How Do I Handle Overdue Staff Confirmations and Letters in a Small Company?

Confirmation Process for Staff Members

Please, I would like to find out about how to go about the confirmation process. I am the HR Administrator in a small company. I started a few months back, and I'm helping to standardize HR processes and procedures. I can handle the interview process, and I found a form on this site that I can use. However, the main issue is that staff have not been confirmed before now. I have 2 staff members to confirm; the second one started in January and should be confirmed in July, which I want to do. The first one started in October and should have been confirmed in April. Our probation period is 6 months. All the other existing staff members have not been officially confirmed, but since their probation periods have passed, it is assumed that they are full staff now.

Questions on Confirmation Letters

Do I give all staff a confirmation letter, or only the last employee whose confirmation is due in July? Also, what date should the confirmation letter carry, considering it is overdue by about 2 years now?

PLEASE HELP.

Yes, you have to give a confirmation letter to all of your employees.

Regards,
Shikha.

It is correct that we need to issue the confirmation letters to all the employees according to their date of joining the organization.

Regards

Confirmation of an Employee

Regarding the confirmation of an employee: New employees are hired on probation, and its duration differs from employer to employer. If no communication is made from the employer regarding termination, extension, or confirmation, it is deemed that the employee is confirmed. Even if you don't give a confirmation letter, the employee automatically gets confirmed after the probation period.

The reason to hire on probation is to minimize recruitment errors and to review the performance (behavioral, attitude, job knowledge, learning appetite, skills acquired, and more) of the employee during this time. This helps us evaluate performance and identify areas for improvement. You can collect all the records and data and arrange a discussion that includes HR and the functional manager.

Regards

Dear Gazela, you are correct that the older staff is confirmed, but each one still needs to be given a letter stating that their services have been confirmed. For the new staff, I suggest you introduce a Confirmation Appraisal. If the Appraiser writes "To Be Confirmed," then issue a letter for confirmation of services. Other options could be:

1. Probation to be extended by three/six months (reason to be included - lacks knowledge; performance below par, etc.)
2. Not suitable for retention in service (reason to be included - peer relationship; attitude; cultural misfit; poor knowledge; performance below par, etc.)

This will help ensure that the system is transparent and fair.

Warm regards, Ajay Chaudhari

I agree with Mr. Ajay Chaudhari; you need to give a confirmation letter to your old employees as well. Since you are providing it to new employees, sooner or later, they will demand it, so it's better to do it now.

Pre-confirmation Evaluation

A pre-confirmation evaluation will help standardize the confirmation process. Please ensure that an employee receives confirmation on the due date itself. This will reassure the employee that the company is prompt in delivering its promises, and they will work with more zeal and enthusiasm.

Hope this helps, and all the best!

With best regards,
Vaishalee Parkhi

You can confirm them from a back date, and hereafter follow it. Do you mean I can give all other staff the confirmation letter and backdate it? Or should I just say, for example, 'your appointment has been confirmed as of 20th November 2011,' but the document will be dated the present date? Thank you.

You can write "confirmed with effect from ---------" in each case as per the respective due date and can issue it now with the issuing date.

Thank you for using our services. If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask.

If your old employees have been confirmed long ago, i.e., more than a year back, then I feel there is no need to issue backdated confirmation letters. I am sure they would have received a salary increment (appraisal letter) etc. thereafter, which is a clear reflection that they are confirmed. Yes, you can introduce the confirmation letter with immediate effect and issue it to those who have completed their probation based on the confirmation appraisal done by their superior.

Hope the above inputs are useful.

Regards,
Gia