FREE TEMPLATE · WORD + PDF
30-60-90 day plan template: free Word and PDF, with 3 filled examples
A one-page 30-60-90 plan for the first three months in a new role, whether you are a new manager or onboarding a new hire. Each phase has a focus, goals, people to meet and a check-in, and there are three filled-in examples to copy.
WHAT IS IN IT
Days 1 to 30: Learn
Focus: listen and understand. Meet every team member one-to-one. Learn how work gets done, who the key people are, and what success looks like. Goals:
People to meet in the first 30 days
Team members, your manager, peers, key customers or stakeholders.
Days 31 to 60: Contribute
Focus: early wins. Fix one or two small, visible problems. Start regular one-on-ones and team rhythms. Goals:
Days 61 to 90: Lead
Focus: direction. Agree team priorities and goals, make the first bigger change, and set development goals with each person. Goals:
How we will know it is working
Measures of success at day 30, 60 and 90.
Check-ins
Day 30 / Day 60 / Day 90 review dates with your manager.
How to use it
- Do not change much in the first 30 days. Listen first; you will make better changes later.
- Write down what surprises you in the first month. Fresh eyes fade quickly.
- Share the plan with your manager and agree it together.
- Keep each goal checkable. Write 'met every team member one-to-one', not 'understand the team'.
What a 30-60-90 day plan is
A 30-60-90 day plan splits the first three months in a role into three phases: learn (days 1 to 30), contribute (days 31 to 60) and lead or own (days 61 to 90). Each phase gets two or three goals you can check, not a long to-do list.
It works because it gives you and your manager the same picture of what good looks like at each point, so the day 30, 60 and 90 conversations are about progress against the plan, not about impressions.
Example 1: new manager taking over a team of 6
- Days 1 to 30 (learn): hold a one-on-one with all 6 people and ask the same 5 questions. Meet my manager weekly. Map who the team depends on and who depends on us. Goal: a one-page summary of what works, what is stuck and what the team wants from me.
- Days 31 to 60 (contribute): fix 2 small problems the team raised, such as a slow approval step. Set up a weekly team meeting and fortnightly one-on-ones. Goal: every person can name the team's top 3 priorities.
- Days 61 to 90 (lead): agree quarterly goals with the team and my manager. Set one development goal with each person. Make the first bigger change, explained with the reason. Goal: team goals written down and shared, and one-on-ones running without me chasing.
Example 2: new hire in an operations role
- Days 1 to 30 (learn): complete system training, shadow two colleagues on the main processes, and read the last 3 months of incident notes. Goal: handle routine requests with a buddy checking.
- Days 31 to 60 (contribute): handle routine requests alone and own one recurring report. Write down 3 things that could be simpler. Goal: 90% of requests closed without help.
- Days 61 to 90 (own): own one process end to end and improve one step in it. Goal: the improvement is live and the team uses it.
Example 3: new hire in a sales role
- Days 1 to 30 (learn): learn the product and pricing, sit in on 10 customer calls, and review the 20 largest accounts. Goal: give the pitch to my manager and pass a product quiz.
- Days 31 to 60 (contribute): run first calls with a colleague listening, and build a pipeline of 15 qualified leads. Goal: first deal closed or at proposal stage.
- Days 61 to 90 (own): run the full sales cycle alone and forecast my own month. Goal: pipeline at 3 times the monthly target and a forecast within 10% of actual.
Questions for the day 30, 60 and 90 check-ins
- DAY 30
What has surprised you most so far, good or bad?
- DAY 30
Who have you not met yet that you should?
- DAY 60
Which goal is on track, and which one needs help from me?
- DAY 60
What would you change about how the team works, now you have seen it up close?
- DAY 90
What are you most proud of from the first 90 days?
- DAY 90
What should the goals be for the next 3 months?
Frequently asked questions
What should a 30-60-90 day plan include?
A focus for each phase (learn, contribute, lead), two or three measurable goals per phase, the people to meet in the first 30 days, how you will know it is working, and dates for the day 30, 60 and 90 check-ins.
Who writes the 30-60-90 day plan, the manager or the new hire?
Either can draft it, but agree it together in the first week. For a new hire, the manager usually drafts the goals and the new hire adds the people to meet and the questions they want answered.
How detailed should each phase be?
Two or three goals per phase is enough. A goal should be something you can check at the review, such as 'met every team member one-to-one', not 'understand the business'.
Is a 30-60-90 day plan useful for interviews?
Yes. Bringing a short draft to a final interview shows how you would approach the role. Keep it to one page and say that you would adjust it after listening in the first month.
What is the difference between a 30-60-90 day plan and an onboarding plan?
An onboarding plan lists what the company does for the new person, such as training, equipment and introductions. A 30-60-90 day plan lists what the person will learn and deliver. Most new starters need both.