1.1 This policy establishes a structured and transparent framework for the probationary period applicable to all newly hired employees and existing employees who are transitioning into substantially different roles through internal transfer or promotion within the Organization. The probationary period serves as a mutual assessment window during which the Organization evaluates the employee's job performance, competency, reliability, conduct, and cultural alignment, and the employee assesses whether the role and Organization meet their professional expectations. This policy defines the standards, timelines, and procedures governing assessment, feedback, development support, and the ultimate decision to confirm the employee in their role or terminate the employment relationship during probation. It applies to all employment categories, including full-time, part-time, and fixed-term contract positions, across all departments and locations.

1.2 The standard probationary period shall be 90 calendar days commencing from the employee's date of joining, unless a different duration is explicitly specified in the employee's offer letter or employment contract based on the seniority, complexity, or nature of the role. For senior management and executive positions, the probationary period may be extended to 180 calendar days at the discretion of the hiring authority. Where the employee's performance or conduct during the initial probationary period does not meet the required standards but shows sufficient potential for improvement, the probationary period may be extended by up to an additional 90 calendar days, subject to written approval by the department head and the HR department. The total probationary period, including any extension, shall not exceed 180 calendar days unless otherwise mandated by applicable law or collective bargaining agreement. The employee shall be notified in writing of any extension, including the specific reasons and the performance improvements required.

1.3 Employees on probation are subject to all of the Organization's standard policies, procedures, and workplace rules from their first day of employment, including but not limited to the code of conduct, confidentiality and non-disclosure obligations, information security policies, health and safety requirements, and anti-harassment and anti-discrimination provisions. Leave entitlements during the probationary period shall accrue in accordance with the Organization's leave policy and applicable labor legislation; however, the use of annual or personal leave during probation shall be subject to managerial approval and limited to the accrued balance unless exceptional circumstances apply. Probationary employees are eligible for statutory benefits from the date of joining and for Organization-provided benefits as specified in the benefits policy, which may include a waiting period for certain non-statutory benefits. The Organization's grievance and disciplinary procedures apply in full during the probationary period.

2.1 The employee's direct manager shall establish clear, measurable performance objectives, key deliverables, and success criteria within the first 10 working days of the probationary period. These objectives shall be aligned with the role's job description, the department's operational priorities, and the Organization's strategic goals. Objectives shall be documented using the Organization's performance management template, shared with the employee in writing, and acknowledged by the employee to confirm mutual understanding. The objectives shall cover both technical competencies and behavioral expectations, including quality of work output, adherence to deadlines, collaboration and communication skills, initiative and problem-solving ability, and alignment with the Organization's values and culture. Where the role requires the completion of specific training, certifications, or onboarding milestones during probation, these shall be included as measurable objectives.

2.2 Formal performance review meetings shall be conducted by the employee's direct manager at the 30-day, 60-day, and 90-day milestones of the probationary period. Each review meeting shall assess the employee's progress against the documented objectives and success criteria, evaluate demonstrated competencies and behaviors, identify any areas of concern or development needs, provide specific, constructive, and actionable feedback, and agree on any adjustments to objectives, additional training, or support measures required for the next review period. Review outcomes shall be documented using the Organization's probation review form, signed by both the manager and the employee, and submitted to the HR department within 5 business days of the review meeting. Where an employee is performing below expectations, the 30-day or 60-day review shall include a formal performance improvement plan with specific targets, timelines, and consequences for non-improvement. The HR department shall monitor probation review submissions and follow up with managers who fail to conduct reviews on schedule.

2.3 Throughout the probationary period, the employee's direct manager shall maintain a contemporaneous record of the employee's performance, attendance, and conduct, including significant achievements and contributions, specific instances of underperformance or behavioral concerns, feedback conversations and coaching sessions held between formal review milestones, training completed and competencies acquired, and any informal or formal disciplinary matters arising during the period. This record shall serve as the evidentiary basis for the probation confirmation decision and shall be made available to the HR department upon request. Employees shall have the right to review and respond to any documented concerns before the final confirmation decision is made. Managers shall be trained on objective documentation practices and shall avoid recording subjective impressions or generalised statements that do not reference specific, observable behaviors or measurable outcomes.

2.4 The HR department shall provide all managers with the tools, templates, and training necessary to conduct effective and consistent probationary assessments, including standardised objective-setting templates, review forms, performance improvement plan templates, and guidance documents on constructive feedback delivery and documentation best practices. The HR department shall maintain a centralised probation tracking system that monitors the status of every employee on probation, flags upcoming review milestones, and sends automated reminders to managers 5 business days before each scheduled review. Where a manager fails to complete a probation review within 5 business days of the scheduled milestone, the HR department shall escalate the matter to the department head and, if necessary, conduct the review in collaboration with the manager to avoid procedural non-compliance. The HR department shall compile quarterly metrics on probation outcomes, including confirmation rates, extension rates, separation rates, and time-to-confirmation, and shall report these metrics to the senior leadership team.

3.1 Upon successful completion of the probationary period, as determined by the employee's direct manager and confirmed by the HR department based on the documented review outcomes, the employee shall be confirmed as a permanent employee of the Organization. Confirmation shall be communicated through a formal confirmation letter issued by the HR department, which shall state the effective date of confirmation, the employee's confirmed role and grade, any changes to terms and conditions that apply upon confirmation such as revised notice periods or benefit eligibility, and the employee's performance rating for the probation period. Confirmation shall take effect from the calendar day immediately following the last day of the probationary period, and all rights, benefits, and obligations applicable to confirmed employees shall apply from that date. Where confirmation is contingent on the completion of mandatory training or certifications, the confirmation letter shall specify the deadline for completion and the consequences of non-completion.

3.2 Where the employee's performance, conduct, or suitability is determined to be unsatisfactory during the probationary period and the manager, in consultation with the HR department, concludes that further improvement is unlikely within a reasonable timeframe, the Organization may terminate the employment during or at the conclusion of the probationary period. Termination during probation shall require documented evidence of underperformance or misconduct, confirmation that the employee was provided with clear objectives and reasonable support, and written approval from the department head and the HR department. The Organization shall provide the employee with a written notice of termination of 7 calendar days, or payment in lieu of notice at the Organization's discretion, unless a different probationary notice period is specified in the employee's offer letter or required by applicable law. The termination notice shall state the effective date and the principal reasons for the decision. The employee's final settlement, including accrued wages and leave encashment, shall be processed within the timeframe prescribed by applicable law.

3.3 Employees who wish to resign from the Organization during the probationary period shall submit their resignation in writing to their direct manager and the HR department, providing a minimum of 7 calendar days' notice, unless a different probationary notice period is specified in the employee's offer letter or employment contract. The Organization may, at its sole discretion, accept immediate resignation and waive the notice period, or require the employee to serve the full notice period to facilitate knowledge transfer and handover activities. During the notice period, the employee shall continue to perform their duties diligently and cooperate with all transition and handover activities as directed by their manager. The employee shall complete the Organization's standard exit process, including return of Organization property, deactivation of access credentials, and an exit interview with the HR department. Where an employee resigns without providing the required notice, the Organization reserves the right to recover the notice period shortfall from the employee's final settlement, subject to applicable legal provisions.

4.1 A probation extension may be granted where the employee has demonstrated genuine potential and willingness to improve but has not yet consistently met the performance standards, competency requirements, or behavioral expectations established at the beginning of the probationary period. The decision to extend probation shall be made jointly by the employee's direct manager and the HR department, with written approval from the department head. The extension period shall not exceed 90 additional calendar days, bringing the maximum total probation duration to 180 calendar days. The extension notice shall be communicated to the employee in writing at least 5 business days before the original probation end date and shall include specific performance gaps identified, measurable improvement targets with interim milestones, the support and resources to be provided by the Organization, the duration of the extension, and the consequences of failing to meet improvement targets by the end of the extended period. A formal performance improvement plan shall be documented and signed by the employee, the manager, and the HR representative.

4.2 During the extended probation period, the frequency of formal review meetings shall increase to fortnightly intervals to provide the employee with regular feedback, close monitoring of improvement trajectory, and timely identification of any persistent performance gaps. At each fortnightly review, the manager shall assess the employee's progress against the specific targets and milestones set out in the performance improvement plan, document observed improvements and any continuing areas of concern, provide additional coaching or adjust support measures as necessary, and record the review outcomes using the Organization's standard template. The HR department shall attend or review the documentation from at least one fortnightly review meeting during the extension period to ensure procedural compliance and consistency of assessment. At the conclusion of the extended probation period, the manager shall make a final recommendation to confirm or separate the employee, supported by the full body of documented evidence from both the original and extended probation periods.

4.3 No more than one extension of the probationary period shall be permitted for any individual employee, and the cumulative probation duration, including the extension, shall not exceed 180 calendar days unless a longer period is required by applicable law or an applicable collective bargaining agreement. If, at the conclusion of the extended probation period, the employee has not met the performance standards and improvement targets specified in the performance improvement plan, the Organization shall proceed with termination of employment in accordance with the separation procedures set out in this policy. The termination decision shall be documented with reference to the complete probation record, including objective-setting documentation, all formal review records, the performance improvement plan, fortnightly review notes, and any supporting evidence of underperformance or misconduct. The HR department shall ensure that the termination process complies with applicable employment law and that the employee receives all statutory entitlements and final settlement amounts within the prescribed timeframe.

5.1 This Probation Period Policy shall be reviewed comprehensively at least once every 12 months by the HR department, in consultation with Legal Counsel and relevant stakeholders from the line management community, to ensure that it remains current, effective, legally compliant, and aligned with the Organization's talent management strategy. An interim review shall be triggered by any material change in employment legislation, a significant organizational restructuring, or the identification of systemic issues through the analysis of probation outcome metrics. Proposed amendments shall be reviewed by Legal Counsel for legal sufficiency, approved by the Head of Human Resources and the Chief Executive Officer, and communicated in writing to all managers and employees at least 14 calendar days before the effective date of the amendment. A version history recording the date, author, and summary of each amendment shall be maintained as an appendix to this policy.

5.2 All managers who are responsible for supervising employees during their probationary period shall complete mandatory training on this policy and its associated procedures within 30 calendar days of assuming managerial responsibilities for the first time, or within 30 days of any material amendment to this policy. Training shall cover the requirements and timelines set out in this policy, effective objective-setting and success criteria definition, conducting structured probation review meetings, delivering constructive and developmental feedback, documenting performance concerns and maintaining an evidence-based record, managing the probation extension and separation processes with procedural fairness, and awareness of applicable employment law protections relevant to probationary employees. The Learning and Development team shall maintain records of training completion, and the HR department shall not process a probation confirmation or separation recommendation from a manager whose training is not current.

5.3 Non-compliance with this policy by managers, including but not limited to failure to set probationary objectives within the prescribed timeframe, failure to conduct review meetings at the 30-day, 60-day, and 90-day milestones, failure to document performance concerns contemporaneously, and failure to submit review documentation to the HR department on time, shall be treated as a managerial performance issue and addressed through the Organization's performance management process. Persistent or material non-compliance may affect the manager's own performance rating, bonus eligibility, and consideration for future leadership responsibilities. The HR department shall escalate instances of non-compliance to the relevant department head and, where necessary, to the Head of Human Resources. Where managerial non-compliance has resulted in procedural unfairness to the probationary employee, the HR department shall take corrective action, which may include extending the employee's probation to allow for a fair assessment period or confirming the employee if the balance of evidence supports satisfactory performance.