Review a new starter's first month without a vague performance chat

Bring evidence of the work, not an overall impression

List the main tasks the person has practised, who observed them and which activities still need supervision. Include opportunities they have not yet had. A quiet first month may not expose someone to the busy service or unusual transaction you expected them to learn.

A café manager's discussion about overlooked training gaps shows why asking experienced colleagues alone may miss important questions. The starter's experience of finding information and asking for help is part of the evidence.

Ask questions that reveal a specific gap

Instead of 'how is it going?', ask which task takes the most thought, where an instruction contradicts what colleagues do and what happens when the usual supervisor is unavailable. Invite the person to show an example.

For a retailer, this might reveal that the starter can restock everyday lines but cannot identify seasonal product codes. For a café, they may know a recipe but not how orders move between stations. These are different learning needs, not a single rating of confidence.

• Which task can you now complete comfortably?
• Where do you still need a prompt?
• Which instruction is hard to find or follow?
• What have you been asked to do without being shown?
• What support would make the next shift easier?

Check the training plan against what happened

Compare planned sessions with completed practice. If a demonstration was repeatedly cancelled because the trainer covered service, acknowledge that gap. Do not assess the starter as though the planned training occurred.

Acas recommends reviewing how induction is going and discussing further support. Use the meeting to make that review concrete. The first-month timing here is a suggested checkpoint, not a rule about probation or the time someone should take to become competent.

Further reading: Acas: planning an induction programme

Agree a small next learning plan

Choose a few specific actions with a trainer and an opportunity to practise. Original example: a gift-shop starter can complete standard purchases but needs support with collection orders. The next plan includes locating a sample order, checking the reference and practising an unresolved mismatch with the supervisor.

Write the expected outcome in observable terms. 'Be more confident' is difficult to assess. 'Find the correct collection record and identify when a manager must help' gives both people something useful to check.

Training review
Tasks observed to the agreed standard:
Tasks still needing support:
Tasks not yet taught or practised:
Instruction or access problem to fix:
Next learning task:
Trainer and practice opportunity:
How progress will be checked:
Date to review again:

Use repeated gaps to improve the next induction

If several starters raise the same issue, revise the training material or work arrangement. Keep the improvement separate from individual confidential notes. A missing station map or unclear promotion guide is a business resource problem.

Do not promise that better training alone will solve staff turnover. A retail owner's discussion raised that question, but its comments do not establish causation. Pay, working conditions, supervision and the role itself may also need attention. The review should produce a useful next step grounded in actual work, not a claim that the person now has everything they need.