Most employees start a new job wanting to be successful. So, why do so many of them get sacked during their probationary period?

The 7 reasons probations fail are:

1. Incorrect recruitment. The manager didn't effectively match the person’s interest, attitude and skills to the position.
2. Incorrect induction or no induction. The manager didn't induct the new employee into the company, or was not welcoming when the person started.
3. Unclear communication. The supervisor was not clear in explaining what had to be done, in what order and for what reason.
4. Muddy management reporting lines. The employee either didn’t know who their manager was or was caught in the middle between different managers.
5. No explanation of the code of conduct. Acceptable and unacceptable behaviour was not explained – so the person accidentally broke the rules.
6. Poor performance management. When the employee was going off track – no one spoke to them about it, or provided guidance or feedback.
7. Changing boundaries. The person was hired for one position and the role and duties were changed after they started.

There will be the odd occasion where a person genuinely doesn't care about the job, but these are less than 1% of all probationary failures.

If you have a number of probations failing, then go back and check out where the problem really lies. It is probably not with the individuals hired, but with the person doing the hiring and inducting.

So, what do you do about it? When you have a vacancy, start by being really clear on the role you want to fill.

What precisely will they be doing? Who do they report to? What are they accountable for?

Next be clear on the person who will best fit your role - their skills, attitudes and attributes.

Once you have found someone - how can you make them feel welcome, important and valued? What do you need to tell them so they quickly understand your business and "how you do things around here".

If they get off track - talk with them and explain what you really meant for them to do. Ask for feedback on your communication and act on suggestions to improve it.  Guide them back on track as gently as possible.

Yes, all of this takes time. But - so does having to constantly hire new staff and deal with challenging human resources issues. Where would you prefer to invest your time?

Ingrid Cliff is a Brisbane based Business Development and Human Resources Consultant to Small and Medium Businesses with her company Heart Harmony www.heartharmony.com.au.