Dismissal letter for poor performance in probationary period

By Stephen Simpson, Brightmine Principal Editor, Employment Law and Compliance

If a probationary employee is not performing satisfactorily, the employer should aim to give them time to achieve the required improvement, with adequate support and training. This will usually mean waiting until the end of the probationary period before making a decision to terminate the employment. However, in some circumstances, early termination may be appropriate.

Strengthen your HR processes with our professionally drafted dismissal letter template for poor performance during the probationary period. Designed to support busy HR teams and managers, this ready‑to‑use template ensures your communication remains clear, compliant and consistent when ending employment early.

Whether you’re handling capability issues, managing probation reviews or safeguarding organisational standards, this template provides the precise wording you need to deliver a fair and legally sound dismissal.

In this resource, you will find:

• Example letter wording
• Supporting guidance for using this letter

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