30-60-90 Day Plan
A 30-60-90 day plan is a structured onboarding framework that divides a new employee's first three months into three phases, each with specific goals and milestones to accelerate integration and productivity.
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What is a 30-60-90 Day Plan?
A 30-60-90 day plan breaks down a new employee's first three months into three phases, each with its own purpose. During the first 30 days, the focus is mostly on absorbing information and watching how things work. From days 31 to 60, the employee starts putting that knowledge into practice and picking up real responsibilities. The last phase, days 61 through 90, is when they should be operating more independently and contributing in a meaningful way.
This kind of plan works well for people just joining a company, but it's also useful when someone moves into a different role internally. It helps both the employee and their manager stay on the same page about what progress should look like at each stage. Instead of overwhelming someone with everything in their first week, a 30-60-90 day plan spreads things out so information and expectations are easier to absorb. It's a key component of effective employee onboarding.
There's research suggesting that companies with structured onboarding programs see around 82% higher retention and more than 70% improvement in new hire productivity. The 30-60-90 day plan is probably one of the more practical ways to achieve that kind of structure.
Key Characteristics of a 30-60-90 Day Plan
- Three Distinct Phases: Each 30-day block has its own theme: learning (days 1-30), contributing (days 31-60), and leading (days 61-90). Breaking things up this way keeps people from getting buried under too much too soon.
- Specific, Measurable Goals: Every phase should have concrete things the employee needs to accomplish. Not vague aspirations, but items you can actually check off and discuss together.
- Built-in Check-ins: The plan creates natural moments for review at 30, 60, and 90 days. Managers can use these to offer feedback and make adjustments if things aren't going as expected.
- Adaptable to Any Role: The same basic structure works for a sales rep, a software engineer, or an operations manager. You just tweak the specifics while keeping the overall framework intact.
- Two-Way Accountability: It's not just about what the new hire needs to do. The organization also commits to providing the support, resources, and access they need to hit their goals.
30-60-90 Day Plan Examples
Example 1: Sales Representative
Days 1-30: Finish product training, sit in on calls with experienced reps, get comfortable with the CRM, and go through the sales playbook. Meet with teammates and connect with people in marketing and customer success.
Days 31-60: Start working smaller accounts on your own, make first cold calls and get feedback from your manager, run discovery meetings solo, and participate in pipeline reviews.
Days 61-90: Take ownership of a full book of accounts, work toward hitting your first quota, help newer team members learn the product, and suggest at least one improvement to how things are done.
Example 2: Software Engineer
Days 1-30: Get your development environment set up, walk through the codebase, knock out 5-10 small bugs to learn the system, and pair with senior engineers. Read through architecture docs and join sprint ceremonies.
Days 31-60: Own a mid-sized feature, start reviewing other people's code, join the on-call rotation with a buddy, and document something that hasn't been written down yet.
Days 61-90: Lead a feature from design all the way to deployment, mentor someone newer on the team, participate in technical planning, and flag one area where things could be improved.
30-60-90 Day Plan vs Onboarding Checklist
These two tools support new employee orientation and integration in different ways, and they work best when you use them together. An onboarding checklist handles the tactical items while a 30-60-90 day plan guides strategic development.
| Aspect | 30-60-90 Day Plan | Onboarding Checklist |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Strategic goals and milestones for the first 90 days | Tactical tasks that need completion |
| Timeline | Three-month framework with phases | Often first week or month |
| Scope | Role-specific development and performance targets | Administrative and logistical items |
| Purpose | Guide professional growth and measure progress | Ensure nothing falls through the cracks |
How Glitter AI Helps with 30-60-90 Day Plans
Glitter AI makes it easier to create the training content that actually makes a 30-60-90 day plan work. Rather than sending new hires to outdated wiki pages or asking busy team members to explain the same thing over and over, you can capture processes as clear, visual step-by-step guides that people can reference whenever they need to.
When processes change, updating your 30-60-90 day plan resources takes minutes instead of hours. Teams can build role-specific onboarding libraries with searchable videos and documentation. New employees can work through each phase with on-demand access to what they need, which takes pressure off managers and subject matter experts while helping people get up to speed faster.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a 30-60-90 day plan?
A 30-60-90 day plan is a structured onboarding framework that splits a new hire's first three months into three phases. Each 30-day period has its own focus: learning in days 1-30, contributing in days 31-60, and leading independently in days 61-90.
What are the three phases of a 30-60-90 day plan?
The first phase (days 1-30) is about learning company culture, meeting the team, and understanding the role. In the second phase (days 31-60), you start applying what you've learned and taking on real work. The third phase (days 61-90) involves working more independently, showing initiative, and making a noticeable impact.
How do you write a 30-60-90 day plan?
Begin by getting clear on role expectations, then come up with 3-5 measurable goals for each 30-day phase. Include specific tasks, people to meet, skills to develop, and things to deliver. Add check-in points and make sure the goals build from learning to contributing to leading.
Who creates the 30-60-90 day plan?
It varies. For new hires, managers usually put it together with some input from HR. In job interviews, candidates sometimes create their own plan to show initiative. The best plans tend to be collaborative, with both the manager and employee contributing.
What should be included in a 30-60-90 day plan template?
A solid template includes goals for each phase, key tasks and deliverables, people to meet, training to complete, success metrics, check-in dates, and space for notes. It should also spell out what resources and support the company will provide.
Why is a 30-60-90 day plan important for onboarding?
It keeps new hires from getting overwhelmed by spacing out information and expectations. Companies with structured onboarding tend to see around 82% higher retention and 70% better productivity. The plan gives everyone clear milestones to track how things are going.
Can a 30-60-90 day plan be used for promotions?
Absolutely. The framework applies to any kind of role transition, whether it's a promotion, a lateral move, or a new project. It helps people build competence in new responsibilities step by step while staying accountable for results.
How do you present a 30-60-90 day plan in an interview?
Do your homework on the role and the company first, then lay out specific goals you would aim for in each phase. Show that you understand what the job requires, demonstrate some initiative, and be prepared to talk about how you would measure your own progress.
What is the difference between a 30-60-90 day plan and an onboarding checklist?
A 30-60-90 day plan is about strategic goals and professional growth over three months. An onboarding checklist covers tactical stuff like paperwork, system access, and training completion. They complement each other well.
How do you measure success with a 30-60-90 day plan?
Look at whether the goals for each phase were actually met, collect manager feedback at the 30, 60, and 90-day check-ins, and track time-to-productivity. Employee satisfaction and engagement matter too. The key is defining clear metrics upfront for each phase.
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