Probation Period in Germany [2024] - Navigate Germany

Did you get a new job in Germany and want to know about the probation period? Here you go!

Probation Period Defined

When you are new to your job, the first six months will be your probation periods or orientation time in which you learn about your organization, culture, employer, team, and job assignments. Similarly, your employer will know about your skills, performance, behavior, and abilities to work in the office and with the team. Your probation periods might be shorter or longer, depending on your employer.

Basic Facts About Probation Period

Here are the critical facts about the probation period;

• Your probation period can be zero, three months, or six months, and you can confirm this from your employer or check your contract, too.
• If your performance is not good, your employer will fire you without stating why during your probation period. Similarly, if you do not want to continue, you can terminate your job and get an unemployment benefit from the government.
• The maximum probation period is six months, according to the German Civil Code.
• Few employers give a 2-week notice period at the time of firing so you can find another job. The notice period is shown in short probation periods.
• As per the latest research, 20 to 25% of employment relationships end during probation.

Critical Aspects of the Probation Period

Consider different aspects of the probation period to show good performance to your employer. You might get a permanent job if you impress your employer. Otherwise, your employer can fire you, so show your hidden abilities. Let us share some key aspects you must know during your probation period;

• Pregnancy
• Leaves
• Vacations
• Find an apartment
• Getting a loan
• Quitting job

Pregnancy

Congratulations if you are expecting! Another good news is that your employer cannot fire you during your pregnancy, and your job will be in your hands after the birth of your baby. Your employer can fire you 4 months after your baby’s birth.

Leaves

Leaves and sick days are allowed during probation, and you will be paid. A health insurance company will offer you a sickness benefit if your employment relationship lasts for less than four weeks when you get sick. Submit a sick note right after you return to work so you can get paid for your sick days.

Vacations

You are allowed 1/12 vacation every month and can avail of your vacations whenever needed. After your probation period, your vacations will follow the Federal Holidays Act. For example, if you have 24 vacation days per year, you can take two monthly leaves. If you are not using any leave in 3 months, you can use 8 leaves in your 4th month.

Get an Apartment

Landowners in Germany only accept your application for a rented home or apartment during your probation period as your job is secure. Landlords prefer to give apartments to those who have permanent jobs in their hands.

Getting a Loan

Banks or financial institutions will not approve your loan if you want to get a loan from financial institutions. Banks only approve applications from those who have stable jobs so they can return the loan amount.

Quitting Job

If you cannot adjust to your new job because of the rules, environment, workplace, people, or anything else, consider quitting your job. It is easy during your probation period without any notice or Resignation Letter, which is compulsory if you leave after your probation period.

Extension of Probation Period

Employers often extend the probation period in Germany by sharing a notice during the probation period with the employee’s mutual agreement. The extension is only possible for six months. If an employer extends the probation period with employee consent, he/she breaches the contract and German law.

Termination During Probation Period

Termination during the probation period is easy, and there is no condition to state the reason to end the employment contract. Employers and employees can terminate the contract at any time without giving any reason. Here are the reasons why employers terminate the employment contract during the probation period

• Inability to work on different projects simultaneously
• Lack of abilities
• Inability to work in a team
• Passing confidential information to others
• No punctuality and absenteeism
• Poor behavior
• Poor performance
• Breaching the rules

Scenarios When Employer Cannot Fire

Notice is necessary for the termination in a few scenarios, as mentioned;

• Discrimination (based on gender, age, color, caste, nationality, religion, etc.)
• Personal grudge
• Pregnancy or four months after childbirth
• Working as a trainee
• Disability
• Inappropriate time (phase of stress or depression due to death in the family)

Have An Amazing Probation Period

The probation period is a kind of evaluation when you and your employer evaluate each other. The employer checks your performance, behavior, and abilities, and you check the organization’s culture, norms, people, and rules. Here are the tips to have an excellent probation period.

Meet, Greet and Celebrate The New Chapter of Your Life

It is time to celebrate your job but before that, introduce yourself to your colleagues and say thankyou for the warm welcome and best wishes you receive. Celebrate your success and get to know about the basic norms for breakfast, coffee break, setting a time with your supervisor or boss, and drinking during working hours.

Memorize the Names of Your Seniors, Peers, and Subordinates

Do you remember names easily? Great! Only some people have a good memory to memorize the names of their colleagues during the first few days of the new job. You will meet new people when you are on your job. It looks so nice if you remember the names of your colleagues. 

If you need to improve at remembering names, you must make a personnel file to write the name, position, phone number, and other information. It will make it easy for you to find the right person when needed. These notes will be shorter as you will memorize all the details soon.

Join Your Colleagues and make friends

It is very important to make good friends at your workplace. Your friends will help you adjust to the new culture and share all about the company you need to know. Try not to say everything and mind your own business. Join your colleagues during lunch or tea break, and do not sit alone. Accept the rules, adapt to the company’s processes and manners, and show your affiliations to your colleagues and the new workplace.

Follow the Basic Rules

The success party and enjoyment are over now, and it is time to get to the new job. You should follow the three basic rules when you join your new office.

1. Be punctual and do not be late
2. Follow the dress code of your organisation
3. Be kind and polite to others at your new workplace

Do Not Gossip

Do you own things and stay out of gossip and related discussions. When you are in communication with someone, do not stereotype. Let your opinions go away for the first few weeks. Gossips are in almost every organisation, so you must make cautious during your probation period. Rare gossips are based on truths, while many are just fictional, so do not participate in gossip.

Make and Fulfil Commitment

Accept all tasks assigned to you, focus on learning, make commitments, and fulfil them honestly. If you are hired in a managerial position, the employer will have greater demands and expectations from you. Show your interest in everything. In your free time, offer help to your colleagues rather than twiddling your thumbs.

Resolve Disputes

As you are new to the organisation and other employees, so you are not a favourite person of everyone on your first day. With time, you will realise that a few of your colleagues are your friends while others have conflicts with you. Whenever you feel a dispute or a conflict, try to discuss openly and do not keep it in your heart or mind.

Get Feedback for the Work You Have Done So Far

As mentioned earlier, you should document whatever you do. Ask the boss or reporting authority for feedback on your assignment whenever possible. This will enable you to learn and understand the areas where you should improve. During your probation period, it is good to ask your manager for feedback after every two months.

Market Yourself

This is the fact that your boss knows nothing. Everything is good between your seniors and peers. That isn’t good if your boss does not notice anything about you. If the case is so, you should market yourself. Show your performance actively, and market yourself to your boss if possible. 

Prove your skills and abilities through your performance. Document the tasks and activities you performed every day. Keep a good record of your assignments and results to present them later. Whenever you get a chance, get an appointment, meet your boss, show your work, and share the results.

Agree If You Did Something Wrong

To err is human, so if you have made any mistake, accept it. You can make minor and major mistakes. Think for a while that nobody is perfect. Learn and practice to polish yourself at your new workplace. Whatever you do, you must do it carefully to avoid mistakes. You should accept your mistakes without fear and doubt as if you deny them; your mistake can cause worse problems for your organisation. 

Report if something wrong has happened due to your negligence or by mistake. Offer a solution if you have any; if you do not know how to resolve the matter, get professional help and seek advice from your seniors. You will make a good impression if you accept your mistake, learn from it, and avoid it next time.

Give Suggestions and Recommend

No matter how good your intuition is, making as few suggestions as possible is best. When you give too many suggestions, people think you are trying to compete with them. They start comparing their experience with yours, making it difficult for you to adjust. When you give many recommendations and suggestions, people might take a clear message that you are not there to learn and that you know everything. Have patience and knowledge about the processes. Try to learn even if you know something. Please share your ideas when you think it is a good time to share, but it is not recommended in the starting weeks of your probation period.

Final Thoughts

As an employee, your employer is new to you and your workplace too. You and your employer can check if you suit each other during probation. The employer and employee can also check the employment relationship. Your employer can fire you without any reason, and you can quit your job too. But after probation, you can quit your job easily, and your employer can fire you. After the probation period, statutory protection automatically applies from the time when the probation period ends. Both you and your employer need a four weeks notice period. So, you will find great relief when you successfully leave your probation period. Have a great time during your probation period, and all the best at your new workplace. Cheers!