TRIAL PERIOD “18% of new recruits fail probation.” – Opinion Matters survey (2014) NONO TION TTION T ALENT AALENT A SS SESSES SMENTSMENT The trial period is actually one of the most important parts of the hiring process. You wouldn’t marry someone after three dates (basically interviews) so why should you make a binding decision on who to take into your company family after just three interviews? A startup faces multiple risks, especially when hiring. One way of lowering the risk inherent in hiring is to have a rigorous trial period. Most startups use trial periods, but we want to emphasise that you have not actually hired candidates until they pass their probation. This makes the probation period one of the most important ingredients in your hiring process. Remember that the probation period is also a chance for them to suss you out as well, hence the importance of onboarding as discussed earlier. If you are running a company where 100% of new recruits get through, you should take time to evaluate whether you are taking the trial period seriously enough and whether you need better processes in place to track candidates’ performance and assimilation during this crucial time. 110202