New Hire Probation

New Hire Probation


Please note: The PM team does not manage probation dates or requirements. For questions about probation periods, email AskHR@virginia.edu with "Probation Dates" in the subject line.

Information & Resources

  • Academic New Hires

    Per the HRM-020: Probationary Period for University Staff Employees policy: “All University Staff employees in Managerial & Professional and Operational & Administrative Staff positions, newly hired or rehired following a break in service, must serve a minimum twelve-month probationary period effective from the date of hire.”

    There are typically three forms Academic New Hires complete in Workday throughout the 12-month probation period:

    1. New Hire Goal Setting (within 30-days of hire date)
    2. Probation Mid-Year Touchpoint (six month review)
    3. Probation Year-End Review (end of probation review)

    Employees whose school or unit participates in the quarterly performance process complete a quarterly check-in in Workday instead of the above three templates.

    After completion of your probation period and final year-end appraisal, you'll participate in your school or unit's regular performance review process.

    HRM-020: Probationary Period for University Staff Employees
  • Medical Center New Hires

    Per Medical Center policy HR 205: Probationary Period, newly hired UVA Medical Center employees complete a 6-month orientation competency assessment process. Review the policy for specific information and requirements, including exceptions. RN Clinician 1's must complete a 12-month probationary period and competency assessment. Discuss with your manager or contact your HR Business Partner for more information.

    Med Ctr Policy HR 205: Probationary Period
  • UPG New Hires

    Discuss with your manager or contact your HR Business Partner for more information.

  • Workday How-To

    Completing New Hire Probation tasks in Workday

    To complete your new hire goal setting or probation reviews (if applicable), navigate to your Workday inbox and open the task.

    Managers: You can search and run the "Performance Completion Report" or "PM Dashboard" to check the status and details of new hire goal setting and probation tasks. Manager tasks are completed by opening them in your Workday inbox (the employee tasks must be submitted to appear in your inbox).

    Viewing a Completed Probation Task or Review

    Through Your Workday Profile:

    1. Click your profile picture in the top-right corner
    2. Select "View Profile" from the drop-down menu
    3. Click "Performance" in the left-hand menu
    4. Select the "Performance Review" tab at the top of the page
    5. Click "View" next to your previous performance review

    Managers: Open an employee's profile by selecting them from your Team Org Chart or searching their name, then follow steps 3–5.

    Goal Setting & Feedback Resources

    For additional goal-setting tools and information on how to give feedback, visit the following pages:

    FAQs

    Visit our FAQ page for answers to the most common PM and Workday questions.

  • AI Use in Performance Management

    Required

    Use only UVA-approved AI tools.

    Do not upload university work information to unapproved AI platforms. UVA-approved, enterprise-protected tools for Generative AI have the added privilege of enterprise security, meaning what you tell it and upload stays within UVA.

    Effective vs. Ineffective AI Use in Performance Management

    Effective AI Uses:
    • Refining goals and vision: Sharing your organization, department, or team vision along with your initial goals, then asking AI to suggest edits or brainstorm refinements.
    • Improving feedback delivery: Drafting feedback you plan to give someone, then asking how it may be received or for tips on delivery.
    • Enhancing clarity: Creating bullet points of accomplishments and development areas, then asking AI to improve clarity, conciseness, or flag subjective language.
    • Checking alignment: Providing rating criteria alongside your written summary, then asking where the language appears to align.
    • Getting permission: Asking your employee or colleague if they are OK with you uploading their created work to AI (self-evaluation, goals, feedback), or transcribing a conversation with AI.
    • Transcribing 1:1 notes: Using MS Teams Transcription and Recap features to automatically generate meeting notes.
    • Verifying accuracy: Asking AI to provide sources and verify the accuracy of its responses.
    Ineffective AI Uses:
    • Copy-pasting generic content: Asking AI to write your vision, purpose, or goals, then copying and pasting them as your own.
    • Sending unreviewed feedback: Asking AI to draft feedback and sending it directly to an employee or colleague.
    • Generating generic reviews: Asking AI to generate a generic performance review about someone.
    • Gaming the rating system: Uploading a rating rubric and asking AI to produce a review that matches a specific rating.
    • Violating privacy: Uploading someone's self-evaluation or other created work, or transcribing a conversation, without their permission or knowledge.
    • Trusting without verification: Assuming AI output is accurate and appropriate.

    AI is a tool to enhance clarity and efficiency but should complement authentic, thoughtful inputFor questions regarding AI use specific to performance management (reviews, goals, feedback), contact the PM team at AskHR@virginia.edu.