Probationary period for construction workforces: A 101 guide

Finishing construction projects on time and to spec involves a lot of moving pieces, and labor is a huge part of the equation. Making sure enough skilled employees are on-site and new workers ramp quickly means companies can tackle increasingly complex projects. That’s why success starts with building a team you can trust.

While interviews, resumes, and job certifications reflect aspects of an employee’s skills and work ethic, the best way to assess a worker is to see them in action. Probationary periods let you do just that by establishing a set window of time for you and your new hire to see how well you work together.

This guide explains what a probationary period is, why it’s important in construction, and how you can manage it effectively.

What’s a probationary period?

A new hire’s probationary period is the initial phase of employment. During this time, leaders evaluate the recruit’s performance, reliability, and overall suitability for the role before officially taking them on. And workers can decide whether the company is the right fit for them, too.

Probationary periods in construction often differ from other industries. While most employers focus on training and workplace culture, construction companies must also evaluate a new hire’s ability to follow safety and compliance rules, along with their technical skills and trade knowledge.

At-will vs. unionized employees

Probationary periods look different depending on whether or not workers are considered “at-will.” Most fall into this category. Companies can terminate at-will employees for any legal reason, so they don’t necessarily need a formal probationary period. Instead, businesses can use this time as an internal metric to see whether employees meet expectations.

Construction companies employing unionized workers often take a more formal approach. Typically, businesses need to provide a just cause for terminating a union worker. This means the employee breaks policy in a significant way, like stealing from the company or engaging in risky behaviors.

When a union employee is working under a probationary period, the employer generally has greater flexibility to end the employment relationship, subject to basic legal protections. After the probationary period ends, the employee typically gains stronger union protections, and the employer must usually satisfy a higher just‑cause standard under the collective bargaining agreement to terminate them.

Benefits of a probationary period

Probationary periods offer clear advantages for construction companies. Knowing these benefits helps you more effectively structure employment policies and measure the success of new hires.

Here’s how probationary periods benefit construction companies.

Save on hiring and employment costs

Hiring employees is expensive, from training and onboarding to benefits and wages. A probationary period helps mitigate labor costs until the new hire proves to be a good investment. 

For example, employees with probationary status typically don’t have access to the same benefits as permanent employees. This translates into savings on expenses like retirement contributions, severance pay, and paid time off during the probationary period. 

Ensure the right fit for your team

Construction sites are high-risk environments, and tasks are often sequential. Workers need to coordinate and communicate to keep things moving smoothly, and one person’s mistake can disrupt the entire project. Probationary periods allow you to see how well a new hire collaborates with other team members and whether they provide measurable contributions.

Identify and leverage employees’ key skills

Observing your new hire on a live jobsite reveals far more about their practical strengths than a resume ever can. A probationary period gives you the chance to evaluate the individual’s skills on different tasks and utilize them to optimize project efficiency.

Preserve safety and compliance on work sites

Keeping workers and the general public safe is nonnegotiable on a construction site. You also need to stay compliant with OSHA and navigate skilled and trained workforce requirements. Probationary periods allow you to identify new hires who may compromise safety or compliance, helping you maintain secure worksites.

Why do employers in construction use probationary periods?

With physically demanding and complex projects to oversee, you need to know that every member of your team is skilled and responsible.

Here’s why employers in construction use probationary periods:

• Assessing job performance and skills: Gain a clear and accurate picture of the new hire’s technical skills and productivity.
• Evaluating behavioral and cultural fit: Determine if the new hire behaves appropriately on-site and works well with other team members.
• Confirming role expectations and responsibilities: Avoid misunderstandings about job roles and responsibilities and ensure the new worker fully understands what’s expected of them long term.
• Identifying training or support needs early on: Get ahead of any gaps in knowledge or training at the outset so you can provide appropriate support before establishing long-term employment.
• Reducing long-term hiring risk: Identify a new hire that isn’t suited to the job and terminate the agreement early to prevent problems down the road.

The right software streamlines the entire hiring process, from finding and onboarding talent to setting up probationary period policies. Miter’s HR solution allows you to set a start date, structure policies, and track probation metrics, saving time and strengthening the hiring processes.

What do employers typically evaluate during a probationary period in construction teams?

Probationary periods in construction are about assessing potential as well as practical, measurable skills to determine a new employee’s viability.

Here are the main factors employers evaluate during a probationary period.

Job performance and task completion

Is the new hire completing tasks on time? Is their work up to standard? Assessing the quality of job performance is one of the most important factors in deciding whether the hire is a good long-term match for the role.

Attendance and reliability

Profitable construction projects run on a tight schedule. All employees need to be at work on time every day. Use integrated scheduling software to keep teams organized and utilize time-tracking functions to assess attendance.

Adherence to construction workplace policies

You need team members who value and follow company policies and regulatory standards. Keep track of any policy violations and address them with the new hire quickly. 

Communication and teamwork

How does the new hire communicate? Are they responsive and collaborative? Are they respectful in their workplace interactions? These are key considerations during any probationary period.

Ability to learn and follow instructions in the construction field or office

New hires almost always have a learning curve. Even the most qualified employee needs some guidance. The important thing to evaluate is how they respond. If they learn quickly and take feedback on board, that’s a good sign. If they don’t listen to instructions and fail to improve when prompted, it’s probably best to let them go.

Probationary period outcomes and next steps

Once the initial probationary period concludes, it’s time to consider your options and take the appropriate steps.

You can proceed in one of several ways.

Confirmation of ongoing employment

If the probationary period goes well and both you and the new hire are satisfied, move forward. How you do so depends on the type of employee: 

• At-will: Many companies end probationary periods with a performance review. Supervisors meet with direct reports to confirm the period is over, telling workers where they excelled and what to improve on.
• Union: After union workers complete probationary periods, they get the full protection of the union. Specifically, companies must provide just cause to terminate these employees.

Extension of the probationary period

Sometimes you need more time to determine whether a professional relationship is going to work. Maybe you haven’t seen how the new hire responds under pressure, or you want a second opinion from a construction manager. In these cases, may be able to extend the probationary period as long as the company policy and employment contract allow it.

You’ll need to notify the worker of the extension and provide clear feedback on what they need to do to improve their performance.

Termination of employment

There are many reasons why either party may choose to terminate employment. If you decide it’s not a good fit, you’ll need to provide the hire with written notice of termination and schedule a meeting with an HR representative or manager to discuss the reasons for termination.

Role adjustment or reassignment (if applicable under policy)

In some cases, a capable and reliable employee may not be a good fit for one role, but they might be perfect for another. Depending on company rules, you may be able to assign a probationary employee to a different job that’s more aligned with their skills.

Manage probationary periods more effectively with Miter

In construction, where teamwork and reliability matter, the wrong fit can slow everything down. Miter helps construction teams plan and execute probationary periods with ease. We empower construction professionals to improve their field operations during probationary periods and beyond. 

Use our integrated platform to seamlessly manage onboarding tasks with HRIS, track time, and pay your team. Then, monitor key performance signals, track attendance, and ensure policy adherence without having to rely on tedious manual processes.

Support new hires through probation and keep your teams working efficiently with Miter.

Frequently asked questions

Why is it important to create a probationary period policy?

A probationary period policy gives a consistent, structured way to evaluate new hires. It sets clear expectations and rules, including the duration of the period, the standards to meet, and the specific areas you’ll assess. It also explains how you’ll review progress, and what will happen at the end of the probationary period.

How long is probation supposed to be for construction workers?

The length of probationary periods in the construction industry can vary depending on your needs and the role in question. Here’s an overview of common probationary durations:

• 30 days: For entry-level positions

• 90 days: For mid-level positions

• Six months: For specialized roles and supervisory positions

What software can help me set up a probationary period policy? 

Choose a construction software like Miter that integrates with your other core systems and gives you everything you need to manage your workforce in one place, from hiring and recruitment support to field management and time tracking.