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30-60-90 day plan

Are your new employees struggling to reach their maximum productivity quickly? Transitioning to a new job can be challenging for both the employee and the company; but with the 30-60-90 Day Plan, you can accelerate the learning curve, build confidence, and achieve tangible results from day one. So what is the 30-60-90 Day Plan?

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What is a 30-60-90 day plan?

The 30-60-90 Day Plan is a structured framework that breaks down a new employee's first three months on the job into clear, goal-oriented milestones. Its primary purpose is to guide the onboarding process, accelerate learning, and align expectations between the employee and their manager.

The plan is usually divided into three main phases:

  • Days 1-30: Learn - Focus on understanding the organization, job role, tools, and culture.
  • Days 31-60: Contribute - Start applying what you've learned and take responsibility for tasks.
  • Days 61-90: Deliver - Deliver results, solve issues, and demonstrate long-term value.

Whether you're hiring or being hired, the 30-60-90 Day Plan gives you a roadmap for success from day one.

What are the typical goals that are typically set at each stage?

Phase 1 (days 1-30): Learning and observing

  • Familiarize yourself with the company's vision, values and strategy
  • Completing internal training and onboarding
  • Build relationships with the team and key stakeholders
  • Observe workflow and understand internal dynamics

Phase 2 (days 31-60): Application and contribution

  • Take on small tasks or specific projects
  • Actively participate in meetings and provide feedback
  • Applying what has been learned in practical contexts
  • Achieve initial accomplishments that build credibility

Phase Three (days 61-90): Leading and Realizing Impact

  • Taking full responsibility for an initiative or project
  • Suggest opportunities for improvement or innovation
  • Agreeing with the manager on long-term performance goals
  • Measure progress against performance indicators
  • Align with the manager on long-term performance goals.
  • Track progress against clear metrics.

What are the best practices for hiring managers when using the 30-60-90 plan?

  • Set expectations early: Agree on goals and benchmarks before the employee starts.
  • Tailor the plan to the role: Consider the level of experience and the nature of the department.
  • Regular follow-up: Set milestones at the end of each phase to assess progress.
  • Balance structure and flexibility: Allow room for exploration without losing sight of clear goals.
  • Document everything: Use shared documents so that both parties can track updates, changes, and accomplishments.

How can job seekers use the 30-60-90 day plan during an interview?

Candidates who present a tailor-made 30-60-90 plan during the interview stand out as proactive and strategically minded people.

Presenting the plan shows that you have researched the company, understand the job role, and that you are already thinking about delivering real value.

This gesture communicates to the hiring manager the following messages:

  • You're ready to take charge.
  • You have a clear vision of success in the role.
  • You are goal- and outcome-oriented.

When executed correctly, the plan shifts the conversation from "Why are we hiring you?" to "When can you start?"

What's the difference between plans for new hires and first-line leaders?

While the structure of the plan remains the same at all levels, the content varies depending on the level of responsibility.

  • For entry-level employees: The plan focuses on understanding systems, gaining skills, and contributing to daily tasks.
  • For leadership positions: Focuses on aligning strategies, team development, and building cross-functional relationships.
  • In all cases, the goal is the same: Empower the employee to step into the role with confidence and clarity.

How does a 30-60-90 day plan improve performance and standardize expectations?

When used correctly, this plan reduces ambiguity, accelerates learning, and creates alignment between employee and manager. It creates a shared understanding of priorities, sets a clear direction, and provides measurable checkpoints. This structure leads to faster integration, higher job satisfaction, and long-term employee retention.

What are the biggest mistakes to avoid when creating a 30-60-90 plan?

  1. Vagueness: The plan should include clear and measurable goals, not just generalized intentions.
  2. Lack of customization: Generic plans don't work for everyone, so they need to be customized to the role, company, and industry.
  3. Focusing only on tasks: It's important to include goals for learning, relationship building, and strategic thinking.
  4. Overloading the first phase: Don't expect full productivity from day one, prioritize learning.
  5. Neglecting follow-up: Reviewing and adjusting the plan is essential to ensure its effectiveness and longevity.

Can the 30-60-90 plan be customized by role or industry?

Absolutely. A marketing person will focus on campaigns and messaging, a tech person on systems and integrations, a salesperson on performance indicators, and an HR person on culture and compliance.

For effective personalization:

  • Define role-specific goals and tools.
  • Try to align with the department's performance indicators.
  • Adjust the scope and pace of work according to the level of complexity and responsibility
  • The overall structure remains constant; however, the content should reflect the reality of the role and business requirements.

Examples of 30-60-90 day plan goals in the sales function

Objectives vary by role, but in a sales function, the plan typically focuses on progression from learning to application, and then achieving results. Here's a practical example:

Days 1-30: Learning and understanding

This phase focuses on fully grasping the basics of the business and product:

  • Familiarize yourself with product characteristics, pricing systems, and customer patterns: Deep understanding of what you're selling and to whom.
  • Complete training on relationship management systems (CRM) and the sales funnel: Master basic sales tools and processes.
  • Accompany experienced staff on customer calls and presentations: Gain hands-on experience and observe best practices.

Days 31-60: Application and contribution

At this stage, the employee begins to apply what they have learned and actively contribute:

  • Make 30+ outbound calls per week: Begin direct contact with potential customers.
  • Execute 2-3 discovery calls with the support of the manager: Apply customer needs discovery skills with guidance.
  • Build a database of 5-10 qualified leads: Start building their own pipeline.

Days 61-90: Leading and achieving results

This phase is dedicated to demonstrating the ability to independently accomplish tasks and achieve goals:

  • Complete the entire sales cycle independently: Manage the sales process from start to finish without direct support.
  • Close the first deal or take it to an advanced stage: Achieve a tangible milestone that demonstrates added value.
  • Provide a performance summary with numbers and feedback: Analyze performance and provide insights and suggestions for continuous improvement.

Looking for a smarter way to onboard your new employees and integrate them into your team?

The 30-60-90 day plan is a great tool for organizing the first three months, but it's no longer enough in the modern world of recruitment. With Talento's intelligent Onboarding solutions, you can move from manual planning to an integrated system that ensures you excel. It helps you attract and select the best candidates based on accurate data, then automatically create customized onboarding paths for each position, ensuring a strong and effective start for new employees. Talento gives you the power to go beyond traditional planning, build strong teams, and achieve sustainable growth. Start a free demo now!


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