employee onboarding: from day -30 to day 90 and beyond
TRANSCRIPT
How to create a -30, 30, 60, 90 day onboarding plan for your new hires
Employee Onboarding: From Day -30 to Day 90 and beyond
in this guide
1 03
06
08
09
10
10
10
11
12
29
13
15
19
25
27
2
3
4
5
Introduction
What is a -30, 30, 60, 90 day plan?
How to create a -30, 30, 60, 90 day plan?
-30, 30, 60, 90 day plan template
Sources
Step 1: Define your focusStep 2: Define your goalsStep 3: Create metricsStep 4: Create action itemsStep 5: Put everything together in a template or platform
-30 Days: Prepare for the first days of workFirst 7 days: OrientationFirst 30 days: Learning30-60 days: Planning and beginning to contribute60-90 days: Do - take initiative
Introduction 01
2020
-30,
30,
60,
90
day
onbo
ardi
ng p
lan
App
ical
03
2020
App
ical
Introduction
Starting a new job is super exciting, but it also can be overwhelming for your new hire. New joiners need to become acquainted with their new colleagues and culture, they are tasked with a new set of responsibilities, and need to learn work procedures and regulations — all at the same time!
As a company, you want your new hire to feel welcome and supported during their first days on the job. Research from The Wynhurst Group tells us that 22% of staff turnovers occur in the first 45 days of employment. This early turnover can cost up to 33% of an employee’s annual salary, shows other research from Willis Tower Watson, caused by the hiring of a replacement.
However, with a strong onboarding process organizations can improve new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%, says re-search by Glassdoor. The best onboarding programs enable new hires to succeed by giving them the right tools, help to build connections, and set realistic expectations and clear milestones.
-30,
30,
60,
90
day
onbo
ardi
ng p
lan
04
As part of your onboarding program, a -30, 30, 60, 90 day plan empowers you to lay out a clear course of action for your new hire during the first months. Setting up a 30-60-90 day plan helps you:
In this guide, we will show you step-by-step how to create a -30, 30, 60, 90 day plan for your new hire! We will provide you tips and tricks and, to make it even easier for you, we created a handy template which you can customize for your organization, team, or new hire’s role. Ready? Let’s go!
Create focus for your new hire’s first 90 days on the job ensuring their daily actions will be productive
Set goals for the first 90 days to integrate your new hire quickly and smoothly into the organization
Set your new hire up for success: supervisors will see that they’re capable of self-management and achieving goals
2020
App
ical
05
-30,
30,
60,
90
day
onbo
ardi
ng p
lan
What is a-30, 30, 60, 90day plan?
02
2020
App
ical
06
-30,
30,
60,
90
day
onbo
ardi
ng p
lan
2020
App
ical
What is a -30, 30, 60, 90 day plan?
You can think of a -30, 30, 60, 90 day plan as a new employees’ North Star, guiding them in the right direction throughout the first three months on the job. It helps them maximize work output in the first 90 days in their new position aligned with company-driven goals. By defining focus, and concrete, manageable goals at each phase of the plan, you can make the transition into a new organization smoother and quicker.
The milestones give clarity to your new hires into what’s expected of them in their first weeks. By splitting the plan into seperate parts, you keep the onboarding phase structured and manageable instead of your new hires feeling overwhelmed with information, learning goals, and performance reviews.
The plan not only helps them perform, but it also lets the manager focus on coaching and have one-on-ones with a clear set of objectives and expectations, and ultimately help them succeed.
At Appical, we believe onboarding starts before the first day of work. Pre-boarding is a perfect time to prepare your new hire for the job and empowers building a connection and engagement between the new hire, your company, and its culture. That’s why we’ve added -30 days to the template. And keep in mind +90 days is just an indication: the length of the onboarding process will vary from industry, company, team, and specific job. Use whatever time targets make the most sense to your organization!
Before we start... we added pre-boarding!
07
-30,
30,
60,
90
day
onbo
ardi
ng p
lan
How to create a-30, 30, 60, 90 day plan
03
2020
App
ical
08
-30,
30,
60,
90
day
onbo
ardi
ng p
lan
You’ve hired a great talent to contribute to your team and company goals, but your new hire can’t do everything within the first few months. Therefore, set realistic expectations. Start by identifying the top three focus pointsfor the role and outline the steps to get there.
Typically, the focus in the weeks before the first day of work are all about preparation. The first 30 days of a new job are about learning, discovery, and orientation. The second month is about planning and beginning to contribute, and the third is about execution and taking initiative, maybe even changing the status quo. Your new hire’s specific monthly focus might vary based on their role and the company, however. Try to create the most personal onboarding experience as possible.
Step 1: Define your focus
2020
App
ical
How to create a-30, 30, 60, 90 day plan
09
-30,
30,
60,
90
day
onbo
ardi
ng p
lan
Focus: Introduction/Orientation
First 7 Days
Focus: Planning &beginning to contribute
30-60 Days
Focus: Prepare for thefirst day of work
-30 Days
Focus: LearningFirst 30 Days
Focus: Do - Take initiative60-90 Days
2020
App
ical
Okay, now you’re clear on the focus points or high-level priorities. Let’s determine the connected goals for your new hire’s position for the -30, 30-, 60-, and 90-day phases. If it’s helpful, break the goals into categories like learning, performance, and personal goals.
Step 2: Define your goals
Learning goals: To set these, think about what knowledge and skills your new hire needs to become successful? What kind of behavior is expected from them? How can he/she best absorb and acquire that information and those abilities?
Performance goals: These are concrete things your new hires need to accomplish or complete as part of their new role. Determine what your new hire needs to achieve in X days?
Personal goals: These goals are about your new hire getting to know their colleagues and getting comfortable with the company or team. Who are the key people your new hire needs and wants to build relationships with?
These goals should always be as SMART as possible:
Specific,Measurable,Attainable,Realistic, andTime-Bound.
Step 3: Create metrics
For example, instead of “I want to get a promotion”, a SMART goal would be “I will earn a promotion to senior sales representative by completing the required training modules in the upcoming four months and applying for the role at the end of next year.”
What does success look like in your company, and how do you measure it? For each goal, determine employee performance metrics to track how well your new hire is performing.
There are various kinds of metrics: they will likely be different for each of your goals. Metrics are often quantifiable (KPI’s, revenue, appointments, page views, etc.), and could be combined with goals that might have more qualitative metrics, like milestones or positive customer feedback. However, try to make even qualitative metrics measurable—for instance, the number of five-star reviews your new hire receives.
Step 4: Create action items
Look at the goals by type and date. Create a list of action items that can be used to determine whether your new hire has met their goals. These should be measurable and achievable.
10
-30,
30,
60,
90
day
onbo
ardi
ng p
lan
Step 5: Put everything together in a template or platform
Integrate your -30, 30, 60, 90 day plan in your onboarding program, or preferably, your digital onboarding platform to keep it updated easily and track your new hire’s progress and task completion.
During the first week, make time to talk through your new hire’s plan and learn about their personal goals and objectives. Work together to modify and develop the -30, 30, 60, 90 day plan. This ensures that your new hire understands the expectations and is excited about the work.
New hires bring along a fresh perspective to your company, so let the -30, 30, 60, 90 day plan serve as a roadmap. New hires should still have the freedom to execute using their creativity and expertise –– that’s why you hired them, right?
As a manager, it’s crucial to check-in regularly on the progress and provide positive feedback at every milestone during onboarding to keep your new hire motivated.
Not sure what a -30, 30, 60, 90 day plan looks like? Keep on reading!
11
2020
App
ical
-30,
30,
60,
90
day
onbo
ardi
ng p
lan
04
2020
App
ical
-30, 30, 60, 90 day plan template
12
-30,
30,
60,
90
day
onbo
ardi
ng p
lan
2020
App
ical
-30 days
Focus: Prepare for the first day of work
Send pre-boarding steps to your employee, whether it is by email or integrated into your onboarding platform. Adding this extra touchpoint is crucial: it prevents them from looking elsewhere during the radio silence between signing the contract and starting the first day on the job.
Therefore, give the right information at the right time, so your new hire will feel informed, prepared, and confident to start at the new job. Pre-boarding increases engagement between the new hire and the company, making your new hire feel more welcome and operational faster while preventing unwanted turnover.
Instead, you help keep up the momentum and excitement established in the hiring process.
13
-30,
30,
60,
90
day
onbo
ardi
ng p
lan
2020
App
ical
14
-30,
30,
60,
90
day
onbo
ardi
ng p
lan
-30 days
Performance goals
Personal goals
Get to know the organization better
Provide necessary information to order supplies and setting up accounts
Providing a checklist and timing for employment paperwork, benefit forms, etc.
Complete the pre-boarding checklist before day 1
Introduction with your onboarding buddy
Action
Read up on basic company info, like our clients and products, and our company culture (provided by HR or your manager) before your first day
Fill in form X and send it to person Y before (date)
Fill in form X and send it to person Y before (date)
Action
Send a message to your onboarding buddy to introduce yourself
Do I know the dress code?
Do I know where to go?
Do I know how to get there?
Do I know where to park?
Should I bring lunch?
Do I know who I should contact if I have any questions?
Learning objectivesLearning goals Action
2020
App
ical
First 7 days
Focus: Introduction / orientation
The first week is all about settling in and getting to know one another. Make sure the workspace is both comfortable and functional. Show the new hire that your company is ready to help him or her succeed.
Encourage forming new work relationships right away by setting up lunches or coffee meetings with your new hire and people they will be collaborating with. Reserve quality time to get to know the employee and discuss job duties and expectations. Check in regularly to make sure they’re acclimatizing well.
There’s a ton of new information for the new hire to absorb, but your new hire is also a valuable source of information. Let your new hire fill in an onboarding survey after the first period to learn more about their experience and chances to improve the onboarding process. Discuss the results with your new talent and share it with HR and other key stakeholders of the onboarding process.
Provide your new hire with a schedule of the first weeks. What will be their priorities? Add other team meetings or activities, the time and location and the purpose of the activities.
15
-30,
30,
60,
90
day
onbo
ardi
ng p
lan
2020
App
ical
16
First 7 days-3
0, 3
0, 6
0, 9
0 da
y on
boar
ding
pla
n
Objective: Get comfortable at your new workplace & start building connections
DetailsLearning goals
Gather orienting information (e.g., who’s who, best lunch spots, how to reserve conference rooms)
Get to know the company better What are the company mission, vision and goals?
How is your team contributing to this?
What does the market look like?
Who are our competitors?
Who are our clients / user cases?
DetailsPerfomance goals
Receive your devices (like a laptop and phone) and your access to software (like email & most used tools)
Learn more about expectations and the schedule for the first weeks (see exampleon page 18)
Have a one-on-one with your manager
2020
App
ical
17
First 7 days-3
0, 3
0, 6
0, 9
0 da
y on
boar
ding
pla
n
DetailsPerfomance goals
Personal goals Details
Did we meet with your expectations?
Is everything clear so far, think of house rules or policies?
Do you have everything you need? (e.g. hardware, stationary, etc.)
Are there any questions at this moment?
What will be your schedule for tomorrow?
Fill in the onboarding survey and discuss your findings with your manager or HR at the end of your first day
Get a tour around the workplace
Meet your team members Have a team lunch together and introduce yourself to everyone
Meet with your onboarding buddy
2020
App
ical
18
Monday
Video training: Company culture and values
Meet your team
1:1 with your manager
Fill in onboarding survey
Welcome by your onboarding buddy or manager
Office tour
Check-in with your onboarding buddy
All team meeting:team goals
Presentation: company leader
Coffee date
1:1 with manager
1:1 with IT to set up laptop and software
passwords, and access
Tuesday
Coffee date
1:1 with manager
Video tutorial: Discover online resource portal
Wednesday
Coffee date
‘Happy hour’ with team
1:1 with manager,project assignment
Week summary withlink to onboarding survey
Friday
Video training: team CRM
Online compliance training
Check-in withonboarding buddy
Thursday
Coffee date
First 7 days-3
0, 3
0, 6
0, 9
0 da
y on
boar
ding
pla
n
Example: Onboarding schedule for the first 2 weeks
2020
App
ical
First 30 daysFocus: Learning
Guide your new hire in getting up to speed on their role, the team, and the company. The new hire gets to understand the expectations the manager has for them, learn how the internal processes and procedures currently work, and start to explore some of the challenges facing the company and their role.
19
-30,
30,
60,
90
day
onbo
ardi
ng p
lan
Deep-dive: the 70-20-10 rule
When developing your onboarding plan, the 70-20-10 rule is a nice way to find a balance on how you could train your staff. The 70-20-10 rule is a research-based, time-tested, classic learning & development method on how people learn most effectively. The rule proposes that on average, people obtain:
Is your onboarding program mostly filled with formal training? You might want to reconsider adding more learning from experience and interacting with others to create and support a high-performing workforce.
Most – 70% – of their knowledge in the workplace from job-related experiences, for example, by following instructions, watching a more experienced colleague, or practicing newly acquired skills.
20% from interaction with others, mastered by means of sociallearning. The skills and knowledge that you learn in this category are acquired through working together with managers and colleagues and receiving their feedback.
The final 10% corresponds to formal learning, such as educationprograms, training courses, workshops, or e-learning programs.
Details
Details
Learning goals
2020
App
ical
First 30 daysObjective: Get to know your team
Performance goals
Learn about your team’s work processes Find out:
How do you collaborate?
How do you deliver?
Which programs, tools or software do you use?
Are there recurring team meetings?
Get to know your manager’s style:
Does your manager want frequent updates and involvement in projects or not?
Have regular 1-on-1’s with your manager
Learn about your team’s goals What projects are you working on?
How do they fit the company’s mission, vision or strategy?
20
-30,
30,
60,
90
day
onbo
ardi
ng p
lan
2020
App
ical
21
DetailsPersonal goals
What kind of behaviors are rewarded in this culture?
What kind of behaviors are looked down upon in this culture?
How do we celebrate things at this company?
How do we handle disappointments?
What activities or extracurriculars are there which I can join?
Grab coffee with everyone on your team, so you can get to know them better professionally and personally
Get to involved in the company culture
First 30 days-3
0, 3
0, 6
0, 9
0 da
y on
boar
ding
pla
n
2020
App
ical
22
-30,
30,
60,
90
day
onbo
ardi
ng p
lan
First 30 daysObjective: Get your first assignment and deliverables
DetailsLearning goals
Learn more about your role and responsibilities What are you here to do?
What do you have at your disposal to do it?
What do you need to know to succeed?
Learn more about your first assignment and performance goals/ KPI’s / OKR’s
How will your progress and success be measured?
Which conditions do you have to meet to pass your probation period?
Perfomance goals Details
Work on my first assignment(s)
Personal goals Details
Complete new hire training and pass the test with a 90% or higher
Collect feedback and ask my manager for feedback on my outputand performance. Document the feedback so I can incorporate it in my future performance.
Schedule end of probation talk
2020
App
ical
23
First 30 daysObjective: Learning and growing
DetailsLearning goals
Find out where to find helpful resources
Contact IT support to set up your email signature and send a test email
I.e. intranet, FAQ’s, health benefits, learning & development portal, etc.
Complete the module ‘Our products and processes’ in the onboarding platform and pass the test with a 90% or higher
Learn more about the competition in the market
DetailsPerfomance goals
Follow trainings for your team’s used programs, tools or software I.e. Follow the CRM training and pass the test with a 90% or higher
Join an inter-departmental meeting or activity
Personal goals Details
Gather feedback about your onboarding and fill out the survey
Complete new hire training and pass the test with a 90% or higherwithin the first month
I.e. job shadowing, join a colleague from another department to learn about their roles
Complete the compliance training with a 95% or higher-30,
30,
60,
90
day
onbo
ardi
ng p
lan
2020
App
ical
24
Objective: Plan coffee dates or meetings with key people within the organization
Name Role / responsibility Contact information Why?
[Name] [Job description] [Contact information, location] This will help you understand the organizational structure and how every team is working together to achieve the company goals.
First 30 days-3
0, 3
0, 6
0, 9
0 da
y on
boar
ding
pla
n
2020
App
ical
30-60 days
Focus: Planning and beginning to contribute
Next month, support your new hire to perform his/her role at full capacity, with a decreased need for guidance. Your new employee will start exploring how they can make a unique impact on their role and the company.
These second 30 days of work goals should rely on implementing the knowledge gained during the first 30 days. This part of the onboarding and work should focus on contributing to the company’s mission.
25
-30,
30,
60,
90
day
onbo
ardi
ng p
lan
30-60 daysObjective: Create roadmap for month 2 & 3
DetailsLearning goals
2020
App
ical
Details
Increase your knowledge by completing relevant trainings or e-learning modules
Shadow a seasoned member of the team. Listen in on at least three meetings and document what you learn from observing their approach
Perfomance goals
Review your first objectives and ask for feedback from your colleagues or manager What goes well and what can be approved?
Set up performance goals, metrics, and measurement for the next 30 days based on what you’ve learned
Meet with people on other teams I haven’t gotten to know yet
Diagnose process issues and give a solution
26
-30,
30,
60,
90
day
onbo
ardi
ng p
lan
Personal goals Details
2020
App
ical
60-90 days
Focus: Do - take initiative
By the third month, your new hire should feel confident about their abilities and is on the point of making a breakthrough contribution to the team. They will start working more self-reliantly and develop leadership skills. Therefore, this is the right moment to provide feedback about what is going well and what can be improved during a performance appraisal. Next, start exploring goals together for the rest of the year.
Also, support your new hire to show initiative and be proactive. For exam-ple, encourage your new hire to be mindful of how he/she can collaborate with other teams to improve their own team's processes. By taking on some new projects outside of their primary role, your new hire will start standing out and catch the attention of the department at large.
27
-30,
30,
60,
90
day
onbo
ardi
ng p
lan
2020
App
ical60-90 days
28
-30,
30,
60,
90
day
onbo
ardi
ng p
lan
DetailsLearning goals
Identify and sign up for a conference, webinar, or online course that will aid in my professional development
Analyze your performance so far and establish key metrics you care about (sales, leads, revenue, etc.). Implement a test to try to improve that metric.
Perfomance goals Details
Perform your core responsibilities at a higher level based on the metrics you outlined
Develop an idea for a new project or initiative you can spearhead, and pitch it to your manager
Prepare your performance appraisal
Prepare feedback on your onboarding experience
Complete the project or initiative I outlined and get feedback from key stakeholders
DetailsPersonal goals
Get involved extracurricularly within the company I.e. sign up for the corporate volunteer day or a company-sponsored clubor sports team
2020
App
ical
Sources
Anderson, Bruce (2020). 7 Steps to Creating a Virtual Employee Onboarding Program. LinkedIn Talent Blog. Bolsu, Rachel (2020). The Hiring Manager’s Guide to 30-60-90 Day Plans. Lattice.Chi, Clifford. The 30-60-90 Day Plan: Your Guide for Mastering a New Job [Template + Example]. Hubspot.Hall, John (2019). The Cost Of Turnover Can Kill Your Business And Make Things Less Fun. Forbes.Indeed (2020). 30-60-90 Day Plan: What It is and How to Create and Use One (Example Included). Laurano, Madeline (2015). The True Cost of a Bad Hire. Brandon Hall Group.McGarry, Olivia (2019). What Is The 70 20 10 Model In L&D? eLearning Industry. Nykiel, Teddy. 30-60-90 Day Plan: Your Secret Weapon for New Job Success. The Muse.O’Donnell, Riia. Employee Onboarding 101: From Day 0 to Day 90 and Beyond. Recruiterbox.Reyes, Gauri. The 100 Day Plan: Driving Accountability to Ensure Success. Mindflash.
29
-30,
30,
60,
90
day
onbo
ardi
ng p
lan
Looking for the right platform to integrateyour -30-30-60-90 days plan for new hires?
Discover Appical
Go next level with your onboarding experience
Easily build pre- and onboarding journeys
Create engaging & personalized content
Maintain and update your content in one place
Easily keep track of your new hire’s progress and task completion
Integrate with other HR systems
