Managing your personal assistant

Probationary period

This is a trial period, when you can find out what your new personal assistant is really like. It will give you a chance to get to know them without committing yourself completely. A trial period gives you and your personal assistant time to settle in. You can make sure that you have chosen the right person for the job. It also gives your personal assistant the chance to make sure they are happy with the job. Set a probationary period that is suitable for you, for example three months.

During this time you and your personal assistant would normally only need to give one week’s notice if you want the employment to finish.

It’s a good idea to make some time to speak with your personal assistant during the trial period so you can both talk about what is working well or not going so well. You could also use this as an opportunity to talk about any training that your personal assistant may need.

Even during the trial period there is a formal process you should follow if you want the employment to finish. Check the ‘if things don’t work out’ section.