The Probationary Period After Getting Hired

Join Isaiah as he explains why most companies have a probationary period in place and why the onboarding process is important

Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s episode…

• First, Isaiah discusses why most companies have a probationary period in place and the stages new hires go through as they become valuable to the company
• Next, Isaiah lists the expectations for new hires who are in the investment zone
• Finally, Isaiah examines what happens when you start bringing economic value to the company

From This Week’s Show… 

Why Most Companies Have A Probationary Period In Place

Once you transition into your new industry career, you will likely have a probationary period whereby the employer can release you from your contract. The reason for this is simple – you have not added any value to the company yet and the company has very little evidence that you can add value to the them.

There is a process to becoming valuable to a company, and not everything is about speed. This process can be divided into two zones: the “investment zone” and the “return zone.”

The “investment zone” is where the organization is investing in you as a new employee. This is where you are costing them even more money in training time, equipment, space, and many other resources. The “return zone,” on the other hand, is where the organization finally starts benefiting from your work and the value you’re adding in your role.

There are four stages across the investment and return zones of onboarding that help clarify when and how you become valuable to the company:

1. New hire
2. Onboarding
3. Training
4. New assignment

What Are The Expectations When You Are Still In The Investment Zone

Each of these stages has a different focus and comes with a different set of expectations. The new hire stage covers your first days on a new job. It’s okay for you not to know how to do things during this stage. To get to the point where you are producing in your new role, you also need to go through the onboarding stage.

Onboarding is a period of deep observation, and you should focus your mindset accordingly. You’ll want to study the culture, teams, power structures, and processes of your new company. Remember, while you’re in the new hire and onboarding phases, you’re not expected to have a positive return on investment. The more you learn during these phases, though, the better you will perform in the later phases of your employment.

What Happens When You Reach The Return Zone

Once your onboarding is complete, you are past the investment zone and bring your economic value to the company into the positive. The first phase you’ll go through once you enter this return zone is called training. In the training phase, you’re starting to do projects yourself and work with the other members of your team. The company will be watching you closely during this phase to see how you work compared to the average employee.

If the company sees that your engagement is higher than average, you can end up in a position where you don’t have to be micromanaged. You can be allowed to work more autonomously because management knows you can make decisions. Employers want to see their new employees reach this level of autonomy in their work. It’s easier for employees to achieve this goal if they have been trained and onboarded well, which is why onboarding is so important.

If you’re ready to start your transition into industry, you can apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists. Apply to book a Transition Call here.