Performerly launches structured probation plans ahead of January 2027 employment law changes

Probation should give every new starter clarity and support, not leave HR reconstructing events at the final review.

New HR workflow supports clear expectations, scheduled reviews and earlier manager conversations as the unfair dismissal qualifying period falls to six months across Great Britain

10 August 2026 – Performerly.ai has launched a new probation management workflow designed to help employers give new starters clear expectations, hold consistent reviews and reach fair, informed decisions before probation deadlines arrive.

The launch comes as employers across England, Scotland and Wales prepare for a significant change to unfair dismissal protection. From 1 January 2027, the qualifying period for ordinary unfair dismissal will fall from two years to six months.

Employees who already have six months’ service on 1 January 2027 will gain protection immediately, meaning people recruited from July 2026 onwards may be affected as soon as the change takes effect.

Probation periods themselves are not being changed by the legislation. Acas confirms that employers are not legally required to use probation periods and can determine their length. However, the shorter unfair dismissal qualifying period means employers will have less time to identify concerns, provide support and maintain a reliable record of how decisions were reached.

Performerly’s new probation workflow gives managers, employees and HR teams a shared process from the beginning of employment. It includes:

Written expectations, objectives and success measures shared from the start

Structured check-ins scheduled in advance

Automatic reminders and visibility of upcoming decision dates

AI-generated talking points and conversation coaching for managers

Notes, feedback, supporting evidence and employee acknowledgements

A complete record of changes, discussions and decisions

An HR oversight dashboard showing every active probation and where attention may be needed

The software is designed to address the gap between having a probation policy and ensuring that managers follow a consistent process in practice.

“Most organisations already have a probation policy. The gap is what happens between day one and the final review,” said Oliver Trundley, co-CEO at Performerly.

“Expectations are often communicated verbally, check-ins move when managers become busy, and difficult feedback arrives too late to help the employee improve.

“Probation should give every new starter clarity and support, not leave HR reconstructing events at the final review.

“Performerly makes the process visible and repeatable without requiring HR to run every manager conversation.”

Employees can access their probation plan, understand what success looks like, review their objectives and check-in schedule, acknowledge the plan and add their own comments. Managers receive guidance before each conversation, while HR can see progress and intervene earlier where support is needed.

The probation functionality forms part of Performerly’s wider platform for probation, performance concerns and structured Progress Plans. This means employers can use one workflow throughout the employee lifecycle rather than managing probation through separate spreadsheets, documents, calendars and email records.

The new probation workflow is available now. Organisations can access Performerly free for four months with up to three user seats and no credit card required.

More information: https://performerly.ai/probation

ENDS

Notes to editors

The January 2027 change applies in England, Scotland and Wales. Employment law operates differently in Northern Ireland.

Acas guidance on probation periods:https://www.acas.org.uk/probation-periods

Government implementation timetable:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/implementing-the-...

About Performerly

Performerly.ai is a purpose-built platform for probation, performance concerns and employee Progress Plans.

It gives managers structured assessments, AI conversation coaching, shared plans, scheduled check-ins and practical guidance, while giving employees clarity and HR a consistent record and organisation-wide oversight.

Website: https://performerly.ai

Media contact

Oliver Trundley co-CEO oliver@performerly.ai