Probation Objectives Made Simple: Set Clear Expectations for New Recruits

The Probation objectives is part of Monday Simon Manager Development Program:
👉 Module 6: Recruitment for managers (coming soon)

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What Are The Probation Objectives 

The probation is the last, crucial test before you commit to a new employee. Too many managers treat it like extended training, letting it drift by with vague check-ins. Then, 4 months later, when the hire isn’t working out, you realize you have zero concrete evidence to manage them out.

The probation period objectives are part of your mandatory performance management duties as a manager and they act as your safety net. They are the 3 to 5 non-negotiable, measurable achievements a new employee must hit within the first 90 days (or whatever your mandated probation period is) to prove they belong on your team. Think of it as SMART goals with a a few months deadline. They switch the focus from “learning the ropes” to “delivering essential value.”

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When to Use Hard-Hitting Probation Objectives

You need to set and rigorously track Probation objectives in these critical situations:

• You are tired of having difficult, subjective performance conversations after the probation period ends because you lack clear benchmarks for success.
• You are hiring for a role where speed to impact is critical like sales, coding, or frontline support, and training time must be immediately followed by output.
• You need to minimize the risk of costly mis-hires by creating a clear, objective off-ramp that prevents a marginal employee from becoming a permanent fixture.

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What Works with Probation Objectives

Stop wasting time on generic, task-oriented goals like “Understand the CRM system” or “Meet the team.” That’s onboarding, not performance. The Probation objectives must be directly tied to the specific, painful deliverables you hired them to achieve, just like the Target Profile you used during recruitment.

You need to nail down three types of measurable objectives: Technical Proficiency, Output, and Team Integration.

For Technical Proficiency, it’s not “Attend the training.” It’s: “Successfully configure and launch a live A/B test campaign independently in the MarTech platform by Day 30.” For Output, it’s about results: “Close five new small business accounts, generating at least $15,000 in new recurring revenue by the end of the probation period.” The numbers need to be unambiguous.

Here is my custom ChatGPT for SMART goals. 

The third, often overlooked, area is Team Integration, but again, make it measurable. Stop using “build good relationships.” Use: “Successfully led one cross-functional meeting with the Engineering and Product teams to align on a specific project deliverable, receiving positive feedback from both stakeholders.” This forces them to demonstrate leadership, communication, and influence, all the real work of a successful employee. Your measure can be the feedback of the team during the probationary period. 

The key to using Probation objectives effectively is the weekly check-in. I recommend implementing a 15-minute, structured meeting where you explicitly review the progress against the objectives.
If the new hire is tracking yellow or red on any objective by the halfway point (Day 45 of 90), you immediately document a formal warning and provide clear, specific support.

Stop trying to be nice; your primary duty is to the team’s performance. The documentation you create through the structured review of the Probation objectives is what protects you and the business if you have to terminate the employment contract.

Important note: Too often, I see managers assigning the full KPIs during the probation period. Please don’t. You can assign KPIs, yes but not with the full target. A good practice is to build a ramp up to full targets after the probation period. The reason for this is that the new joiner needs to digest a lot of information related to his/her new work environment. Knowing the basics of setting KPIs and OKRs is mandatory.

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Download The Probation Objectives Template

Setting clear probation objectives is the only way to ensure new hires know exactly what success looks like from Day 1. Download my template to understand the structure of the probation objectives document, and use it remove ambiguity during the probation period.

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Why Probation Objectives Are Important for Your Bottom Line

Mastering the use of clear Probation objectives is a quick win that pays dividends for months and years:

• Saves huge costs: Cutting a non-performing employee during probation avoids months of salary, wasted training, and the high cost of a formal performance improvement plan.
• Raises the performance bar: New employees understand immediately that their team is a place of hard, measurable results, setting a high standard for existing staff.
• Reduces manager stress: The objectives provide a neutral, objective shield, removing personal emotion from the termination process and making tough decisions straightforward.

Important: I place the probation period objectives as part of the recruitment process. You want to communicate the probation objectives before the candidate joins to ensure full alignment on the priorities from the recruitment process. This help you get a new joiner that is mission driven from day 1 and again, you avoid bad surprises. 

If you wish to test how to implement SMART goals to embed in your probation objectives, head over to the Manager tools page.