Trial periods

All posts filled via redeployment are normally subject to a standard three month trial period. This trial period acts as a form of ‘probation’ whereby objectives are set to be completed over this period, with the inclusion of regular meetings to discuss progress, training requirements, development and how the redeployee is settling in to their new department.

We have trial periods because:

it provides you with an opportunity to assess a redeployee’s suitability for the post in practice over a three month period, before committing to offering the post for the full term of the appointment;
a redeployee may have concerns over their suitability for the role, the location or, for example, working in a large team. A trial period therefore also provides them with an opportunity to assess their suitability for the role;
it provides a mechanism for clear objectives to be set (relating to the requirements of the post), and for plans to be put in place to support the redeployee in working towards achieving these objectives. This is mutually beneficial as it provides a framework to ensure that redeployees are supported through the initial stages of their appointment and ensures that the needs of the area are met;
provided that a trial period is carried out with due care and attention, a department is not obliged to offer the full term of a post to a redeployee if the three month trial does not prove to be successful. In such a case, the department would then be able to make arrangements to appoint a more suitable candidate to the post, although this would be done only after consultation with the Redeployment Manager.