When you Google the word “probation,” you’re hit with images of courtrooms, gavels, and orange jumpsuits. Hardly the warm, welcoming vibe you’d expect from starting a new job. And yet, here we are, still using the same term to describe the first 90 days of employment. Why?
This was the core question we tackled in our latest Freeformers Unplugged live stream, where Emilie Forrest and I debated whether the traditional probation model still has a place in modern work. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t.
The flawed power dynamic of probation
Probation, as it exists today, is a one-way street. Employees are expected to prove themselves, while organisations sit back and judge. This is problematic for several reasons:
It limits long-term engagement – If employees feel like they’re under constant scrutiny, they’re less likely to form genuine connections with their work and colleagues.
It reinforces a test mentality – Employees feel they have to “pass,” rather than seeing this period as an opportunity to co-create success with their employer.
It ignores mutuality – Employment should be a two-way value exchange, not a performance-based initiation ritual.
It creates unnecessary stress – New hires spend their first three months focused on ticking the right boxes rather than truly integrating and contributing to the company’s success.
“Probation doesn’t benefit me as an employee, apart from making me feel shitty about myself.”
From proving to partnering
Instead of probation, what if we focused on partnership? The first 90 days should be about aligning expectations, integrating into the team, and setting both parties up for long-term success.
As one of our audience members pointed out:
Emilie built on this point, highlighting the risks of ignoring the unique needs of employees. “Imagine you’ve been in a company two months, and your manager comes to you and asks, ‘Why are you here?’ If your answer is, ‘To get paid,’ how does that impact your progression? It’s dangerous to set these expectations without really showing empathy and understanding the employee’s experience,” she said. It’s a brilliant reminder that everyone’s reasons for working differ—and they change over time.
The importance of empathy was reinforced by several viewers. Dara summed it up beautifully in the comments: “The less policy in place, the better, in my opinion. Great leaders who do that well.” Policies, though necessary, often stifle innovation and limit flexibility. Worse, they can prevent managers from creating a culture of trust and autonomy within their teams. Greg chimed in with a pointed observation: “Policies are often written to deal with one bad actor but end up restricting everyone”.
“In my experience, there is a void between the courtship/interviews/offer and the candidate starting. Some simple things can be done to continue building the relationship before day”
This highlights a critical point: the employee experience starts long before day one. Organisations should be investing in pre-boarding, structured introductions, and meaningful conversations about what success looks like—not just for them, but for their new hires.
A structured approach could include:
Personalised onboarding plans – Rather than a rigid checklist, create flexible pathways that help new hires navigate their first months based on their role, team, and individual strengths.
Pre-boarding materials – Share company values, culture insights, and introductions to key team members before the employee even starts.
First-week mentorship – Assign a buddy or mentor to help them settle in and answer questions in a low-pressure environment.
Expectations should go both ways
Another audience comment really hit home:
“If a company doesn’t have a clear set of expectations at the end of the trial period, then why the heck are they hiring?”
This applies in both directions. Employees shouldn’t be left guessing whether they’ve “passed probation.” Equally, they should have the space to evaluate whether the company is the right fit for them.
We need to normalise structured, ongoing conversations during this period—ones that centre on mutual feedback and alignment rather than an arbitrary “pass/fail” assessment.
Moving towards continuous feedback
The probation model often fails because it delays feedback to the end of the period, leaving employees in the dark about their performance until it’s too late. Instead, organisations should implement:
Career mapping from day one – Helping employees see a path for growth within the company from their first 90 days increases long-term engagement and retention.
Regular check-ins – Weekly or bi-weekly conversations with managers can ensure new hires feel supported and can address challenges early.
Two-way feedback loops – New employees should have a voice in shaping their experience, providing feedback on the onboarding process and team culture.
Replacing probation with something better
Some organisations are already moving away from probationary language. One People team recently told us they’re rebranding their “probation policy” to a “settling-in policy”—a small but meaningful step towards shifting the manager mindset.
Other companies are introducing structured development plans that focus on:
- Skill-building instead of evaluation.
- Relationship-building instead of judgment.
- Setting new hires up for success rather than testing them.
It’s a start. But we need to go further.
Final thoughts: let’s design a better experience
The first 90 days should be about integration, not interrogation. A great employee experience isn’t about dangling a contract over someone’s head—it’s about setting them up for success.
So, let’s ditch “probation” and start designing a more human, mutual, and valuable onboarding experience. Because if the first three months feel like a test, then we’ve already failed.
At Freeformers, we believe in building workplaces where people thrive from day one. If you’re rethinking your onboarding experience, let’s have a conversation. The future of work isn’t about testing—it’s about building partnerships that last.