessment
This is a critical aspect of probation period meaning. You should keep tracking your work progress and the tasks assigned to you to understand what skills you are developing and the time is taken to complete the tasks. A daily planner is a great way to organise and maintain work progress. You can also ask your colleagues for feedback on your work.
8. Understand the organization’s Expectations
You might have an idea about the job description as it is mentioned while applying, but that does not mean that your role would solely be confined to it. The roles and responsibilities of the organization might demand extra work from you. You can discuss your responsibilities with your manager/supervisor. They will provide you with the exact information and rest can be found out by a discussion with colleagues. Being proactive is an advantage that can help in professional growth. This will be the answer to what is the probation period and what lies ahead in it.
9. Don’t Overdo It
There is a vast difference in being dedicated to a job vs getting immersed in it. You should not stress yourself with the work pressure and try to maintain work balance. Unnecessary fear or strain might result in silly errors, which is the last thing you want to happen. Work is at its place, but self-care is also important. For example, lunch breaks/tea-breaks are the times you can relax and be yourself and have a friendly hang-out with teammates.
10. Be Confident
If there are some minor issues, you should forget it and continue your work to avoid the same mistakes. Confidence provides you with the ability to face and get through the work.
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Conclusion
It may not always be a smooth journey working on probation in a new organization among new people. Maintaining a positive attitude and striving to work and learn something new each day is the answer to your question of what is the probation period, and it will help you have a great time working.
Sometimes, you might not be on board with the probation period meaning. It happens in very few cases that people leave during the probation period as they feel that the organization is not suited to them. Thus, in a way, it provides an insight into what lies ahead. Therefore, you should always consider this opportunity as one step in your professional journey. Make the most of it!
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This article originally published on upGrad blog.
