Guide for managers

How probation works

A five-minute guide for managers. Why probation deserves your attention, what the law asks, and how FirstSix helps you do it well.

Why getting probation right matters

The first months decide whether a hire stays. In a 2024 survey, one in three people in Germany (34%) said they had quit a job during probation [1]. Every early exit means hiring again, and replacing an employee can cost half to twice their annual salary [2].

You are the biggest lever. Of people who quit in their first year, 43% named dissatisfaction with their manager, as often as pay [3]. And 52% of people who leave voluntarily say their manager or organization could have done something to keep them [2].

What's missing is usually simple: one in five (21%) say they lacked clear expectations and goals during probation [1]. Clear goals, regular check-ins and honest notes fix exactly that. And if it doesn't work out, a decision based on a written record the hire has seen is fair, and holds up with HR and the works council.

1. Indeed / Appinio survey of 1,000 people in Germany aged 18–65, February 2024, reported by Persoblogger
2. Gallup, “This Fixable Problem Costs U.S. Businesses $1 Trillion”, 2019
3. XING survey, Germany, July 2023, via Statista

What probation is for

Probation (Probezeit) is the first months of a new job, usually six. Both sides find out whether it works. For the hire, it's the time to learn the job and show what they can do. For you, it's the time to give clear goals, honest feedback and the support they need.

Done well, it's the best onboarding a hire can get. Done badly, it ends in a surprise, either a resignation or a dismissal nobody saw coming.

What the law asks (Germany)

During probation, either side can end the contract with two weeks' notice (§ 622 BGB). Unfair-dismissal protection (KSchG) only starts after six months.

Notice must reach the hire before the probation period ends. If your company has a works council, it must be heard before any dismissal (§ 102 BetrVG), which takes up to a week. FirstSix shows these deadlines on each hire's page.

Anything you write down may later be read by HR, the works council or a court. Write about work and results, never about the person's character, health or private life.

The rhythm that works

Week 1: agree on the first goal. Keep it small and finishable in two weeks: set up, learn the product, ship one thing.

Weeks 2, 4, 8, 12 and 18: check-ins. Each one covers every goal: what happened, with an example, and what's next. Add goals as the hire settles in.

Week 22: final review, before the probation deadline, so there's time to act if needed.

Mark each meeting as discussed. A record the hire has seen is fair and holds up later.

What good notes look like

Name a result, a date or an example. "Shipped the payment retry fix on 2 Oct, failed-payment tickets dropped from 9 to 3" is useful. "Doing great, good attitude" is not.

Describe what happened, not what the person is like. "Missed two of three deadlines in October" instead of "unreliable".

If something isn't working, say so early, in the check-in, with what you expect instead. A concern raised in week 8 can be fixed. One raised in week 24 can't.

How FirstSix helps

It sets up the schedule and reminds you before each check-in and before the legal deadlines.

The AI check (beta) reads your notes and points out traits instead of results, claims without evidence, goals you skipped, and contradictions with earlier check-ins. It checks the writing, never the person, and never recommends a decision.

Your organization's roles, and competencies if you use them, sit next to every hire, so you can measure against what the job actually expects.