30-60-90-Day Onboarding Plan Template: Free Excel Download

Hiring a new employee is only the beginning. HR teams and managers also need a clear plan to help new hires understand their roles, develop the necessary skills and meet performance expectations.

A 30-60-90-day onboarding plan template helps employers organise onboarding into three stages, with specific goals, activities and review points for each month. Instead of overwhelming new employees with too much information on their first day, managers can provide structured guidance throughout their first three months.

Download our free Excel template to track onboarding activities, assign responsibilities and review progress before the employee reaches the end of their first 90 days.

What Is a 30-60-90-Day Onboarding Plan?

A 30-60-90-day onboarding plan is a structured document that outlines what a new employee should learn, accomplish and demonstrate during their first three months.

It helps HR teams, managers and new hires understand their responsibilities throughout the onboarding process.

A typical plan covers three stages:

Period	Main Focus	Expected Outcome
First 30 days	Learn and settle in	Understand the company, role, tools and basic responsibilities
Days 31-60	Apply skills and build confidence	Handle routine tasks with increasing independence
Days 61-90	Take ownership and review progress	Demonstrate progress against agreed goals and plan next steps

The plan should be adjusted to the employee's role, experience level, training requirements and working arrangement. A new executive, experienced manager and fresh graduate will not necessarily have the same onboarding milestones.

Download the Free 30-60-90-Day Onboarding Plan Template

Use our free Excel workbook to organise onboarding activities and monitor employee progress during the first three months.

Download the Free 30-60-90-Day Onboarding Plan Template

The workbook contains three editable sheets:

Start Here: Record employee details and the start date. The 30-, 60- and 90-day review dates calculate automatically from the start date.
30-60-90 Plan: Track 20 starter actions with timelines, expected outcomes, activities, owners, due dates, status and supporting notes.
Check-in Reviews: Record observations, challenges, progress, agreed actions and follow-up dates for key onboarding discussions.

The workbook includes status dropdowns so HR and managers can mark tasks as not started, in progress, completed or on hold.

You can customise the activities to suit your company's onboarding process, department and job requirements.

What Should a 30-60-90-Day Onboarding Plan Include?

A useful onboarding plan should go beyond listing training sessions. It should explain what the employee needs to achieve and how the manager will support their progress.

Element	What to Include
Employee details	Name, job title, department, manager and start date
Onboarding goals	What the employee should understand or accomplish
Key activities	Training, meetings, assignments and workplace introductions
Success measures	How progress will be assessed
Task owners	Who is responsible for each onboarding activity
Due dates	When each task or milestone should be completed
Check-in schedule	When the manager and employee will discuss progress
Feedback and next steps	Achievements, challenges and development needs

Clear expectations make onboarding easier to manage and help employees understand how their daily work contributes to team goals.

What to Do During the First 30 Days

The first 30 days should focus on helping the employee settle in, understand the organisation and learn the basics of the role.

New hires may need time to understand company processes, meet colleagues and become familiar with the tools they use every day.

Key Onboarding Activities for Days 1-30

HR and managers can focus on the following activities:

Introduce the employee to the company, department, manager and teammates.
Explain the employee's job responsibilities, reporting structure and performance expectations.
Provide access to essential systems, equipment and workplace resources.
Arrange role-specific training and explain relevant SOPs.
Assign manageable initial tasks with clear instructions.
Schedule regular check-ins to answer questions and identify challenges.

By the end of the first month, the employee should have a basic understanding of their responsibilities and know where to seek help.

The manager should also identify any training gaps or obstacles that could affect the employee's progress.

What to Do During Days 31-60

During the second month, the employee should begin applying what they have learned and taking greater responsibility for routine work.

The manager can gradually reduce day-to-day guidance where appropriate while continuing to provide feedback and support.

Key Onboarding Activities for Days 31-60

Focus on helping the employee build practical skills and confidence through activities such as:

Assign regular tasks with clear deadlines and expected outcomes.
Review work quality, productivity and the ability to follow established processes.
Encourage collaboration with colleagues and other departments.
Identify skill gaps and arrange additional training or coaching.
Give feedback on completed assignments and areas for improvement.
Conduct a 60-day review to discuss progress against the original goals.

By Day 60, the employee should be making progress towards the expectations established at the start of onboarding.

If the employee is struggling, managers should identify the cause and agree on specific support or improvement actions rather than waiting until the end of the third month.

What to Do During Days 61-90

The final stage focuses on reviewing progress, strengthening performance and preparing the employee for their longer-term responsibilities.

The goal is not to expect every employee to become fully independent within exactly 90 days. The required level of independence depends on the complexity of the role and the support needed.

Key Onboarding Activities for Days 61-90

Managers can use this period to:

Review progress against the employee's agreed goals.
Assess work quality, productivity, communication and collaboration where relevant.
Give the employee greater ownership of suitable tasks or projects.
Identify remaining development needs and provide feedback.
Set priorities and goals for the next quarter.
Conduct a 90-day review and document agreed next steps.

At the end of the third month, HR and the manager should have a clearer picture of the employee's progress, remaining support needs and future development priorities.

How to Measure Onboarding Progress

A 30-60-90-day plan works best when goals are specific enough for the manager and employee to review objectively.

The measures should reflect the actual job rather than using the same targets for every employee.

Job Area	Example of an Onboarding Measure
Customer service	Demonstrates the required customer-handling procedures and meets agreed service standards
Sales	Understands the sales process and progresses towards agreed activity or sales targets
Administration	Completes assigned documentation accurately and within agreed deadlines
Recruitment	Understands the recruitment workflow and completes assigned screening or coordination tasks
Management	Understands team responsibilities, reporting processes and agreed operational priorities

These are examples, not universal performance requirements. Managers should set realistic targets based on the job scope, business expectations and training provided.

Regular feedback is also important. A missed target may reflect unclear instructions, inadequate training or limited access to resources rather than a lack of ability.

30-60-90-Day Onboarding Plan vs Probation Review

A 30-60-90-day onboarding plan and a probation review are related, but they serve different purposes.

Area	Onboarding Plan	Probation Review
Main purpose	Help the employee settle in and develop role-specific skills	Assess suitability and performance under the company's probation process
Focus	Training, integration, goals and support	Performance, progress, feedback and employment decisions
Frequency	Activities and check-ins across the first three months	Reviews according to the company's probation schedule
Outcome	Clear next steps and development priorities	An informed decision under the contract and company process

In Malaysia, probation terms are generally set by the employment contract or company policy rather than one universal statutory probation period for every employee.

A 90-day onboarding plan does not automatically mean probation ends after 90 days. HR should check the relevant contract, review arrangements and applicable employment requirements before confirming, extending or ending employment.

For a more detailed guide, read AJobThing's probation performance review guide for Malaysian HR.

How to Adapt the Plan for Remote Employees

Remote and hybrid employees need the same clarity around role expectations, training and progress reviews, but the activities may be different.

For example, managers can arrange virtual introductions, confirm system access before the first day, share digital training materials and schedule regular video check-ins.

The plan should also make it clear how the employee communicates with the team, requests assistance and receives feedback.

Use our remote employee onboarding guide for Malaysia for more detailed steps and remote onboarding considerations.

FAQs

What is a 30-60-90-day onboarding plan?

It is a structured plan that sets goals, activities and review points for an employee's first 30, 60 and 90 days at work. It helps HR and managers guide the employee's development and track progress.

Who is responsible for completing the onboarding plan?

HR usually coordinates the process, while the employee's manager sets role-specific goals and provides feedback. IT, teammates or an assigned buddy may help with equipment, system access and training.

Is a 90-day onboarding plan the same as a probation period in Malaysia?

No. An onboarding plan organises training, integration and performance goals. Probation is governed by the relevant employment terms and company process. A 90-day plan does not automatically determine the end of probation.

How often should managers review a new employee's progress?

Managers can schedule check-ins during the first week and around Days 30, 60 and 90. Weekly discussions during the early stages can also help identify questions and training needs before they become larger issues.

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Finding the right employee is only the first step. A structured onboarding plan helps your new hire settle in, understand expectations and work towards agreed goals.

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