Overview
Your probation period is the first few months of your employment, when both you and the organization are getting to know each other. It's a time for you to settle into the role, learn how things work, and figure out whether the role and the organization are the right fit for you.
A probation review is a structured way to check in during this period. Depending on how your organization has set it up, you may have one or more check-ins, with a final review near the end. These reviews are developmental, they're a chance to talk about how you're tracking, what's working well, and what support would help you do your best work.
Note: This guide uses "probation" and "probation review" as general terms. Your organization may use different language, such as "introductory period," "settling-in period," or "review period." The process and what's covered here apply either way.
What to Expect During Your Probation
Your manager plays a key role in your probation period. You can expect them to:
Set clear expectations with you early on, including your goals, what success looks like, and the timeline of the process
Hold regular 1-on-1s with you, typically weekly or fortnightly
Give you feedback as things come up, not just at formal review points
Be available to answer questions and provide support
This is a two-way process. You're encouraged to share how you're finding the role, raise any blockers, and ask for what you need. Being open in your self-reflection and in 1-on-1s (including about things that aren't going as well) gives your manager the context to support you. The more open the conversation, the better the experience for both of you.
What Happens at Each Step
The structure of your probation review will depend on how your organization has set it up. Common steps include:
Mid-point check-in
This is a developmental conversation focused on how you're tracking, what's working, and what would help you in the rest of the period. It's a chance to share what you're finding helpful, where you'd like more support, and any ideas you have. There's still plenty of time to act on whatever comes up. You may be asked to complete a self-reflection as part of this process, or you might just discuss it with your manager in a 1-on-1.
Final review
This is where your manager brings the period to a close with a summary of how things have gone. You may be asked to complete a final self-reflection. The final review is completed a few weeks before the end of your probation period, so there's time to plan next steps.
How to Access Your Probation Reviews
Log in to Culture Amp
Your Home page will show any outstanding tasks with due dates
You can also access your probation review by navigating to Performance > Probation reviews
Navigate to Your Probation Review Process
From Probation review processes, click on the probation process that applies to you
You'll see Your steps with all scheduled tasks
On your probation review process page, you'll see:
Your name at the top
Process name (e.g., "90-day probation review")
Start date and Probation end date
Your steps section listing all self-reflection tasks
Complete a Self-Reflection
A self-reflection is your chance to share your perspective on how you're going. It's a valuable input to your probation review because it gives your manager context they may not see day-to-day, and makes the review a two-way conversation.
Your self-reflection is visible to your manager and your HR team. It's used as an input to the review conversation, not as a stand-alone evaluation.
Step 1: Access Your Self-Reflection Task
Tasks are displayed with their status:
Not open yet – Shows opening date (task cannot be started yet)
In progress – Shows due date and displays a Complete button
Overdue – Shows overdue date in red and displays a Complete button
Completed – Shows completion date and displays a View button
Click Complete next to an in-progress or overdue self-reflection task to open the self-reflection form.
Step 2: Understand the Self-Reflection Form
Form Page Elements
Your name at the top
Step name (e.g., "30-day self reflection")
Due date displayed as "Due by [date]"
Last edited timestamp (auto-updates as you work)
Profile button to view your own profile (including any goals you've set)
Language selector (if multiple languages are available)
Introduction Text
If configured, you'll see introduction text in a purple-bordered box explaining what to focus on in this self-reflection.
Questions
Each question is numbered and may include a Question title (the question itself) and an optional Description (guidance). Question types include:
Open-ended question – Free text response field with rich-text formatting options (such as bold or bullet points)
Rating scale – Select one rating from a custom scale
Single select – Choose one option from a list or dropdown
Multi-select – Choose multiple options (up to a limit, if configured)
Optional tag – If the question is not required
Step 3: Write Your Self-Reflection
What a good self-reflection looks like
If this is your first time writing a formal self-reflection, here are a few things to keep in mind. Don't worry about making it perfect, you'll be able to discuss it in more detail with your manager.
Use specific examples rather than general impressions. Name particular projects, moments, or decisions.
Talk about impact, not just activity. What changed because of what you did?
Be honest about what hasn't gone as well. Share what you've already done about it, what you've learned, or what support would help.
Answer authentically. Self-reflections are most useful when they reflect your real experience, including what's going well and where you're still finding your feet.
Answer each question: Required questions must be completed before submission.
Auto-save: Answers auto-save as you type or select options, updating the Last edited timestamp automatically.
Formatting: Use the rich-text formatting options to make your answers clear and structured.
Step 4: Save or Submit Your Self-Reflection
While Working
Answers save automatically as you type.
You can click Save and close at any time to save a draft and return later.
To Submit Your Self-Reflection
Once all required questions are answered, click Send to your manager.
The system validates your answers:
If required fields are missing, you'll see error messages highlighting the missing information.
If validation passes, your self-reflection is submitted.
You're redirected back to your steps page.
The completed self-reflection now shows a Completed status with the completion date.
You can click View to see your submitted answers.
View a Completed Self-Reflection
Navigate to Your steps on your probation review process page.
Find the completed self-reflection.
Click View.
You can see all your submitted answers in read-only mode.
Edit a Completed Self-Reflection
You can edit your self-reflection anytime before the step closes.
Navigate to Your steps on your probation review process page.
Click View next to the completed self-reflection.
On the self-reflection page, an information banner appears: "Changes will not be auto-saved". You must manually save any edits.
Make your changes to the answers.
Click Save changes to save your edits, or click Cancel to discard changes.
You're returned to your steps page.
Receiving Your Probation Outcome
After the final review, your manager will have a conversation with you to share the outcome and the feedback from your review. The probation period concludes in one of three ways:
Your employment is confirmed You continue in your role and transition into your organization's standard performance and development process.
Your probation is extended Your probation period continues for a defined further time. Depending on how your organization handles extensions, this may be a continuation of your current process or a new shorter process set up specifically for you. Either way, you'll have a clear plan together with your manager, with specific milestones to work toward, a named source of support, and a check-in before the new end date so progress is visible early.
Your employment is not confirmed Your employment ends, and your organization will guide you through its standard process.
This conversation is a two-way one. You can ask your manager questions about how they reached the outcome, what's gone well, and what success would look like in the next stage, whether that's settling into your role, working through an extension, or planning your next steps.
If you have concerns or questions about the outcome, you can raise them with your manager or HR team.
If you'd like a copy of your manager's written review, ask your manager. They may be able to share it with you as a PDF.
Making the Most of Your Probation
A few things that can help you get the most out of this period:
Use your 1-on-1s: A great way to be proactive during your probation is to prepare for your 1-on-1 conversations. Come to each one with at least one specific question or reflection on how you're tracking. Share what you're learning, where you'd like more feedback, and what's getting in the way.
Refer to your goals and expectations: They were set early on for a reason. You can view your goals from the self-reflection form by clicking the Profile button on the right side of the page. If anything is unclear, ask.
Share what's on your mind: Along with 1-on-1s, self-reflections are a good place to share what's going well and where you'd like more support. The earlier something comes up, the more time there is to talk it through.
Ask for help: Settling into a new role takes time. Asking questions and asking for support is part of the experience, and it's exactly what your manager and team are there for. If something is unclear or you'd like more support in a particular area, your 1-on-1s are the right place to raise it. You don't need to wait for a formal review step.
Use Culture Amp's growth tools: On your probation review process page, you'll see a suggestion box titled "Get the most out of Culture Amp during your probation period" with links to:
Set up 1-on-1s – Schedule regular check-ins with your manager
Set up Goals – Track your progress during probation
What to Do If Something Isn't Working
This guide describes what generally happens during a probation period. If your experience doesn't match what's described in the guidance you've received from your organization or what we've described here, raise it. You shouldn't have to wait for a formal review step to flag concerns.
Some signals worth raising:
You haven't had clear expectations or goals set with you
Your 1-on-1s aren't happening, or aren't a useful conversation
You haven't received any feedback as you've gone along, and your final review is approaching
You're not sure what you're being assessed against, or what the timeline of your probation is
Your first step is usually a direct conversation with your manager. If that doesn't resolve it, or if you'd prefer to raise it elsewhere, your HR team or People Partner is the right next contact. They can help you understand the process and work with your manager to get things back on track.
Key Behaviors and Technical Details
Auto-save
In-progress self-reflections: Answers save automatically as you type or select options.
Completed self-reflections: Auto-save is disabled, you must click Save changes.
Privacy
Self-reflections are shared with your manager.
Your manager will see your answers after you click Send to your manager.
You cannot see your manager's review answers, those are private.
Due dates and reminders
You receive email and Slack/MS Teams notifications when a self-reflection opens.
Reminders are sent 2 days before the due date.
A second reminder is sent on the due date.
If you update a self-reflection after initial submission, your manager is notified.
Language support
If your probation process supports multiple languages, you can switch languages using the Language selector.
Your answers are stored in the language you select.
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