You should fully and clearly document what you discuss in progress meetings on a Probation Review Form (you’ll find a copy of this form on the HR system).
The form should provide an accurate record of what was discussed at the meeting, including any areas of concern, as well as a note of the areas in which the employee is performing well. Ask the employee to sign the form as an acknowledgment.
You should provide your employee with a copy of the review form. If there are any areas of disagreement over what is recorded on the form, try to resolve these with the employee prior to the document being signed.
In line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), these records should be held confidentially and kept for no longer than necessary. Ideally, the HR department will keep the records. In some cases, data collected during probation may include special categories of data (eg information about an employee’s health), in which case more stringent rules apply. You should seek further advice about your duties under the UK GDPR from the HR department.
In Summary
- Document what you discuss in progress meetings
- Include areas of concern and areas of good performance
- Give the employee a copy
