8 minutes

30-60-90 Day Plan Template

Augusto Diaz
February 2nd, 2025
30-60-90 day plan template

What Is A 30-60-90 Day Plan Template?

A 30-60-90 day plan template is a structured document that guides new employees through their first three months in a new role. It ensures smooth onboarding and rapid integration into the company. This template divides the initial 90 days into three distinct phases, each with specific goals and objectives.

Monthly Vision or Theme:

Each month has an overarching theme or focus to provide structure and clarity for the new hire.

Goals and Objectives:

Specific goals and objectives for each month, tailored to the role and company.

Success Indicators:

Metrics or milestones to measure the employee’s success and progress.

Company Information:

Brief overview of the company’s mission, culture, and core values, along with an introduction to the team, including pictures and roles.

First Day Overview:

Detailed schedule for the first day, including setup instructions and expectations.

New hires and managers find these plans valuable for aligning expectations and measuring progress. By setting clear objectives and defining success indicators, the template promotes productivity, alignment, and growth. The monthly visions or themes help new employees focus on immediate tasks while preparing for future responsibilities.

Why Use A 30-60-90 Day Plan Template?

Structured Onboarding Process

A 30-60-90 day plan provides a clear, structured framework for the onboarding process. It ensures new hires integrate well into their new roles and company culture. The plan helps new employees navigate their new workplace, understand expectations, and align their work with the company’s goals.

Setting Clear Goals and Milestones

The template allows setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for each 30-day period. This helps employees and managers track progress and identify potential challenges early. By breaking down the initial three months into distinct phases, the plan promotes focused productivity and long-term success.

Enhanced Communication

The 30-60-90 day plan template enhances communication between new hires and their managers. It establishes a common understanding of expectations, responsibilities, and performance metrics. This clarity reduces confusion and ensures everyone remains aligned with the company’s strategic objectives.

Better Performance Tracking

With clear milestones established, performance tracking becomes straightforward. Managers can offer timely feedback based on the progress outlined in the plan. This continuous feedback loop helps new employees improve their performance and contributes to their overall development within the organization.

Boosted Confidence and Engagement

Following a structured plan boosts the confidence and engagement of new hires. When employees know what to expect and what’s expected of them, they are more likely to be motivated and committed. This engagement leads to increased productivity and a higher likelihood of long-term retention.

Using a 30-60-90 day plan template is vital for structured onboarding, setting clear goals, enhancing communication, tracking performance, and boosting employee confidence. It ensures a smooth transition for new hires and aligns their efforts with organizational objectives.

Key Components Of A 30-60-90 Day Plan Template

A 30-60-90 day plan template includes several key components to guide new employees through their initial three months effectively. This structured approach ensures quick acclimation to the company and sets a clear path for success.

First 30 Days

In the first 30 days, the focus remains on understanding the company’s mission, culture, and team dynamics.

  • Company Mission and Culture: The new hire should learn the company’s mission and core values. This helps align them with organizational goals.
  • Meet the Team: Introducing new employees to their team is critical. This step fosters collaboration and helps establish working relationships.
  • Goals and Objectives: Setting initial goals emphasizes learning the internal processes, tools, and role-specific tasks.

Next 60 Days

During the next 60 days, the emphasis shifts toward applying the knowledge gained and contributing to team efforts.

  • Monthly Vision or Theme: A defined theme for this period could focus on contributing to projects and optimizing workflows.
  • Task Ownership and Timeline: Assign specific tasks and set deadlines. Ensure the new hire starts to take ownership of more significant responsibilities.
  • Success Indicators: Introduce metrics to measure integration and contribution. Performance can be tracked through completed projects or role-specific deliverables.

Final 90 Days

In the final 90 days, the target is performance optimization and long-term planning.

  • Goals and Objectives: Set long-term goals and start working on more strategic tasks. These could include leading projects or optimizing processes.
  • Success Indicators: Establish performance metrics aligned with higher-level outcomes such as project impact or team efficiency improvements.
  • Task Ownership and Timeline: Continue assigning tasks but now shift focus towards strategic initiatives that contribute to broader company goals.

The structured approach of the 30-60-90 day plan template helps ensure that new hires do not just integrate seamlessly but also begin to make impactful contributions from early on.

How To Create An Effective 30-60-90 Day Plan

Creating an effective 30-60-90 day plan is crucial for integrating new hires and aligning them with company goals. The steps below guide how to set clear objectives, establish milestones, and track progress for meaningful onboarding.

Define Your Goals

Monthly Vision or Theme: Establish a central theme or focus for each month to maintain structure and clarity. For example, the first month could focus on understanding company policies and job responsibilities, the second month on applying newly acquired skills, and the third month on tackling complex tasks.

Specific Objectives: Outline precise, measurable goals for each month. Align them with the company’s overall objectives and the employee’s role. For instance, a sales hire might aim to achieve specific sales targets, while an engineer might concentrate on mastering the development environment.

Set Milestones

Short-term Targets: Break down monthly goals into smaller weekly or bi-weekly milestones. This helps maintain momentum and ensures continuous progress. Examples include meeting with key team members, completing specific training sessions, or starting initial project tasks.

Long-term Ambitions: Establish long-term goals that extend beyond the initial 90 days. These ambitions should illustrate how new hires’ early contributions will translate into ongoing success. Examples include developing a new client relationship or launching a feature update.

Track Your Progress

Regular Check-ins: Schedule regular check-ins with managers to review progress and address challenges. These meetings should focus on assessing goal completion and providing constructive feedback.

Performance Metrics: Utilize quantifiable metrics to evaluate success. Track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as sales figures, project milestones, or customer feedback to measure effectiveness and guide adjustments.

Documentation: Keep detailed records of completed tasks and achieved milestones. This documentation helps in evaluating progress and optimizing future performance.

An effective 30-60-90 day plan provides a structured pathway for new hires. By defining clear goals, setting actionable milestones, and consistently tracking progress, employees can integrate seamlessly and contribute meaningfully to the organization’s success.

Best Practices For Using A 30-60-90 Day Plan Template

Incorporating best practices ensures the effectiveness of a 30-60-90 day plan template. Adhering to realistic goals, maintaining flexibility, and seeking regular feedback are essential elements.

Be Realistic

Setting achievable goals is crucial. Goals and milestones set for each 30-day period should align with the employee’s capabilities and the company’s expectations. Overly ambitious targets can cause frustration and burnout.

Understanding learning curves is necessary. The first 30 days should focus on intensive training and learning, while the next phases can gradually increase in complexity and responsibility.

Stay Flexible

Adapting to changing needs keeps the plan relevant. The plan should serve as a guide rather than a rigid schedule. If necessary, update it to reflect new priorities or unforeseen challenges.

Being open to adjustments helps in realigning the plan. Regularly reviewing progress and making changes ensures that the plan stays on track and aligned with organizational goals.

Seek Feedback

Incorporating feedback strengthens the plan. Regular check-ins with managers and team members allow for timely adjustments and improvements.

Tracking performance through feedback helps in identifying areas for improvement. This continuous feedback loop fosters growth and ensures the employee’s development aligns with company expectations.

Conclusion

A well-crafted 30-60-90 day plan template is an invaluable tool for new hires and managers alike. It provides a clear roadmap for the initial months, fostering alignment with company goals and ensuring a smooth onboarding process. By breaking down the first 90 days into manageable phases, it sets the stage for measurable success and long-term growth.

Setting specific, achievable goals and maintaining regular check-ins enhances communication and performance tracking. This structured approach not only boosts new hire confidence but also promotes early contributions that align with organizational objectives. Embracing flexibility and seeking continuous feedback further strengthens the plan, making it a dynamic tool for ongoing development.

Incorporating a 30-60-90 day plan into the onboarding process ultimately leads to higher productivity, better integration, and increased retention. New hires can quickly become valuable team members, driving both their success and the company’s overall growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a 30-60-90 day plan?

A 30-60-90 day plan is a structured document that guides new hires through their first three months in a role by setting clear objectives and measurable goals in three distinct phases: the first 30, next 60, and last 90 days.

Why is a 30-60-90 day plan important?

It is important because it helps new hires integrate smoothly, aligns their work with company goals, enhances communication, and boosts productivity and confidence. It also allows for tracking progress and early identification of challenges.

What should be included in the first 30 days of the plan?

In the first 30 days, new hires should focus on understanding the company’s mission, culture, and team dynamics, while setting initial goals related to learning internal processes.

How do the next 60 days usually differ from the first 30 days?

The next 60 days shift towards applying initial learnings and taking ownership of specific tasks. This phase includes defined themes and success indicators to measure contributions.

What is the focus in the last 90 days of the plan?

The last 90 days focus on performance optimization and long-term planning, encouraging new hires to set strategic goals and take on significant responsibilities.

How do you create an effective 30-60-90 day plan?

To create an effective plan, define clear goals, establish monthly themes, set specific objectives aligned with company objectives, set milestones, track progress, and maintain documentation of completed tasks.

What are the benefits of using a 30-60-90 day plan template?

Benefits include a structured onboarding process, setting SMART goals, enhancing communication between new hires and managers, simplifying performance tracking, boosting new hire confidence, and increasing the likelihood of long-term retention.

How does a 30-60-90 day plan help in performance tracking?

It helps by setting clear, measurable goals and success indicators, allowing managers to provide timely feedback and track progress accurately over the initial three months.

What best practices should be followed when using a 30-60-90 day plan?

Best practices include setting realistic and achievable goals, being flexible to adapt to changing needs, and seeking regular feedback through check-ins with managers and team members to foster continuous growth and alignment with company expectations.

Can a 30-60-90 day plan be adapted for different roles?

Yes, the plan can be tailored to fit the specific expectations and requirements of different roles while maintaining its structured approach to ensure integration and alignment with organizational objectives.

Feel free to copy/paste and modify the template provided below.

30-60-90 day plan template

30-Day Goals (First Month)

Learning and Orientation

  • [ ] Understand company culture and values
  • [ ] Complete onboarding process
  • [ ] Meet key team members and stakeholders

Role-Specific Tasks

  • [ ] Review job description and responsibilities
  • [ ] Set up necessary tools and accounts
  • [ ] Shadow team members to understand workflows

Initial Projects

  • [ ] Identify quick wins
  • [ ] Start working on small, manageable tasks

60-Day Goals (Second Month)

Deeper Understanding

  • [ ] Analyze current processes and identify areas for improvement
  • [ ] Conduct informational interviews with team members
  • [ ] Research industry trends and best practices

Increased Responsibility

  • [ ] Take on more complex projects
  • [ ] Contribute ideas in team meetings
  • [ ] Start building relationships with external stakeholders

Performance Metrics

  • [ ] Set personal performance goals
  • [ ] Establish key performance indicators (KPIs)

90-Day Goals (Third Month)

Strategic Contributions

  • [ ] Develop and present improvement proposals
  • [ ] Take ownership of key projects or initiatives
  • [ ] Collaborate on cross-functional projects

Leadership and Initiative

  • [ ] Mentor or assist new team members
  • [ ] Volunteer for additional responsibilities
  • [ ] Propose innovative solutions to existing challenges

Long-term Planning

  • [ ] Set goals for the next quarter
  • [ ] Identify areas for professional development
  • [ ] Schedule performance review with manager

Note: This template is customizable. Adjust goals and tasks based on your specific role, industry, and company expectations.