The 30-60-90 days plan

The idea behind 30-60-90 days plan is about driving away uncertainty in the first weeks and months of newcomers to the company. Its purpose is to make crystal clear what the team, the company and the new joiner expect from each other in terms of goals and expectations. It does also provide a few touch points to give feedback about the process of joining the company.

The process from the company and team perspective may look like:

  1. Learn about 30-60-90 plan
  2. Explain the purpose of doing a 30-60-90
  3. Prepare and discuss the 30-60-90 plan
  4. Follow up at 30, 60 and 90 days

1. Learn about 30-60-90 plan

In order to understand how the 30-60-90 plan works we suggest to read this article. Then we can start.

2. Explain the purpose of doing a 30-60-90

Meet with the new-joiner and explain the purpose of the 30-60-90 day plan. You can point the new joiner to this article.

3. Prepare and discuss the 30-60-90 plan

This is a two-way road. This is not just about the team and company goals, but also about the new joiner own goals and expectations.

3.1 Ask the new joiner to create a draft 30-60-90 plan

In order not to bias the new joiner on the company goals and expectations, we have to ask them to create a draft plan focused on their expectations from the company and team. It’s important we focus on the the things that are important for them at this stage, not the company.

Less experienced people will have difficulties pointing out at the things they consider important. No worries, this first draft does not have to be perfect, you can help them out. A good rule of thumb is to think in negative: What would need to happen to leave your team or the company itself? Write it as a goal or expectation in your plan

3.2 Create your team and company 30-60-90 plan

Once you’ve got a draft on the 30-60-90 day plan from the new joiner, you’ll have to make your team’s 30-60-90 day plan. If you need to get inspired, you can start with the generic 30-60-90 day template and tweak it from there.

It would be great to match the role and position against the career path and set up clear expectations from the company stand point.

Ideally this plan will be developed by the person that will follow up and help on the progress of the new joiner, the team lead. People that will work close by can participate to set up expectations.

3.3 Merge the new joiner draft plan with yours

Now we have both the team plan and new joiner draft plan, is time to merge them into a unified and final plan. It’s cool to link and keep the draft around so the new joiner can review from time to time.

Once we’ve got a merged plan, we pass it to the new joiner. A good idea is to leave it for the next day, so the new joiner has time to reflect on it.

3.4 Review the final 30-60-90 plan

Schedule a final meeting to go over the entire final plan, explaining each point and clearing any doubts about what it means.

4. Follow up at 30, 60 and 90 days

In order to follow how all the process is going you should schedule an event for each of the milestones, at 30, 60 and 90 days.

4.1 Gather feedback

Before each milestone gather feedback from the new joiner peers asking two questions:

  • What is the new joiner doing well?
  • What can the new joiner improve?

It is recommended the new joiner to do a retro and fill their own feedback too.

Collect all feedback in a single document for the appropriate time period, 30, 60 or 90 days.

This process may a few days, do plan for it beforehand.

4.2 Review how the last 30 days went

On each milestone you should review all the feedback provided, and to follow-up and review all the points from the 30-60-90.

If this is the last milestone (90 days), it’s a good opportunity to gather feedback from the new joiner on how things went and how to improve the process.