Probation: how to use it well, on both sides
Probation periods exist for a reason. Most teams either forget about them or treat them as an afterthought.
Probation periods exist for a reason. Most teams either forget about them or treat them as an afterthought.
Set expectations on day one
The probation review at day 60 should not contain anything that wasn't said in the first week. Set the outcomes. Revisit them weekly.
Both sides have the right to walk
A short, structured, no-blame end of probation is healthier for everyone than a long, painful PIP six months later.
Most probation reviews are passes
If 90 percent of your hires fail probation, your hiring is broken. If 100 percent pass without a real conversation, your probation is theatre.
More from the Spinwell blog
How funded startups should structure their first 10 hires
Your first ten hires set the culture, the velocity, and the ceiling. Here's the order that actually compounds.
The flat fee model: why we stopped charging a percentage
Percentage fees punish founders for hiring well. The flat fee aligns the recruiter with the outcome, not the salary.
Equity for early hires: a non-lawyer's guide for founders
How much equity to give your first ten hires, how vesting actually works, and the conversations founders mishandle.
