First 6 Weeks Check-In
Purpose: Identify the conditions helping or hindering the new starter's effectiveness while there is still time to act before the formal probation review.
Timing: Around weeks 5–6. Schedule it early enough for the manager and People and Culture team to address material issues before the probation review.
This is the point at which the framework shifts from predominantly onboarding-specific questions to direct Employee Survey comparators. By six weeks, most new starters have enough exposure to judge role clarity, manager support, feedback, training, tools, systems, workload and colleague support meaningfully.
Recommended question set
| Question | Type | Recommended wording | EOF driver | Employee Survey alignment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W6.1.1 | Scale | I’m clear on what is expected of me | Roles & Clarity | Direct alignment to the Employee Survey. [2.1.3] |
| W6.1.2 | Scale | The role is consistent with what I understood during recruitment. | Roles & Clarity | Lifecycle-specific role-fit item; adapted from Employee Survey item 2.1.2 on job design and use of skills. [2.1.2] |
| W6.1.3 | Scale | My manager provides the support that enables me to be successful | Performance & Feedback | Direct alignment to the Employee Survey. [2.6.2] |
| W6.1.4 | Scale | My manager and I have meaningful conversations about my performance | Performance & Feedback | Direct alignment to the Employee Survey. [2.6.1] |
| W6.1.5 | Scale | I receive the training I require to enable me to perform well in my current role | Development & Pathways | Direct alignment to the Employee Survey. [2.5.1] |
| W6.1.6 | Scale | I am provided with the tools and equipment I need to perform effectively in my role | Tools & Equipment | Direct alignment to the Employee Survey. [2.3.2] |
| W6.1.7 | Scale | Our processes, systems and use of technology enable me to be as productive as possible | Systems & Processes | Direct alignment to the Employee Survey. [2.4.1] |
| W6.1.8 | Scale | The amount of work I’m expected to do is reasonable | Resourcing & Capacity | Direct alignment to the Employee Survey. [2.2.1] |
| W6.1.9 | Scale | Colleagues share information and help each other to get work done | Collaboration & Connection | Direct alignment to the Employee Survey. [3.3.3] |
| W6.2.1 | Open Text | What is helping you become effective in your role? | Performance & Feedback | EOF diagnostic item; no direct annual survey comparator. |
| W6.2.2 | Open Text | What is the main issue we should address before your probation review? | Performance & Feedback | EOF diagnostic item; no direct annual survey comparator. |
Why these questions are included
| Question | Why it is included |
|---|---|
| W6.1.1 | By six weeks the employee has enough experience to judge whether expectations are genuinely clear. Using the exact annual-survey item creates a valid lifecycle-to-annual comparison. |
| W6.1.2 | Tests whether the reality of the job matches the recruitment proposition. Early mismatch is a useful indicator of role-fit, recruitment-quality and retention risk. |
| W6.1.3 | Manager support is a core enabler of early success. Using the exact annual-survey item establishes a comparable baseline while there is still time to intervene before probation closes. |
| W6.1.4 | Tests whether meaningful performance dialogue is already occurring, rather than waiting for the formal probation review. This creates an opportunity to correct gaps before the review. |
| W6.1.5 | Assesses whether the employee has received the role-specific training needed to perform effectively. Training gaps identified here can be addressed before they become embedded capability or performance issues. |
| W6.1.6 | Moves beyond initial access to test whether the employee now has the tools and equipment needed to perform the role effectively in practice. |
| W6.1.7 | Tests whether processes, systems and technology enable productive work once the employee has had enough exposure to use them meaningfully. |
| W6.1.8 | Provides an early read on workload sustainability and capacity. Six weeks is early enough to act, but late enough for the employee to have experienced normal work demands. |
| W6.1.9 | Tests whether colleagues are providing the information and practical support needed to get work done. It captures team integration as an operational condition, not just a sense of welcome. |
| W6.2.1 | Identifies the specific conditions helping the employee become effective, allowing successful onboarding practices to be reinforced and scaled. |
| W6.2.2 | Forces the feedback into an actionable, time-bound priority before the probation review rather than generating a broad list of issues with no clear next step. |
Interpretation
W6.1.1 and W6.1.3–W6.1.9 use the exact Employee Survey wording and can therefore be compared directly with the corresponding annual results, subject to normal sample-size and cohort-reporting rules.
W6.1.2 is lifecycle-specific because recruitment promise / role reality is uniquely important during onboarding. Treat it as a role-fit diagnostic rather than a direct trend measure.
The two open-text questions are intentionally action oriented: one identifies the conditions to reinforce; the other identifies the single most important issue to address before probation closes.
Download current source: First 6 Weeks Check-In question set
Related: Onboarding Feedback | EOF and Employee Survey Alignment