Probation review form
A probation period only works if somebody writes down what was said. This form is the written half of a conversation that otherwise happens twice and is remembered three different ways.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Employee name | Ana Ruiz |
| Position | Barista, part-time |
| Start date | Mon 2 March 2027 |
| Length of probation | Three months, ending Mon 1 June 2027 |
| This review | Six week review, Mon 13 April 2027 |
| What the role asked for | Open the bar, hold the coffee standard through the morning run, and leave a clean handover. |
| What is going well | Opens on time and the bar is set up properly. Milk texturing is consistent. Regulars have noticed her. |
| What needs to improve | Speed through the 7:30 to 8:30 peak, and calling orders clearly enough for the kitchen to hear. |
| What we will do to help | Two shifts a week paired with the head barista on the peak, and the order call practised at the quiet end of the shift. |
| Training still to do | Point of sale refunds, and the cash up on a Sunday. |
| Hours and availability | Happy with the current pattern. Would like one extra shift a week from May if there is one. |
| Anything the employee wants to raise | Would like the handover list written up so it is the same every day. |
| Decision | Continuing. Next review at the end of probation. |
| What happens next, and by when | Head barista pairing starts this week. Handover list written by the supervisor by Friday. Final review booked for Mon 1 June. |
| Manager name and date | Lena M., 13 April 2027 |
| Employee signature and date | Ana R., 13 April 2027 |
What is in the file
- Template, blank, with each question down the side and room for the answer.
- Example, the same sheet filled in for Harbourside Coffee.
- How to use, with the steps and the mistakes below.
How to fill it in
- Book both reviews when the person starts, rather than remembering the second one late.
- Write what was actually said in each box, including anything the employee raised.
- Make the next steps specific enough to check: who, what and by when.
- Both sign it, give the employee a copy, and keep yours with their records.
Common mistakes
- A probation period that ends by default because nobody booked the conversation
- Problems raised for the first time at the final review
- Treating probation as a period where entitlements do not apply, when they do from the first day
Sources
The official pages this wording was read against, on 21 October 2026.
- Fair Work Ombudsman, Probation
- Fair Work Ombudsman, Dismissal
- Fair Work Ombudsman, National Employment Standards
When a spreadsheet stops being enough
Roster Flow carries the shifts the conversation is about: what was published, what was actually worked, and who was on with whom, so a review is about the record rather than about recollections.
Questions
What is on the probation review form?
16 questions down the side, running from employee name to employee signature and date. The example beside them is filled in for Harbourside Coffee: what was agreed, how it is going, what changes, and the decision with a date.
Does the probation review form work anything out for you?
No. It is a form with 16 questions to answer in your own words, not a calculator. Nothing on it is a formula.
Can I use the probation review form in Google Sheets?
Yes. Open probation-review-form.xlsx from Google Drive, or use File, then Import, then Upload with probation-review-form.csv. The form and its example come across either way.
Is the wording in the probation review form ready to use as it is?
The probation review form is a starting point for Harbourside Coffee or any business like it, to adapt rather than sign. The wording was checked against the official sources on 21 October 2026, it is not legal advice, and it has not been through a workplace relations professional.