Turning a Reference into a Probation Plan
Part three of three on getting real value out of reference checks.
Most employers treat a reference check as a verdict. The reference is good, so you hire. The reference raises a concern, so you do not.
A Probation Period is a defined window in which an employer evaluates and develops a new employee against the requirements of the role, with the support and guidance to actually meet them. That is its purpose in law and in practice.
Which means a reference that surfaces a manageable concern is not a reason to walk away. It is a briefing note for the first three months.
A worked example
A referee tells you the candidate was strong technically, well liked, produced good work — but timekeeping was a persistent issue. Late in the mornings, occasionally late to meetings.
The reflexive response is to decline. There is a documented concern, and there are other candidates.
But consider what you have actually been handed. You have a specific, observable, entirely fixable behaviour, identified before day one, from someone with no reason to invent it
So you hire the person, and on day one you say something like this:
“Punctuality is a key requirement of this role, because the team briefing at eight is where the day gets allocated. I want to be direct with you that this is one of the things I will be assessing during your probation. Here is what I expect, here is how we will review it, and if anything is making it difficult, tell me early.”
Now look at what you have done. You have named the standard clearly. You have made it measurable. You have given the person a genuine chance to meet it. And you have created a fair, documented basis for the conversation that follows if they do not.
That is exactly what probation is for.
What belongs in a probation plan, and what does not
Not every concern can be handled this way, and it matters that you can tell the difference.
Suited to probation
- Timekeeping and attendance.
- Reporting and administrative discipline.
- Communication style — too blunt, too indirect, does not escalate early enough.
- Systems or process knowledge that can be trained.
- Pace and volume of output where the previous environment differed.
- Working independently versus needing direction.
What these have in common is that they are observable, they can be described in advance, and they are capable of improvement with clear expectations and support.
Not suited to probation
- Findings of dishonesty, theft or fraud.
- Any conduct issue involving harassment or safety.
- A qualification the person does not hold and cannot obtain.
- A core competency the role requires from day one with no realistic runway.
These are not development areas. Do not try to manage them through probation.
How to actually do it
Name it before they start. The single most common failure is hiring with a concern in mind and never mentioning it — then being frustrated at week six about something the employee was never told mattered. If it is important enough to weigh in the hiring decision, it is important enough to say out loud on day one.
Attach it to the role, not the person. “Punctuality is a key requirement of this position” is a statement about the job. “Your previous employer said you were always late” is an accusation, and it starts the relationship badly. You are also not obliged to disclose the source of a reference comment, and generally should not.
Make it measurable. “Improve your communication” is not something anyone can succeed at. “Send a written update to the team every Friday by midday” is.
Review it more than once. A single conversation at the end of three months is not a probation process. Schedule check-ins early enough that there is time to correct course.
Write it down. Both for fairness to the employee and because probation dismissals are procedurally scrutinised. Evidence that a standard was communicated, support was offered and the employee was given a genuine opportunity to improve is what distinguishes a defensible decision from an unfair one.
Offer support, not just scrutiny. Probation is meant to include guidance, training and counselling.
What this does for your hiring
There is a practical benefit here beyond fairness.
In a market this tight, employers who reject every candidate with a single documented imperfection are competing for an increasingly small pool of people. Meanwhile, capable candidates with one manageable flaw — the sort of flaw that appears on almost every honest reference — are being passed over repeatedly.
If you can identify which concerns are trainable and structure a proper probation around them, you can hire from a substantially wider field than your competitors.
The reference told you where to look. Probation is where you look.
That is a far better use of a phone call than a yes or a no.
Contact RESOURCEful at checks@2r.co.za for all your background checks!
RESOURCEful Background Checks — the screening division of RESOURCE Recruitment — verifies drivers’ licences, Professional Driving Permits, and driver accident histories for KZN employers, alongside our full range of pre-employment checks. Know who’s behind the wheel before they turn the key.
