business plan for new hire

The Best 30-60-90 Day Plan for Your New Job [Template + Example]

Published: December 06, 2023

I remember my first day at HubSpot. I was so nervous and had a million concerns swimming around in my head.

Will I adapt to my new job? How long will it take for me to get the hang of things? Can I manage the workload and maintain a good rapport with my coworkers?

Fortunately, my outstanding manager at the time prepared a comprehensive checklist to be completed over a few months, and it helped me slowly but steadily adapt to HubSpot. Fast forward a few years, and I'm a rockstar at my job.

The checklist was called a 100-day checklist, but it followed the rhythm of a typical 30-60-90 Day Plan.

A 30-60-90 Day Plan, or something similar, is imperative to the success of a new employee as it helps them set and reach attainable goals and acclimate to their new position.

To help set your new employee, or yourself, up for success, here's what you need to know about crafting the best 30-60-90 Day Plan.

30-60-90 Day Plan

A 30-60-90 day plan lays out a clear course of action for a new employee during the first 30, 60, and 90 days of their new job. By setting concrete goals and a vision for one's abilities at each stage of the plan, you can make the transition into a new organization smooth and empowering.

Learning the nuances of your new role in less than three months won't be easy. But crafting a strong 30-60-90 day plan is your best bet for accelerating your development and adapting to your new work environment as quickly as possible.

You‘d write a 30-60-90 day plan in two situations: during the final stages of an interview and the first week of the job. Here’s how each type can be executed:

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30-60-90 Day Plan for Interview

Some hiring managers ask candidates to think about and explain their potential 30-60-90 day plan as a new hire.

As a candidate, this would sometimes confuse me in the past, but I now understand they just want to see if a potential hire can organize their time, prioritize the tasks they likely take, and strategize an approach to the job description.

For a new hire, a well-thought-out 30-60-90 day plan is a great way to help the hiring manager visualize you in the role and differentiate yourself from all other candidates.

But how can you outline your goals before accepting a new job? How are you supposed to know what those goals are? I've found that starting with the job description is an excellent stepping stone.

Typically, open job listings have separate sections for a job‘s responsibilities and a job’s qualifications. Work to find commonalities in these two sections and how you might turn them into goals for yourself.

Then, stagger those goals over three months.

For example, let‘s say a job requires three years of experience in Google Analytics, and the responsibilities include tracking the company’s website performance every month.

I would use these points to develop an action plan explaining how:

• I‘ll learn the company’s key performance metrics (first 30 days)
• Strengthen the company's performance in these metrics (next 30 days)
• Lead the team toward a better Google Analytics strategy (last 30 days)

30-60-90 Day Plan for New Job

The second situation where you‘d write a 30-60-90 day plan is during the first week of a new job, which I highly recommend whether you’re a new employee or a manager working with a new hire.

If you're the hiring manager, this plan will allow you to learn how the new employee operates, address their concerns or preconceived notions about the role, and ultimately help them succeed.

If you‘re starting a new job and are not asked to craft a 30-60-90 day plan during the first week of that job, it’s still a good idea to write one for yourself.

A new position can feel like a completely foreign environment during the first few months, and having a plan in place can make it feel more like home.

Even though 90 days is the standard grace period for new employees to learn the ropes, it's also the best time to make a great first impression.

How long should a 30-60-90 day plan be?

While there's no set length for a 30-60-90 day plan, it should include information about onboarding and training, set goals that you're expected to hit by the end of each phase, and all the people to meet and resources to review in support of those goals. This can result in a document that's 3-8 pages long, depending on formatting.

The purpose of your plan is to help you transition into your new role, but it should also be a catalyst for your career development.

Instead of just guiding you over your job's learning curve, the goals outlined in your plan should push you to perform up to your potential and raise the bar for success at every stage.

HubSpot's Senior Manager of Content (and my former manager) Meg Prater suggests having a solid template for your plan that allows it to evolve.

“Anytime I onboard someone, I review all training docs and ensure they're up to date,” she says. “I also ask for feedback from the folks on the team who have most recently been onboarded. What did they like? What didn't work for them?”

She also says moving the plan to a more interactive platform proved to be helpful to new employees.

“One of the most helpful shifts we've made recently is moving our 30-60-90 plan (or 100-Days Plan) from a static Google Doc to Asana,” she says. “The plan is organized by week, and each task contains relevant readings and links. It's much easier for folks to move through, and it gives me better insight into where folks are in the plan.”

Meg onboarded me when I started at HubSpot, and I can confirm that my checklist in Asana was a game-changer because it helped me stay on task and visually track my progress.

The checklist below isn‘t mine, but it’s one she set up and follows the same format as the one she created for me.

Free 30/60/90 Day Onboarding Template

Fill out the form to get the template., parts of a 30-60-90 day plan.

An effective 30-60-90 day plan consists of three extensive phases — one for days 1-30, one for days 31-60, and one for days 61-90.

Each phase has its own goal. For example, the goal in the first 30 days is to learn as much as possible about your new job.

The following 30 focus on using learned skills to contribute, and the last 30 are about demonstrating skill mastery with metrics and taking the lead on new challenges.

Each phase also contains components that help define goals and describe desired outcomes. These parts include:

The primer is a general overview of what you hope to achieve during the current 30-day period.

I prefer sitting down with my manager to pinpoint a primer that aligns with my goals and desired company outcomes, and I encourage you to do the same.

This ensures you and your manager are on the same page about expectations early on in your journey with the company.

The theme is a quick-hitter sentence or statement summarizing your goals for the period. For example, your theme might be “find new opportunities”, “take initiative,” or “be a sponge.”

Learning Goals

Learning goals focus on skills you want to learn or improve to drive better outcomes at your job. For example, if you're responsible for creating website content at your company, you should learn new HTML or CSS skills .

At the start of my career with HubSpot, some marketing trends and jargon were unfamiliar, and I wasn‘t used to the company’s writing style.

As a result, my learning goals as a new blogger were to become more well-versed in marketing and to adapt to HubSpot's writing style.

Performance Goals

Performance goals speak to specific metrics that demonstrate improvement. These include making one more weekly content post or reducing the revisions management requires.

For example, I was only writing one article per week when I started HubSpot, but it was my performance goal to be able to write multiple articles by the end of 30 days.

Initiative Goals

Initiative goals are about thinking outside the box to discover other ways you can contribute. This might mean asking your manager about taking ownership of new website changes or upgrades with a specific deadline in mind.

Personal Goals

Personal goals focus on company culture — are there ways you can improve relationships with your team members or demonstrate your willingness to contribute?

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30-60-90 day plan for new hires (template and examples)

A 30-60-90 day plan outlines the first 90 days of a new team member’s employment and familiarizes them with company policies, teamwork, and goals. This action plan helps your team members check off essential items as they adjust to their new work environment. In this piece, we’ll outline the key components of a 30-60-90 day plan and explain why having one is beneficial.

It’s universally acknowledged that the first 90 days at any company can be intimidating. This isn’t any one person's or program’s fault, either. There’s a lot for your new team members to learn—including using different tools, navigating team norms, and adjusting their own expectations. But when you provide new hires with guidance and expectations, you empower them to hit the ground running from day one.

What is a 30-60-90 day plan?

A 30-60-90 day plan is an outline of a new hire’s first 90 days on your team. It lays out exactly what your new employee should accomplish, from their first week to the end of their third month in a new job. The goal of a 30-60-90 day plan is to give team members a concrete plan for getting up to speed and accomplishing their learning goals. It helps ensure every new hire feels welcomed into the company and understands the responsibilities of their role.

30-60-90 day plans often include the following milestones for each month of onboarding: 

1–30 days: The first month involves intensive training for the employee’s new position. This is when the new hire learns as much as possible about company policies, your company’s products, team structure, and job responsibilities. 

31–60 days: The second month of employment is the new hire’s opportunity to put what they’ve learned into practice by taking on new tasks. This is a key learning period, so it’s ok if your direct reports make mistakes as they get familiar with how things are done. 

61–90 days: The third month of employment is when the new hire starts mastering the skills of their job. This means your employee can now fully meet job expectations and start achieving long-term performance goals .

A 30-60-90 day plan may have similar sections for all new hires, such as company policies and resources. That said, you should also tailor many parts of the plan to fit each individual’s specific role and responsibilities .

Benefits of a 30-60-90 day plan

Creating a 30-60-90 day plan helps improve your onboarding process and set new employees up for success. Onboarding can make or break someone’s experience at a new company, so it’s worth investing in. In fact, research shows that a strong onboarding process can improve employee retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%.

With a 30-60-90 day plan, you can: 

Set goals and create clear expectations for an employee’s first three months on the job.

Space out training sessions and introductions so new hires don’t feel overwhelmed. 

Ensure new team members have the knowledge, resources, and skills they need to be successful in their new role. 

Take time to communicate your core company values . 

Build trust with effective feedback throughout the onboarding process. 

Proactively creating a 30-60-90 day plan can also benefit your hiring process and interview process. Candidates often want to know what their first few months on the job will look like. Having a plan already in place helps hiring managers and recruiters paint a concrete picture for applicants during job interviews. 

What should new hires accomplish in their first 90 days?

Your new hire’s focus in the first 90 days should be to integrate into company culture and master their job description. While there’s time during this initial period for new hires to help with tasks outside of onboarding, your new team members’ initial objectives should revolve around basic acclimation.

Some accomplishments you may ask your new hire to achieve in their first 90 days include:

Learn the company’s mission

Know the organizational structure , including management roles and fellow team members

Understand the responsibilities outlined in the job description

Understand the project roadmap from start to finish

Set short-term objectives toward long-term goals

You should hold a performance review at the end of a new hire’s first 90 days to assess their progress. During this time, you can offer constructive feedback about what they’ve accomplished and how they can continue to improve in their role.

How to write a 30-60-90 day plan

Typically, you’ll write a 30-60-90 day plan before your new hire's onboarding or immediately after they begin their job. As a result, you probably don’t know a lot about your new hire’s personality or strengths. Instead of making your 30-60-90 day plan personal to the team member’s abilities, use your expectations for what you want them to become in their new role to customize each plan.

Step 1: Ask questions

Once you’ve hired someone new, start your 30-60-90 day plan by looking at the big picture and assessing how your new hire fits into that picture. Ask yourself any questions that come to mind about the job role, the onboarding process, and the team. Some questions to begin brainstorming include:

What need do you hope this person will fill? 

What specific problem are you bringing this person in to solve?

What should this person know in order to be successful?

What will the new hire’s daily responsibilities be?

How will the new hire take part in project development?

Ultimately, your 30-60-90 day plan will give your new hire a clear idea of what the first three months will look like. Answering these questions early sets them up for success and helps them build their skills for the role.

Step 2: Set realistic goals

Your 30-60-90 day plan isn’t a day-to-day list of activities your new hire will be working on. Rather, your goal is to give your new hire an overview of their purpose within the company. 

You should also keep in mind when you create your 30-60-90 day plan that a new team member can only do and learn so much in their first few months of employment. While you may have some dire needs to address, try not to throw too much on your new hire’s plate too fast. 

Consider what a reasonable workload should be and minimize that workload for at least the first 30 days. Expect there to be a learning curve. Then, if you find that the team member catches up quickly, you can add work to their plate as appropriate.

Step 3: Create SMART goals

According to a 2014 study by BambooHR, the average company loses one-sixth of their new hires each month for the first three months. Setting concrete goals during onboarding can boost retention, especially if those goals are SMART—specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. SMART goals help clarify expectations and give team members clear stepping stones to follow. That way, new hires are less likely to feel overwhelmed or unengaged. 

The specific goal and success metrics you set for your new hire will depend on their particular role and level within the company. Check out some examples of 90-day SMART goals for different employee positions:

Writer: Successfully publish three articles for one of our clients, which includes taking each article through the entire publishing process from QA to internal edits, client edits, and final edits. 

Customer support: Work with team members to close 30 tickets, which includes learning the internal computer system and solving an array of unexpected tech issues. 

Agency: Collaborate with stakeholders to write one promotional piece. Then promote the piece to bloggers and successfully get it published on at least three websites relevant to the client.

While the new hire’s first 90 days should focus on helping them get comfortable in their new role, adding measurable goals to their action plan can give them a project to work on so they don’t feel like their only purpose is to shadow others. 

Step 4: Give them a mentor

A 30-60-90 day plan isn’t a document you’ll hand over to your new hire and then simply send them on their way to complete their duties. This document should be a reference for your new hire while they collaborate with you and other team members to accomplish tasks. 

When writing your plan, assign the new hire a mentor to give them any advice or guidance they might need. This person will be their go-to guide during the first few weeks for any questions. A good mentor can help orient your new hire so they don’t feel overwhelmed by their new work environment.

Make sure to set your new hire up with a mentor who isn’t their manager. That way, they have someone they can turn to with questions about team synergy and team norms . As their manager, you can focus on providing bigger picture guidance about long-term goals and team collaboration best practices.

Step 5: Set up regular check-ins

An important thing to remember when creating a 30-60-90 day plan is to stay flexible. Even if you feel like your plan outlines exactly what you hope for your new hire to accomplish, there’s no guarantee that the first 90 days will go as expected. 

For example, another team may need help from your new hire a week into their employment, which can derail the SMART goals you initially set for them. It’s also possible that your new hire will learn at a slower or faster pace than you expected. When you understand that the plan is an outline and not a schedule, you’ll feel better about the work you’ve put into it.

Elements of a 30-60-90 day plan

The elements of a 30-60-90 day plan are unique to the team member joining your organization, but the framework of the plan should look similar.

The essential components of a 30-60-90 day plan include:

Company mission: Briefly state your company’s mission at the top of the 30-60-90 day plan to give your new hire an idea of what your company stands for. 

Guiding points: Guiding points may include information about your company culture and elaborate on your business’ core values . For example, these points may include things like: “Ask questions… Value relationships… Have a team mindset… Put your health first…”

Meet the team: In this section, include pictures and blurbs of the people your new hire will work with closely. This can be a good reference for the new hire as they try to learn names and team roles. 

First day overview: The first day overview is the only section of the 30-60-90 day plan that lists out a detailed schedule for the new hire. While this schedule may change, do your best to let your new hire know what to expect on their first day of work , including log-in information or how to set up their email and phone voicemail. That way, they don’t come in feeling lost and unsure about what to do or where to go. 

Top priorities: In the top priorities section of the plan, include an overview of the new hire’s job responsibilities and any needs you hope for them to fill in their new role. 

SMART goals: As mentioned above, the SMART goals you list in the 30-60-90 day plan should be measurable, job-related goals you hope the new hire will achieve within their first 90 days. 

Resources: In the resources section, list links to the company handbook, job description, team directory, and other relevant resources. You can add any resources to this section that you think the team member will find useful as they familiarize themselves with the company and the job.

30-60-90 day plan example

Your new hire will use their 30-60-90 day plan as a roadmap for success as they navigate the challenges in their first months of onboarding. Break down SMART goals and objectives into manageable chunks and include a mix of personal goals and company goals to help new team members settle in.

You should further develop these objectives by including success metrics and KPIs when applicable. This will help people stay motivated and track progress effectively.

Here’s a 30-60-90 day plan example to get you started.

Goal 1: Complete all required onboarding and compliance training modules.

Metric: Completion of all training modules confirmed by human resources.

Example: A new manager at a tech company uses the first 30 days to complete all human resource-led compliance training sessions to ensure they understand the legal and ethical standards required by their new role.

Goal 2: Build relationships with at least 10 new colleagues across different teams and departments.

Metric: Number of introductory meetings or coffee chats held.

Example: A new contributor in a marketing department sets up coffee chats to connect and make a positive first impression with peers in other departments, such as sales and product development.

Goal 3: Develop a solid understanding of the company's products, services, and key processes.

KPI: Score at least 85% on a knowledge assessment test to measure understanding of key information.

Example: A sales manager spends their first month attending product demonstrations and shadowing senior sales calls to observe the nuances of the company's offerings and sales techniques.

Goal 4: Establish a consistent morning routine to improve punctuality and productivity.

Metric: Days arriving at least 15 minutes early tracked over the first month.

Example: A new hire decides to start each day by reading industry news for 15 minutes to stay informed and arrive early to prepare for the day ahead.

Goal 5: Identify and document at least three areas for process improvement or inefficiencies.

KPI: Submission of a detailed report with actionable recommendations for optimization.

Example: A new project manager uses workflow analysis tools to track the time spent on various project stages, identify bottlenecks, and propose solutions to improve efficiency.

Goal 6: Join company-sponsored clubs, sports teams, or volunteer initiatives.

Metric: Participation in at least two different company-sponsored activities.

Example: A new sales manager joins the company's soccer team and the volunteer committee, which allows them to build relationships outside of formal work settings and demonstrate team spirit.

Goal 7: Complete an online course or certification relevant to your role or industry.

KPI: Acquisition of a new certification within the 60-day period.

Example: A new contributor in data analytics enrolls in a certified online course on advanced data visualization techniques to improve their skill set and contribute more effectively to ongoing and new projects.

Goal 8: Establish a healthy work-life balance by scheduling regular exercise or self-care activities.

Metric: Number of weeks adhering to the twice-weekly exercise or self-care schedule.

Example: A human resources manager starts attending yoga classes three times a week after work and using a wellness app to schedule and track sessions.

Goal 9: Propose and implement at least one process improvement or cost-saving measure.

KPI: Documented percentage improvement in efficiency or reduction in costs.

Example: After reviewing existing procurement processes, a new manager proposes a new vendor management system that reduces order times and costs by 15%. They then highlight the direct impact of their initiative on the company's bottom line.

Goal 10: Seek out a mentor within the company who can provide guidance and support.

Metric: Successful identification and commencement of mentorship sessions.

Example: An e-commerce contributor uses LinkedIn to identify and approach a senior leader within the company known for their expertise in developing sales plans and sets up bi-monthly mentorship sessions.

Goal 11: Deliver a training session or knowledge transfer to team members on a specific topic.

KPI: Percentage of attendees who can successfully pass a follow-up knowledge test.

Example: A new manager organizes a workshop on effective sales techniques, using real-world examples from recent successful deals to boost the team's skills and confidence.

Goal 12: Identify and pursue a professional development opportunity outside of work.

Metric: Registration for a relevant professional development activity.

Example: A new hire attends a regional conference on digital marketing trends to network with industry leaders and bring back valuable insights to inform the company's new online marketing strategies.

Not sure where to start? Check out our example 30-60-90 day plan template below for inspiration on how to optimize your onboarding process.

Use this 30-60-90 day outline as a framework to build and customize a plan that works for each new hire that you onboard.

Streamline the onboarding process with work management tools

Printouts and documents quickly become out of date. Keep your onboarding process flexible by creating your 30-60-90 day plan with project management software . Once you share the plan, you can easily monitor your new hire’s progress—plus assign day-to-day action items to keep things on track.

FAQ: 30-60-90 day plan

Why have a 30-60-90 day plan?

Having a 30-60-90 day plan sets clear objectives and benchmarks for personal and professional development over a 90-day period. This type of plan helps individuals organize their priorities, measure their progress, and establish a structured approach to achieving their goals. Whether you're starting a new position, launching a project, or trying to implement a change, having a 30-60-90 day plan can ensure you are focused and hit the ground running.

When should I use a 30-60-90 day plan?

A 30-60-90 day plan is particularly useful when starting a new job, taking on a significant project, or undergoing a transition in a professional role. It helps hiring managers integrate new team members more effectively by facilitating quick acclimatization and productivity. These plans also work well for promoting internal changes or strategies within an organization by acting as a roadmap to align measurable objectives with practical action steps.

What should be included in a 30-60-90 day plan?

A well-crafted 30-60-90 day plan should include specific, measurable goals for each of the three periods. 

The first 30 days are typically focused on learning and integration, where you should include objectives related to understanding company goals, procedures, and tools. 

The next 30 days (the 60-day mark) often shift towards more active involvement, which can include starting new projects and building relationships. 

By the final 30 days, the plan should focus on implementing changes and taking on more significant responsibilities, such as long-term goal setting.

How can a 30-60-90 day plan help you succeed in a new job?

A 30-60-90 day plan can help your success in a new job by providing a clear outline of what to accomplish and when. This strategic plan encourages a proactive approach to learning, relationship-building, and skill development. 

Initially, it helps you quickly absorb the necessary information and company culture. As the plan progresses, it assists in demonstrating your value through early contributions while establishing your presence and impact within the team.

Related resources

How to accomplish big things with long-term goals

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What is self-management? (7 skills to improve it)

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What is a business plan?

1. write an executive summary, 2. describe your company, 3. state your business goals, 4. describe your products and services, 5. do your market research, 6. outline your marketing and sales plan, 7. perform a business financial analysis, 8. make financial projections, 9. summarize how your company operates, 10. add any additional information to an appendix, business plan tips and resources.

A business plan outlines your business’s financial goals and explains how you’ll achieve them over the next three to five years. Here’s a step-by-step guide to writing a business plan that will offer a strong, detailed road map for your business.

ZenBusiness

A business plan is a document that explains what your business does, how it makes money and who its customers are. Internally, writing a business plan should help you clarify your vision and organize your operations. Externally, you can share it with potential lenders and investors to show them you’re on the right track.

Business plans are living documents; it’s OK for them to change over time. Startups may update their business plans often as they figure out who their customers are and what products and services fit them best. Mature companies might only revisit their business plan every few years. Regardless of your business’s age, brush up this document before you apply for a business loan .

» Need help writing? Learn about the best business plan software .

This is your elevator pitch. It should include a mission statement, a brief description of the products or services your business offers and a broad summary of your financial growth plans.

Though the executive summary is the first thing your investors will read, it can be easier to write it last. That way, you can highlight information you’ve identified while writing other sections that go into more detail.

» MORE: How to write an executive summary in 6 steps

Next up is your company description. This should contain basic information like:

Your business’s registered name.

Address of your business location .

Names of key people in the business. Make sure to highlight unique skills or technical expertise among members of your team.

Your company description should also define your business structure — such as a sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation — and include the percent ownership that each owner has and the extent of each owner’s involvement in the company.

Lastly, write a little about the history of your company and the nature of your business now. This prepares the reader to learn about your goals in the next section.

» MORE: How to write a company overview for a business plan

The third part of a business plan is an objective statement. This section spells out what you’d like to accomplish, both in the near term and over the coming years.

If you’re looking for a business loan or outside investment, you can use this section to explain how the financing will help your business grow and how you plan to achieve those growth targets. The key is to provide a clear explanation of the opportunity your business presents to the lender.

For example, if your business is launching a second product line, you might explain how the loan will help your company launch that new product and how much you think sales will increase over the next three years as a result.

» MORE: How to write a successful business plan for a loan

In this section, go into detail about the products or services you offer or plan to offer.

You should include the following:

An explanation of how your product or service works.

The pricing model for your product or service.

The typical customers you serve.

Your supply chain and order fulfillment strategy.

You can also discuss current or pending trademarks and patents associated with your product or service.

Lenders and investors will want to know what sets your product apart from your competition. In your market analysis section , explain who your competitors are. Discuss what they do well, and point out what you can do better. If you’re serving a different or underserved market, explain that.

Here, you can address how you plan to persuade customers to buy your products or services, or how you will develop customer loyalty that will lead to repeat business.

Include details about your sales and distribution strategies, including the costs involved in selling each product .

» MORE: R e a d our complete guide to small business marketing

If you’re a startup, you may not have much information on your business financials yet. However, if you’re an existing business, you’ll want to include income or profit-and-loss statements, a balance sheet that lists your assets and debts, and a cash flow statement that shows how cash comes into and goes out of the company.

Accounting software may be able to generate these reports for you. It may also help you calculate metrics such as:

Net profit margin: the percentage of revenue you keep as net income.

Current ratio: the measurement of your liquidity and ability to repay debts.

Accounts receivable turnover ratio: a measurement of how frequently you collect on receivables per year.

This is a great place to include charts and graphs that make it easy for those reading your plan to understand the financial health of your business.

This is a critical part of your business plan if you’re seeking financing or investors. It outlines how your business will generate enough profit to repay the loan or how you will earn a decent return for investors.

Here, you’ll provide your business’s monthly or quarterly sales, expenses and profit estimates over at least a three-year period — with the future numbers assuming you’ve obtained a new loan.

Accuracy is key, so carefully analyze your past financial statements before giving projections. Your goals may be aggressive, but they should also be realistic.

NerdWallet’s picks for setting up your business finances:

The best business checking accounts .

The best business credit cards .

The best accounting software .

Before the end of your business plan, summarize how your business is structured and outline each team’s responsibilities. This will help your readers understand who performs each of the functions you’ve described above — making and selling your products or services — and how much each of those functions cost.

If any of your employees have exceptional skills, you may want to include their resumes to help explain the competitive advantage they give you.

Finally, attach any supporting information or additional materials that you couldn’t fit in elsewhere. That might include:

Licenses and permits.

Equipment leases.

Bank statements.

Details of your personal and business credit history, if you’re seeking financing.

If the appendix is long, you may want to consider adding a table of contents at the beginning of this section.

How much do you need?

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We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.

Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

Here are some tips to write a detailed, convincing business plan:

Avoid over-optimism: If you’re applying for a business bank loan or professional investment, someone will be reading your business plan closely. Providing unreasonable sales estimates can hurt your chances of approval.

Proofread: Spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors can jump off the page and turn off lenders and prospective investors. If writing and editing aren't your strong suit, you may want to hire a professional business plan writer, copy editor or proofreader.

Use free resources: SCORE is a nonprofit association that offers a large network of volunteer business mentors and experts who can help you write or edit your business plan. The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Small Business Development Centers , which provide free business consulting and help with business plan development, can also be a resource.

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Go to homepage business.govt.nz business.govt.nz

Business.govt.nz, in association with, how to write a business plan.

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula to write a business plan. But there are some key things to consider. Check out our free templates — one for start-ups and a quick-focus template for growing businesses.

Tips for preparing a business plan

• Be clear and focused about what you want to achieve – this will help align your team so you’re all working toward the same thing.
• Choose the type of business plan that works for you – you may like to have a document, or a business canvas might work better.
• Keep it short, simple and easy to understand.
• Keep your goals realistic and relevant to what is going on in the economy and in your industry.
• Use Stats NZ’s Data for Business website to find useful business tools and statistics.
• Contact Stats NZ to get useful business data.
• Get out and speak with your customers to gain understanding of how your product works for them and whether it’s something they would pay for.
• Do a SWOT analysis to determine your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
• Ask your advisor or mentor to review your plan and give you feedback and suggested improvements.

Data for Business (external link) — Stats NZ

Call Stats NZ toll-free on 0508 525 525

Use this free template to help you write a great plan for launching your new business.

A business plan helps you set goals for your business, and plan how you’re going to reach them. When you’re starting out it’s a good idea to do a full and thorough business plan.

Quick-focus business plan

Quick-focus planning to make sure you work on the right things for your growing business - every day.

It’s important to take time to reflect on your business strategies and plan. It doesn’t have to be a difficult or time-consuming task.

Implementing your business plan

• Keep your business plan as a living document – don’t leave it to gather dust on a shelf.
• Make sure it’s easily accessible and top-of-mind for you and your team.
• Reflect your goals in the day-to-day operations of your business.
• Outline the most practical and cost-effective way to achieve each goal – make a note of any extra resources you’ll need.
• Make it clear these goals are the top priority for the business.

SWOT your business, and your competition

A SWOT analysis is a great way to assess what your business does well, and where you’ll need to improve. It can also help you identify ways you can exploit opportunities, and to identify and prepare for potential threats to your business success.

Strengths and weaknesses are typically inside your business — what are you good at, what are you not so good at — while opportunities and threats are external factors.

It can be as simple as drawing a large square, and dividing it into four quadrants – one for each element of the SWOT analysis.

Think about what you, your team, and your business are good at – all the attributes that will help you achieve your goals, for example, what you (and your team) do well, any unique skills or expert knowledge, what you/your business do better than your competitors, good processes and systems, and where your business is most profitable.

Think about the things that could stop you from achieving your objectives. This might include what costs you time and/or money, the areas you or your company need to improve in, what resources you lack, which parts of the business aren’t profitable, poor brand awareness, disorganised processes, or a poor online presence. Think about what you can do to minimise your weaknesses.

Opportunities

Think about the external conditions that will help you achieve your goals. How can you do more for your existing customers, or reach new markets? Are there related products and services that could provide opportunities for your business, and how could you use technology to enhance your business?

Consider the external conditions that could damage your business's performance – things like what’s going on in your industry, and in the economy, the obstacles you face, the strengths of your biggest competitors, and things your competitors are doing that you're not. Think about how you could try to minimise or manage the threats.

Repeat the exercise for your competition too – it’ll help you identify areas where you can beat them, to fine-tune your niche market, and make sure you’re prepared to address the challenge they pose.

Refine and review

Craig Jackson has dabbled in business planning before. But when he set up his ice pop business Dr Feelgood, he decided to work with a mentor.

“She was instrumental to pushing us to a very healthy product. Our first business plan was 47 pages long. It came down to four pages, which distilled down what we were doing and how we look at it,” says Jackson.

“It’s really important to ask ‘do people want your product’ and then ‘are there enough of them to buy it’? Our market validation was me going around gas stations, cafes, dairies and looking in freezers and talking to freezer managers and talking to our friends.”

Jackson regularly reviews progress against his business plan. “We’ve hit all our targets, but have learnt a lot in the first six months of operating. Places I thought we’d really sell, we don’t, and places I thought we’d never go is where we’re going.”

Review your business plan

• Check how you’re tracking to reach key milestones in your business plan every month, and celebrate when these have been reached.
• Stay on top of industry trends and stay connected with your customers – this will help you keep ahead of any changes needed in your business.
• Update your business plan with any changes affecting your business or industry.

Tips on when business planning is right for your business

Tips on types of advice you’ll need

Common mistakes

Not being able to clearly articulate your business and the value it offers to customers.

Making assumptions about your customers rather than speaking with them.

Not reviewing and monitoring your business plan.

Setting unrealistic or uninformed targets.

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How to Write a Business Case for a New Position?

Are you considering about adding more team members in your team?

The first step towards this is to craft a compelling business case for a new position.

Because it’s not just about finding room for an extra chair—it’s about strategically aligning your team for success.

In this blog post, we’ll guide you through the art of advocating for a new position within your organization.

Whether you’re amidst an expansion phase, facing evolving industry demands, or simply striving for better efficiency, this step-by-step guide will help you build a solid case that speaks the language of decision-makers and positions your team for the win.

Let’s embark on the journey of how to write a business case for a new position.

What is a business case?

A business case is a comprehensive document that outlines the justification for initiating a new project, making a significant business decision, or undertaking a specific action within an organization.

It serves as a tool to present a structured argument, providing key information and analysis to support decision-makers in understanding the potential benefits, costs, risks, and strategic alignment of a proposed initiative.

Read in detail: How to write a good business case

Why it is important to write a business case for a new position? 

Writing a business case for a new position is essential for several reasons:

Clarity of Purpose

A business case defines the need for the new position and its purpose within the organization. If the new role and responsibilities are clearly articulated and aligned with the organizational goals then there are high chances that the case for new position will get approval of managment.

Strategic Alignment

Management and decision makers often question about need of a new position. One of the logical way is to tell them how a new position is aligned with overall strategic direction of the organization and how the new position will contribute to the long-term success and growth of the business. And the best way to present this information and rationale in a form of a business case.

Resource Justification

Management and other stakeholders also need to know what a new position cost their organization. A good business case for a new position also provides a detailed breakdown of the costs associated with the new position. It surely helps justify the allocation of resources, including budget, personnel, and time.

Risk Assessment

There are always some form of risks associated with every new position in an organisation. A good business case for a new position also identifies potential risks and challenges associated with the new position. And it also briefly outlines strategies for mitigating risks and addressing challenges.

Quantifiable Benefits

Like any other business idea, management is always interested in knowing benefit of a new position in comparison to the cost incurred against new position. So if a business case presents a cost-benefit analysis to showcase the expected return on investment, then it would be easier for management to take an informed decision.

Accountability and Evaluation

A well-crafted business case is also important because it establishes clear key performance indicators (KPIs) for the new position. If these KPIs are developed on very onset then it is quite helpful for both an employer and an employee to track progress and performance. So a business case provides a roadmap of how accountability and assessment for a new position will be conducted.

Features of Business Case for a New Position

Here are some key features of such business case that would be helpful for any business manager who is supposed to write a business case for a new position.

1. Analysis of Current Organizational Structure

The first step to write a business case for a new position is to identify gaps in the current organizational structure. This section serves as a foundation of the business case and rationale behind proposing a new position.

Below are some key areas that should be included in this analysis section:

Current Workload Assessment

Evaluate the existing workload within the organization. Identify departments, teams, or individuals that may be overburdened or struggling to meet their goals due to excessive tasks.

Capacity Analysis

Understand the capacity of the current workforce to handle the workload. Are teams stretched thin? Are there consistent bottlenecks in certain processes? Assess the overall efficiency and productivity levels.

Impact on Organizational Goal

Relate the workload analysis to the achievement of organizational goals. Determine if the current staffing levels are hindering the organization’s ability to meet targets, deadlines, or deliver quality products/services.

Assessment of Skill Gaps

Identify the strengths and weaknesses of team members in relation to the organization’s strategic objective. Anticipate the skills that will be crucial for the organization’s future success. This involves considering industry trends, technological advancements, and changes in customer demands. Are there emerging skills that the current workforce lacks?

2. Emerging Industry Trends

This information is vital for making the case for a new position, as it demonstrates a forward-thinking approach to adaptability and positions the organization to thrive in a dynamic business environment. When writing the business case, be sure to clearly articulate how the proposed new position directly addresses these emerging challenges and positions the organization for sustained success.

Market Analysis

In this section, a crisp analysis of the current state of the industry is presented. All the major shifts in market dynamics, customer preferences, and technological advancements need to be highlighted here and what are those emerging trends that could impact the organization.

Competitor Analysis

A brief analysis of competitor will also help to understand that how competitors are addressing those challenge. Assess their strategies and developments happening in the industry. Identify areas where competitors are gaining a competitive advantage or where the organization may be falling behind.

Regulatory Changes

A paragraph or so on regulatory framework is also helpful to build the context. It is important to mention the latest changes in regulations that could impact the industry. Identify what are those compliance with new regulations that may require additional roles or skills within the organization.

3. Job Role and Responsibilities

After setting up the context and rationale for a new position, now it is turn to define exact job title, core duties and responsibilities.

Choose a job title that clearly communicates the role and is relevant within the industry and organizational context. The title should resonate with industry standards and be easily understood by both internal and external stakeholders.

Hierarchy and Positioning

Consider the hierarchical positioning of the new role within the organization. Ensure that the job title accurately reflects the level of responsibility and authority associated with the position.

Job Description

Provide a detailed description of the core duties and responsibilities associated with the new position. Clearly outline the day-to-day tasks and the role’s overarching purpose within the organization.

Connect the core duties to the broader objectives of the organization. Explain how the responsibilities of the new position contribute to the achievement of strategic goals and address current challenges.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Define measurable KPIs that will be used to assess the performance of the new position. These indicators should align with the overall goals of the organization and provide a basis for evaluating the success of the role.

4. Desired Qualifications

Clearly defining the desired qualifications helps in creating a profile for the ideal candidate. This section not only assists in the recruitment process but also reinforces the strategic alignment of the new position by ensuring that the candidate possesses the necessary skills and knowledge to contribute effectively to the organization’s objectives.

Skills and Competencies

Specify the technical skills required for the position. This could include proficiency in specific software, languages, or tools relevant to the role.

Identify essential soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, and adaptability. These skills are often as important as technical expertise in contributing to a positive work environment and effective job performance.

If there are skills specific to the industry or niche, outline them clearly. This ensures that the candidate not only has a general skill set but also possesses industry-specific knowledge.

Educational Background

Define the minimum educational requirements for the position, such as a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a relevant field. Be specific about the type of degree required.

 If there are preferred qualifications or certifications that would enhance a candidate’s suitability for the role, list them. This could include professional certifications, specialized training, or additional degrees.

Explain how the educational background is directly relevant to the responsibilities of the new position. For example, certain roles may require a background in a specific field to ensure a deep understanding of industry intricacies.

5. Cost-Benefit Analysis

When projecting costs related to salary and benefits, it’s important to not only consider the immediate financial impact but also to emphasize the long-term value that the organization will gain from investing in a qualified and motivated professional. This section of the business case provides decision-makers with a transparent view of the financial commitment required for the successful implementation of the new position.

Projecting Costs

Clearly outline the anticipated base salary for the new position. This should be competitive within the industry and commensurate with the level of responsibility associated with the role.

Detail the benefits that will be provided to the employee, including health insurance, retirement plans, bonuses, and any other perks or allowances. The benefits package is a crucial component of the overall compensation offered.

If applicable, include any variable or performance-based compensation elements, such as bonuses or commissions. Specify the criteria for earning these variable components.

Provide a comprehensive view of the total compensation package, combining the base salary and benefits. This gives decision-makers a clear understanding of the financial commitment associated with the new position

Anticipated Benefits

Explain how the new position will help in distributing the workload more effectively across the team or department. This can prevent burnout and ensure that tasks are completed with a higher level of attention and quality.

Highlight how the skills and expertise brought by the new hire will lead to specialized contributions, potentially accelerating project timelines and improving overall team output.

Discuss how the introduction of the new position is expected to save time for existing team members, allowing them to focus on more strategic or complex task.

6. Timeline and Implementation Plan

By providing a detailed timeline and implementation plan, you demonstrate a thoughtful approach to the integration of the new position into the organization. This section helps decision-makers understand the practical aspects of bringing the proposed role to fruition and ensures a well-managed and efficient process from approval to successful onboarding.

Recruitment Process

Clearly state the expected timeline for obtaining approval for the new position. This could involve meetings with stakeholders, discussions with the leadership team, and the formal approval process.

Specify the anticipated duration for creating and posting the job opening. Discuss the recruitment strategy, including where the position will be advertised and the methods for sourcing candidates.

Outline the time allocated for reviewing applications, shortlisting candidates, and conducting initial screenings. This phase may involve collaboration with HR and hiring managers.

Onboarding and Training

Detail the expected timeline for extending a job offer to the selected candidate and the subsequent acceptance period. This includes negotiations, if any, related to compensation and benefits.

If the selected candidate is currently employed elsewhere, factor in the notice period and any transitional activities. Plan for a smooth handover if needed.

Present the onboarding plan, including the orientation process, introduction to team members, and initial training sessions. Consider any department-specific or role-specific onboarding requirements.

Outline the training schedule for the new hire, including any skills development, software training, or industry-specific training. Specify who will be responsible for conducting the training sessions.

7. Setting up Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) 

Establishing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) is a critical step in ensuring that the success and impact of the new position can be measured effectively. Here’s how you can structure this section of the business case:

Identify Relevant KPIs

Determine specific, measurable metrics that directly align with the objectives of the new position. For example, if the goal is to enhance customer satisfaction, a relevant KPI could be the percentage increase in positive customer feedback.

Ensure that the selected KPIs are directly tied to the strategic goals and objectives outlined in the business case. This alignment reinforces the contribution of the new position to the overall success of the organization.

Define Performance Targets

Set realistic and achievable performance targets for each identified KPI. Consider historical data, industry standards, or organizational benchmarks to establish a baseline for comparison.

Specify the timeframe within which these performance targets are expected to be achieved. This could include short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals.

Continuous Improvement Mechanism

Incorporate feedback mechanisms to gather insights from team members, supervisors, and other stakeholders. This information can be valuable in adjusting strategies and optimizing the performance of the new position.

Acknowledge that KPIs and performance targets may need adjustments based on evolving organizational needs, changes in the business environment, or unforeseen challenges

Final Words 

A well-articulated business case for a new position is a strategic document for organizations seeking growth and adaptability. Business leaders need all the rationale and information related to new position to make an informed decision. From identifying gaps in the current organizational structure to outlining the anticipated benefits and establishing key performance indicators, each step in process helps to write an effective business case for a new position.

About The Author

Tahir Abbas

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Onboarding New Employees — Without Overwhelming Them

• Julia Phelan

Give people the space and time they need to thrive in their new job.

A great onboarding experience can keep new hires engaged and committed, and increase their learning and preparedness for their new role. In trying to ensure new employees feel supported and properly prepared, some organizations flood new hires with far too much information. Even if managers have the best intentions, bombarding new hires with tasks  — such as asking them to read every single page of the employee manual or requiring them to get set-up on Slack, email, Box, and all the other platforms all at once — will backfire. Three strategies can help organizations mitigate this overload and ensure employees have the space, time, and mental resources available to learn and thrive in their new job.

We know that effectively onboarding new employees has huge value. A good onboarding process — with clear information on job requirements, organizational norms, and performance expectations — not only enhances employee productivity but helps increase loyalty and engagement, and decrease s turnover .

• JP Julia Phelan , Ph.D. is a learning design consultant and expert in applying learning science principles to create effective learning experiences. She works with organizations to help build a strong workplace learning culture by improving training design, implementation, and outcomes. She is the co-founder of To Eleven , and a former UCLA education research scientist. Connect with her on LinkedIn .

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Tanya is a finance expert serving investors and entrepreneurs in M&A, fundraising, buy and build, growth strategies, creating financial transparency, and defining business optimization potentials. She's executed €50 million in debt, equity, and M&A transactions in PE/VC and headed finance at a shared mobility startup, preparing the company for the financing round. Tanya enjoys freelancing due to the opportunities to create value and get to know exciting people and businesses.

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Nick is a CFA with a 28-year track record spanning 40+ countries in M&A, finance, strategy, and policy. He's supported executive decisions in 60 high-stake projects, including M&A transactions ($46 billion), radio-spectrum auctions and trades ($3.5 billion), public policy advocacy, government contract bids (worth $1 billion), go-to-market strategies, and raises for small caps and tech startups. Independent since 2001, Nick has enjoyed working in diverse markets, sectors, and cultures.

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Julio has diversified experience as a finance VP for multinationals based in the US and Latin America in the financing, pharmaceutical, luxury goods, and personal care sectors and distribution channels, such as retail, wholesale, and travel retail. Julio's expertise includes financial planning and modeling, investment banking, commercial real estate, fundraising, business plan development, logistics, company valuation, and strategic and visionary leadership based on innovation and creativity.

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A Wharton MBA graduate, Carlo has led transactions on $10 billion worth of LBO and growth capital deals. He's worked in investment banking, M&A (Deutsche Bank), management consulting (Bain & Company, Oliver Wyman), and corporate development (Lehman Brothers). Carlo leverages his skills in corporate finance, business strategy, and international business development to help companies scale and deliver value for their investors.

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Wen helped a French multimillion-euro food startup build its equity story and manage potential acquirers (Danone). She has project experience with private equity funds, venture capital, and industrial groups in France, Belgium, China, Africa, and the US. She is skilled in financial analysis and modeling, investor deck, and market research. Wen freelances to help advise startups and corporates on business strategy, investor relations, and fundraising projects.

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Bertrand is a 25-year finance veteran with a true 360 experience, honed as an investment banker, venture advisor, project developer, CFO, and expert witness consultant in international arbitrations. He has advised and partnered on over 100 transactions and investment initiatives totaling over $16 billion. Bertrand is a seasoned problem solver and decision-maker with expert facilitation skills. Bertrand advises on M&A, corporate development, venture growth, project development, and financing.

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Build Your Case: Increasing Headcount on Your Team

• December 11, 2019
• Leadership & Management

How can you justify and build a business case for additional staff ? This question is easily one of the most frustrating things for hiring managers. You feel your team is understaffed and overworked. Even worse, you’re starting to worry about employee morale and the quality of work being pushed out the door.

So, what are some of the reasons it’s so hard to advocate for more staff? And more importantly, how can you overcome the common objections raised by the decision-makers when it comes to hiring more employees?

Why it’s so tough to convince decision-makers:

• Costs – People are a large expense for companies. Eliminating employees increases equity for owners and decreases costs associated with benefits, salaries, equipment, training, etc.
• Productivity – Companies sometimes downsize to increase productivity. Counterintuitive? Maybe. But, some companies think they can increase individual worker output while keeping production constant.  A company might also downsize to increase productivity by replacing workers with technology.
• Value – Downsizing generally signals restructuring or change. If shareholders/investors think these changes will increase profitability, it will increase the value of company stock. This can result in more investors coming on board or current investors increasing their contributions. In either case, downsizing can increase the company’s perceived value.
• Failed Evaluation – Some managers fail to critically evaluate their needs and the type of help required.
• Outsourcing – Some companies overextend the number/types of services they offer which leads to the elimination of products/services or outsourcing certain activities. In turn, this often leads to a decrease in employees.

How To Build Your Case for Additional Staff:

Follow the steps in this guide to help you build a solid business case to justify an increase in headcount for your team.

Step 1: Identify your needs

Identify your needs by asking yourself some simple questions:

• Do you need help during specific times of the year?
• Are you seeing a higher volume of work right now? Do you expect that volume of work to continue?
• Do you have specific gaps on your team? Do the gaps frequently change?
• Is your business growing?
• Do your team members seem more emotional and/or sensitive than usual?
• Is the quality of work on your team decreasing?
• Are you experiencing a higher turnover than normal?
• Are employees working early mornings, evenings, on weekends and missing family or social engagements to work?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, it’s time to identify the type of help you need…

Step 2: Be specific about what you’ll be asking for in a new hire

Not being specific with your requests is a critical mistake to avoid! When you’re asking for an increase in staff, focus on:

• Skills/knowledge
• Industry experience
• Specific backgrounds
• Personalities

In addition, think about how many employees you need to hire and what kind (full-time, part-time, temporary, freelance, etc.). No need to start from scratch – check out these job description templates that include responsibilities, key role metrics, competitive salary information, and more!

Step 3: Collect the right data

You’ll want to collect the data that will help you frame your argument for why you need more staff, exactly how many new employees, what kind , and why.

Use real-life scenarios to illustrate the negative impact of being understaffed and how an increase in headcount can help your team meet its goals. The best data you can collect on your own to help you make your case include things that will show:

• Impact on company goals
• Indisputable facts that highlight a need for action
• How the business has been/will be negatively impacted by not hiring

Examples of data you can collect to showcase trends (some may currently be tracked by your team, and some may not):

• An increase in the number of projects being assigned to the team but with the same number of resources (or less) assigned to complete the tasks
• Working hours of current staff, which show everyone is consistently working extended hours. You can use data like this to calculate a specific deficit in your needs. For example, 6 months of tracking shows a 2-head deficit relative to capacity (ask salaried employees to track their hours in a spreadsheet)
• An overall decrease in employee satisfaction, work quality, and customer service

If you don’t already have a Headcount Planning Strategy, consider creating one, so you can show how you can maximize efficiency and help justify your need for hiring when necessary.

Step 4: Show your current state and the consequences of not hiring

There can be serious consequences for not hiring if the customers, team, and business are suffering. This phenomenon is often referred to as the opportunity cost, which represents the lost benefits that would have been achieved if the new hire had been made.

Point out some of these consequences to the decision-makers:

• Increased attrition/turnover
• Decrease in qualified marketing and sales leads
• Decrease in sales revenue
• Missed growth opportunities
• Competitive disadvantages
• Delayed projects and initiatives
• Other enormous impacts on the overall goals of the company

Step 5: Exhibit the positive impacts of hiring (for the customers, employees, and business)

Compare the current state to the future desired state. Focus on the impact. When you outline your plan, include how these things positively impact customers, employees, and business. For example:

• Improved marketing efforts can positively impact the customer experience from a consumer perspective
• Time to pursue career development opportunities can positively impact the morale and stability of a team
• Generating higher-quality leads can positively impact big company goals, such as increasing sales revenue

Step 6: Know when and where to discuss this topic with decision-makers

When and where you should bring up adding more headcount to your team is crucial and wildly depends on your company and situation. So, follow these tips:

• Pay attention to timing. It’s best to plead your case when your company has the money, when you can identify where to save alternative dollars and spend, or when your team recently had huge accomplishments
• Ask yourself if it’s best to broach this topic during budget planning at the beginning or the end of the fiscal year; be smart about it and base it on your company structure
• Always schedule an in-person, one-on-one meeting with the decision-makers; avoid getting ignored or shot down by email or phone

Step 7: Consider alternatives to full-time employees

If executives are hesitant to add full-time employees, you can explore other options, such as freelancers or contractors . The key is to show how these temporary workers can fill skill gaps, provide flexible staffing solutions, and allow for a trial period before committing to a full-time employee. This is also a great opportunity to show the need for more full-time staff in the future.

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The Ultimate Guide: How To Build A New Hire Training Plan + Outline  

Did you know that 50% of hourly workers quit their jobs within the first 120 days?

This is due to companies lacking an effective new hire training program that engages new employees well into the company culture, and the expectations set out for them.

When new hires join the company, the onboarding process should start straightaway to get them up and running quickly. From introducing them to their team members, to acclimating them to their new tasks and responsibilities, building a new-hire training plan is all about making sure that new hires understand what it is like to work at your company and feel engaged in training programs.

This blog post will cover everything you need to know about creating an effective new hire training program that will boost your employee performance , and inform you on what needs to be included in a new employee training checklist.

What's in this post:

Why is a new hire training plan important?

What does a new hire training program include?

How to build a new hire training plan

Brief outline for new hire training plan

Having comprehensive and well-structured new-hire training programs can boost your company's efficiency in the following ways:

Develop skills and knowledge from the get-go: Skill development is crucial for new hire training as it equips them with the right knowledge and competencies to perform their tasks, and succeed in their role. It also allows employees to combine their theoretical knowledge gained from the training and take on a practical approach, enabling new hires to apply their knowledge straight to their tasks from day one. This helps new hires to become more involved in the training process and gain new skills at their own pace.

Increases efficiency: When new hires get to apply the knowledge and skills gained in the training program to their tasks, their productivity and efficiency levels naturally increase as they become well-versed in their roles. As a result, new hire training also minimizes the chances for errors to occur, reducing the learning curve, and promoting standardized procedures. This will also lead to new hires completing their tasks much quicker, with fewer mistakes, and create a streamlined workflow which will help them gain confidence in their position.

Increases employee retention and growth: One of the best things you can do to keep your new hires loyal to your company after their first few weeks or months is to consider their professional growth, and this is what new hire training accomplishes. As new hires develop new skills and competencies right from their first day on, they gain more confidence in their abilities to perform well in their tasks, which leads to higher employee engagement and higher job satisfaction. As a result, this satisfaction helps companies promote employee retention as new hires become motivated to stay longer and contribute to your company's long-term success.

What does a new hire training plan include?

An effective training program for new hires is not only for new hires, but they are also for managers to track employee performance and training process. It is a guide that keeps everyone updated and on the same page, and has expectations and goals consistently aligned.

Here are a few components that an effective training plans must have:

Below are seven ways you can build an effective new-hire training plan that integrates new team members effectively into your company.

Begin the onboarding process before day one

Many think that the onboarding program typically starts on the first day that the new hire steps into the office, but it's always good to be one step ahead.

How can you start it before day one? By sending new employees a welcome e-mail with an onboarding toolkit that includes a company overview, company policies, employment contracts, and any other essential documents that they should complete before coming into the office and becoming an official team member.

Having a pre-boarding strategy helps you to set a positive impression with your new hires and ensures that they feel well-prepared on their first day. You will also benefit from pre-boarding as you can save time on sitting down and going through every document or company overview in person when they can read it at their own pace in their own time before coming into the office.

This also helps new hires to feel more confident and comfortable on their first day as they would already know more about their new job before starting the process.

Implement a 30-60-90 day plan to outline expectations clearly 

Providing a clear and detailed job description is important. The job description should outline all the responsibilities, objectives, and KPIs (Key performance indicators) that the new hire should know for the role.

Having clear expectations and descriptions of the tasks they will be responsible for will help them get a better understanding of how they should perform, and how they are contributing to your organization's success.

Therefore, one efficient way to do so is to use a 30-60-90 day plan to keep track of the goals and training progress of each new hire for the first few months of their job. Below is a brief overview of what the plan entails.

The first 30 days are the time to engage new hires in all knowledge and learning-based goals such as:

Integrating them into the company culture and helping them understand company policies.

Training them to navigate the various company-specific platforms that are in use, intranet systems, and any collaboration or communication tools or channels.

Allowing them to complete all company-specific training sessions to give them a strong foundation for the upcoming training programs.

Introducing them to different stakeholders and helping them build positive working relationships.

Introduce them to their new projects.

Creating an employee development plan that includes setting SMART goals, and including metrics and different KPIs to measure performance success .

After 60 days, the goal is to:

New hires begin collaborating with other teams to form stronger work relationships and experience.

Identify any issues or points that they are experiencing in their role or development plan and find ways to address them.

Having regular check-ins with their managers to receive feedback on their progress and voice any challenges or concerns they may be having. Therefore, managers should schedule frequent one-on-ones with new hires to offer them support and see how they are doing. This helps new hires to feel more comfortable approaching management in the long run.

Once the 90-day mark has reached:

New hires will be well-settled into their roles and master their job skills to achieve their SMART goals.

This will lead to new employees beginning to work more independently on their projects, being more accountable for their performance and work outcomes, and becoming more proactive and involved in organizational activities and events.

Regular meetings with managers for feedback and KPIs will still take place.

Understand the needs and opportunities of your new hire 

Onboarding a new employee is also the perfect opportunity for you to get to know them better. By this, we mean getting to know what skills and talents they bring into their new position. Therefore, conducting a training needs assessment is essential when building a new hire training plan. It provides you with insights into a new employee's existing skill sets, knowledge gaps, and preferred learning styles.

Remember that a one-size-fits-all approach is not effective when creating training plan templates. This is because every employee has their unique capabilities and skills and it can be a massive time-saver to avoid teaching them the same skills over and over again when they could be gaining new competencies and succeeding much faster in their role.

A training needs assessment helps you to meet the individual needs of each new hire and personalize their training program that caters to their strengths and areas for development. It also ensures that their strengths are being capitalized, and helps your organization to design a more efficient and focused training plan that leads to faster skill development, improved employee morale, and higher productivity among new hires.

💡Pro Tip: Ask existing employees what the training plan should include. Since they have already been through a new hire training program before, consult with them on what went well, and what they found effective and get their insight to make your new hire training plan continuously better than it was before.

Leverage Artificial Intelligence to streamline the process 

Several employee training programs have begun to harness the power of Artificial Intelligence in their employee training plans and it is about time that new hires reap the benefits of this as well.

Having AI as part of your new hire training plan allows you to set up personalized training paths that cater to each individual's training needs, and facilitate more effective interactions with important team members. This, in turn, helps turn new hires into top performers fast.

It also allows for a more personalized onboarding experience that is a strong catalyst for employee engagement by up to 54%.

AI can help companies make each new hire feel welcomed and engaged right from day one. Imagine being the one to receive onboarding content that aligns well with your skill set, career goals, and learning preference and pace. If you would enjoy this, imagine how delighted your new hires will be to be offered the same experience.

All in all, AI creates a structured, and tailored onboarding training experience for each new hire. Statistics have also proven that when new hires undergo structured onboarding training, their productivity levels boost up to 50% more, and become twice as likely to be satisfied with their work.

Involve mentors 

Mentors are a valuable asset for new hire training. Mentors are usually experienced employees who can offer invaluable support and insights into the company's workflow, culture, and best practices, and guide new hires to acclimate more quickly into their new role.

Mentors are a trusted source for new hires to go to to ask questions and receive reliable answers from, receive reliable advice, and a person whom they can receive practical knowledge and tips. Delegating mentors into your new hire training plan essentially helps to create a supportive and open learning environment. Everyone needs a little extra support in the beginning, and mentors are just the right people for it.

Mentors can also help you to pinpoint any further training needs for each new hire, and provide them with real-world context to their training to help new hires better understand the organization's processes and learn how to navigate them successfully.

All in all, mentorship not only enhances the overall new hire training experience, but it also facilitates faster integration and cultivates a sense of belonging among new hires which contributes to the development of an effective new hire training plan.

Provide regular feedback 

This is one that we hear all the time, but we cannot stress the importance of it enough. Feedback is a valuable learning opportunity for new hires, and also a chance for managers to keep track of how your new hires are performing.

As new hires begin to become more confident in what their role requests of them in terms of responsibilities and tasks, it is vital that managers schedule regular check-in meetings to provide feedback on how they are doing and discuss the next steps or where they may need more support or training.

Especially in the first few weeks and months, your new hires may have continuous questions or suggestions on how to perform a task. Therefore, by having regular feedback sessions, you can address these topics understand the challenges that new employees might be facing, and resolve them before it's too late.

More importantly, it keeps managers in the loop and shows new hires that you are engaged and interested in their professional development within your company.

Brief outline for a new hire training program

Every new hire training plan outline will vary, depending on your company size, and company workflow. Below is a generalized one that will give you a structured head start on building an effective new-hire training program.

New Hire Name:

Job position:

Name of Manager/Supervisor:

Trainer name:

Job title of Trainer:

Overview of the company: 

Overview of company policies, organizational tools, and standard procedures: 

Week 1 of Training:

Name of training/activities

Status of training/activities

Goals and objectives for this training

30 days of training:

60 days of training:

90 days of training:

Employee signature:

Manager/Supervisor signature:

Further notes

💡Pro Tip #1: Although training plans may not have an expiry date, they should be updated regularly because there is always room for improvement and new best practices to implement. Make sure to reevaluate your new hire training plans regularly to ensure that all training is current and relevant and to include any new training programs and activities.

💡Pro Tip #2: Don't forget workplace safety training! 

Thinking about cultivating future leaders or reflecting on how you can transform your employees into top performers? It all begins in the onboarding and continues to succeed from there. This is why making sure that you develop a structured, and well-defined new-hire training plan is what will help skyrocket employee productivity and performance.

Retorio's behavioral intelligence platform will be just the answer for you if you are in search of training that leverages the power of Artificial Intelligence and works to bring out the best in each of your new employees and leaders.

Retorio's AI-powered training creates tailored learning paths for every individual based on their strengths and areas for improvement and provides them with exercises and personalized feedback on their performance that will cater to their training needs and learning style. Moreover, Retorio's training platform also serves on-demand learning in a psychologically safe space that is accessible anywhere at any time.

Become part of the percentage of companies that leverage AI to enhance their training programs and onboarding experiences today! The best part is, that you can try it out for free to see for yourself.

What is the difference between onboarding and training?

Onboarding and training typically coexist within the same realm. An effective onboarding program integrates training into the process. However, onboarding by itself is a short-term process to acclimate new employees into their roles and develop the necessary workplace skills and proficiencies within the first few weeks. On the other hand, training is an ongoing process that new employees are part of that goes on for 6 to 12 months. Employees take part in development programs that will help them become well-versed in their responsibilities and continuously learn new skills and competencies while performing their tasks.

3 things to avoid during new hire training 

The three main things to avoid when it comes to new hire training are the following:

Giving unclear expectations which can confuse new hires on what is expected of them, and how they can succeed in their role.

Overwhelming them with information that they are most likely to forget. Avoid bombarding new hires with too much information in the beginning. Instead, try to distribute the information evenly and mention them all in an online document that they can access whenever they want.

Delaying the onboarding period. New hires want to get integrated into their roles straightaway and you want to see them achieve results. Therefore, the longer you delay the onboarding process, the longer it will take to get new hires acclimated to their role which can lead to time waste and increased costs that can be avoided by being organized.

Anna Schosser

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What if I already started writing my plan?

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Do you do market research? What does that include?

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What if i don't like my plan.

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Is my plan writer an expert in my industry?

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Small Business Definitions

What is a business plan.

In its simplest form, a business plan is a guide—a roadmap for your business that outlines goals and details how you plan to achieve those goals. At its heart, a business plan is just a plan for how your business is going to work, and how you're going to make it succeed. Read our full article on "What is a business plan" here.

What is in a business plan?

The executive summary is an overview of your business and your plans. It comes first in your plan and is ideally only one to two pages. Most people write it last, though.

The opportunity section answers these questions: What are you actually selling and how are you solving a problem (or "need") for your market? Who is your target market and competition?

In the execution chapter of your business plan, you'll answer the question: how are you going to take your opportunity and turn it into a business? This section will cover your marketing and sales plan, operations, and your milestones and metrics for success.

Investors look for great teams in addition to great ideas. Use the company and management chapter to describe your current team and who you need to hire. You will also provide a quick overview of your legal structure, location, and history if you're already up and running.

Your business plan isn't complete without a financial forecast . We'll tell you what to include in your financial plan, but you'll definitely want to start with a sales forecast, cash flow statement, income statement (also called profit and loss), and your balance sheet.

If you need more space for product images or additional information, use the appendix for those details.

Read our full article "How to Write a Business Plan — the Comprehensive Guide" for more information, here.

Why is a business plan important?

There are many reasons why it is important to have a business plan. A business plan is essential if you're seeking a loan or investment, can help you make big spending decisions with confidence and is a solid foundation for ongoing strategic planning and prioritization. Read our full article on "8 Reasons Having a Business Plan is Important" here.

What is a business plan writer/consultant?

A business plan writer/consultant is a business and financial expert who can help guide you through the process of creating a business plan and do much of the labor involved in creating it. They will work with you to understand your business model, do market research, create financial projections and offer guidance as all of those pieces are brought together in a full business plan document.

How to pick a business plan writer/consultant?

Picking a business plan writer or business plan consultant is an important decision — you'll want to find someone dedicated to your success, with experience in your industry or field and that is in it for the long haul. Read our full article on "Things to Look for When Hiring a Business Plan Writer" here.

Why should you pay someone to write your business plan?

You don't have time. Starting a business is time consuming. Oftentimes people have to juggle a regular 9-5 job while working on starting their business. That doesn't leave a lot of time for a big writing project. Hiring a professional to write your business plan can help you give you time to focus on the tasks that are critical to getting your business off the ground.

You want to make sure it is done right, the first time. You only get one chance to make a first impression. Hiring a professional to write your plan for you can give you the peace of mind that your plan is the best it can be when you present it to potential lenders or investors.

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Employee Onboarding Guide

Onboarding definition & overview.

Last updated: May 15th, 2024

Quality onboarding is crucial for new employees' long-term success and organizational productivity. Learn why a solid employee onboarding process can make a significant impact on employee experience and retention, plus innovative ideas to approaching welcoming new staff.

Onboarding Guide Navigation

> Definition & Overview

What Is Onboarding?

Onboarding is the process of integrating new employees into an organization. It includes the orientation process and opportunities for new hires to learn about the organization's structure, culture, vision, mission and values. Onboarding can span one or two days of activities at some companies; others offer a more extensive series of activities spanning months. 

Onboarding is often confused with orientation. While orientation is necessary for completing paperwork and other routine tasks, onboarding is a comprehensive process involving management and other employees and can last up to 12 months. 

Why Is It Important to Get Onboarding Right?

All new employees are onboarded—but the quality of the onboarding makes a difference. Too often, onboarding consists of handing a new employee a pile of forms and having a supervisor or HR professional walk the employee around the premises, making introductions on an ad hoc basis. When onboarding is done well, however, it lays a foundation for long-term success for the employee and the employer. It can improve productivity, build loyalty and engagement, and help employees become successful early in their careers with the new organization.

A study by  Gallup  showed that while only 12 percent of employees felt their company did a great job with onboarding, those employees were nearly three times as likely to say they have the best possible job. Overall, only 29 percent of new hires felt they were prepared and supported to excel in their new role. This leaves a lot of room for improvement.

Other studies consistently show a positive correlation between engaged employees and a company's profitability, turnover rate, safety record, absenteeism, product quality and customer ratings. An effective onboarding plan offers an ideal opportunity to boost employee engagement by, for example, fostering a supportive relationship between new hires and management, reinforcing the company's commitment to helping employees' professional growth and proving that management recognizes the employees' talent.   For further reading learn  how to optimize the onboarding process  and the importance of good onboarding . 

Relatedly, an  employee value proposition  (EVP) defines the value employees will get from working for a particular organization. It embodies the promises made during recruitment and is lived out every day through company culture. Onboarding gives employees their first look at how an organization's EVP may or may not be realized.

Onboarding Process Summary

While there are many ways to design an onboarding program, some components are integral to the process:

1. Preboarding

Consider inviting new employees to tour the facility, sending informational material, providing care packages, and assigning a buddy to help them integrate before their official start date.

2. Orientation

Introduce employees to the organization's structure, vision, mission, and values; review employee handbook and major policies; complete paperwork; cover administrative procedures; and provide other mandatory training.

3. Foundation Building

Ensure the onboarding process consistently embodies an organization's culture, mission, employee value proposition, brand, and other foundational elements, recognizing that assimilating these values takes time.

4. Mentoring and Buddy Systems

In partnership with hiring managers, enlist mentors or buddies to provide new employees with guidance, assistance, and insights into organizational nuances.

View our full guide on onboarding process steps.

Innovative Approaches to Onboarding

Various components of an onboarding program can be delivered using different approaches and methodologies combined to suit the organization and available resources.

Some employers are using innovative practices, such as games, video, and team-building exercises, to get new hires excited about joining the company. They're also working to make sure people can hit the ground running with functional workstations and equipment. Some examples of this include: 

Facebook has its "45-minute rule," which means all new employees can begin to work within 45 minutes of arriving because all of their systems and devices have been set up before they report for their first day.

Leaders at Suffolk Construction, a national construction firm based in Boston, invite entry-level hires to participate in a variety of team-building exercises, including rowing the Charles River. 

New employees at Bedgear, a Farmingdale, N.Y.-based manufacturer of performance bedding, take a walking tour of downtown Manhattan to visit other retailers that sell customized products, including Warby Parker and Samsung.

View more  original onboarding options, shared from 4 HR leaders . 

Continue Learning About Onboarding

Additional resources:.

• Checklist for Developing Onboarding/New Hire Practices
• New Hire Orientation Checklist
• New-Hire Orientation Process
• New Hire Survey
• New Hire Survey – Remote Employee
• Onboarding Companies and Vendors in the SHRM Vendor Directory  
• SHRM Store resources on  Onboarding

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7 Employee Development Plan Examples to Help Your Team Succeed

Why do you need employee development plans, let alone employee development plan examples? No employee can ever (or would ever want to) stand still. There is almost always room for improvement, ways in which you can apply learning and development concepts to build new skills and help your employees meet their career goals.

But that process doesn’t happen magically. You need a strategic employee development program to achieve professional growth and optimize your performance management.

According to a 2022 Society of Human Resources Management report, 48% of employees call training opportunities a significant factor in choosing their job. Meanwhile, more than three-quarters are more likely to stay in their current role and organization if they get that opportunity.

But building strategic development opportunities can still be a struggle. Sure, you can put a mentoring program in place. But ultimately, modern L&D needs to be customized to each employee to truly build their competency.

Getting there means building roadmaps for your employee training program. Those roadmaps, in turn, are exactly why you need an employee development plan.

What is a professional development plan?

As we’ll highlight in this article, employee development plan examples can diverge quite heavily from one another. But they all tend to fall under a general definition we can use to get us started:

A professional or employee development plan is a written document that outlines how your employees, both individually and as a team, can meet their professional goals. It pulls from and builds toward performance reviews, making them more relevant and actionable to help team members improve and meet both short-term and long-term goals.

5 key features that the best employee development plan examples tend to share

Not all professional development plans are created equal. Some may focus on leadership skills, while others are designed for onboarding. Some lead to formal certifications, while others are closer connected to more informal mentorship programs. But all of them tend to share a few key features designed to make them effective:

• Time-bound. While some employee development plan examples focus on it more than others, all plans should have at least some specific time frame attached to evaluate initiatives after their completion.
• Milestones. In addition to an ending time, regular milestones help employees and supervisors check in on their progress and ensure a higher chance of success.
• Evaluation of current skills. Establishing a baseline of your employees’ skills allows you to perform a skills gap analysis and makes it easier to measure the growth in your employees’ skill sets.
• Action-oriented. Any effective employee development plan should have actionable steps specifically designed to build that above-mentioned roadmap. Those steps help to create a more intentional training plan.
• Measurable. Whether they’re designed for career growth or to help achieve company goals, development plans should be specific and include the right metrics to easily measure learning effectiveness .

The employee development plan examples shared below all include these components. As you build your own development plans and templates, keep these factors in mind to maximize your chances of success.

How does the right plan help you meet your business goals?

Put simply, a development plan makes the process of development initiatives more concrete. By outlining exactly what should be achieved and how it can be achieved, this type of growth plan can go a long way in helping your individual employees and your team meet crucial development goals.

Just as importantly, the right plan can also drive employee engagement . Especially when focusing on skill development related to an employee’s career or leadership development, telling your team members how they can get there and providing the support to do so has a significant impact on job satisfaction and employee retention.

Seven employee development plan examples you can implement right now

That’s it for the generalities. Now, it’s time to jump into the employee development plan examples specifically designed to nurture more high-performing employees.

1. Time-based individual development plan

As its name suggests, this plan orients itself around a timeline on which to achieve crucial employee goals. It’s typically based around a twelve-month calendar to align with annual employee performance reviews.

This type of plan can be built on individual goals or skills to be developed as the core variable. It should define an outcome for either of those variables, along with the timeframe at which it can be achieved. That ties the goals of the plan directly to the timeline, shown in a calendar view or Gantt chart to keep a visual overview.

2. Team-based action plan for development

Employee development plan examples don’t have to be limited to individual team members. This option creates an action plan for the entire team, helping to build core competencies as you look to improve performance and cohesion across the operation.

This plan starts with an assessment, often in the form of a SWOT analysis of where the team currently is. The insights gained help create a roadmap to fix weaknesses and build on strengths. In addition to overarching team goals, each team member should also have specific goals and objectives to achieve that lead to those larger goals.

3. Career development plan for team members

It’s time to think broadly. Ultimately, a successful career is as beneficial for the company as it is for the employee in question. It’s why career development is a leading factor not just for employee engagement but also for improving the productivity of your workforce.

A career development plan should begin with an outline of the employee’s career goals. These goals are then compared to current skills via skill gap analysis. The outcome of that analysis, in turn, can lead to a more specific plan on what skills to prioritize and develop.

Unlike some of the other employee development plan examples on this list, a career development plan can stretch over multiple years. Still, attaching specific timelines—like a three-year or five-year time frame—can help employees and managers alike keep track of their success.

4. Skills-based development plan for new employees

Training is a core piece of onboarding, and the right plan can help you make sure that every new employee is well-prepared for success. This type of plan helps your newest team members develop soft skills like communication skills, connecting typical onboarding lessons and seminars to a results-oriented plan for productivity.

Any skills-based development plan begins with establishing exactly what skills should be addressed. From there, it’s about establishing the employees’ current level of proficiency in the skill set and a timeline for how they can close the gap.

The best part about this type of plan is that it can easily be standardized. Because every new hire must go through the same steps, you can easily build a new employee development plan template that applies each time someone starts working in a given team.

5. Succession planning and development plan

In an ideal organizational flow, junior employees strategically learn the skills needed to move into more responsibility and ultimately into leadership roles. A strategic succession plan can help you get there.

Similar to the above onboarding plan, this version outlines the key skills needed to succeed in leadership. It then establishes exactly how proficient junior, manager, and senior leadership employees should be in those specific skills. That outline then establishes a roadmap you can easily apply to more specific, time-based plans for each employee.

6. Professional development and upskilling plan

Professional development, of course, can also go beyond specific succession or career planning. Upskilling remains one of the most underinvested types of L&D, and this type of plan can help you prioritize it.

The core idea is building a development plan based on skills your employees can benefit from. Think of it less as career growth and more as internal growth. For instance, any employee can benefit from better communication or organizational skills, regardless of their specific roles or career paths.

7. Self-evaluation and development plan

Finally, don’t underestimate the potential power of engaged employees looking to evaluate and track their own progress. Especially for self-motivated employees, this can become an important part of employee growth. For your organization, supporting these self-starter employees can lead to significant benefits.

This is the least structured of the employee development plan examples mentioned in this guide. It should provide general guidelines to your employees, like a suggested timeline or fields to enter goals and skills to be developed. Other than that, it’s up to your employees to complete, which makes it a powerful plan, especially in combination with some of the more structured options above.

From examples to implementation: How to get started

Regardless of the exact type(s) you implement, employee development plans can be invaluable to successful L&D. They structure the entire process, helping managers and employees understand exactly where to focus, what to work toward, and how to evaluate success.

But, of course, a plan is just the beginning. You also need the means to implement it, which is where the right LMS system comes into play.

How are your employees training their skills? How can you ensure that the plan’s implementation goes as well as its planning? Why not turn to the #1 global learning platform? Book your demo with Docebo today to learn how you can make the most out of your employee and team development plans.

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🚀 12 Best Employee Improvement Plan Templates for 2024

Employee development is a powerhouse for talent retention, but here’s the twist: the most overlooked gem in this process is helping initially strong employees reclaim their potential if they start to underperform.

Companies that provide improvement plans for such employees not only retain but also cultivate the strongest talent pool.

Employee improvement plan templates play a pivotal role in fostering a culture of continuous development within organizations.

By embedding these templates into company culture from day one, organizations can empower employees to overcome challenges, learn from setbacks, and ultimately thrive in their roles.

What you want to have are people who have overcome failure and have found success on the other side. If they do that within your organization, then you will be all the stronger and better for it.

Scroll down now to discover our top-rated employee improvement plan templates and initiate the journey toward cultivating a high-performing, growth-driven team culture.

Page Contents (Click To Jump)

How We Chose the Best Employee Improvement Plan Templates

• Can be shared with team
• User-friendly interface
• Visually Appealing
• Customizable
• Great for collaboration
• Value added

Pro-Tip: Use “Command + D” to bookmark this list – we update it often with the latest and most useful employee improvement plan templates!

Best Employee Improvement Plan Templates

12. improving productivity strategic plan by clickup.

🏅Best For: Business executives and managers

When the goal is to improve employee performance , streamline processes, or work with better time management, this template is the resource for the documentation side of work. Its custom features manage the process efficiently, from recording productivity levels to setting goals and conveying the information to all the right people.

❤️ Why we love this employee improvement plan template: Its custom fields and layout are specifically designed to implement ranges of performance plans.

• Data Visualization: Different charts improve data analysis, for turning the data behind performance indicators into understandable visuals
• Statuses: Status updates notify everyone when dates and goals are met
• Features: Including task dependencies, time tracking, and reminders
• This is designed to manage many processes across multiple internal divisions, and so its features may be too much for smaller projects and groups.

11. Action Plan by Wrike

🏅Best For: Project managers to conduct regular performance reviews

Team wide performance reviews often happen on different days, but having a template can speed them up. This template can document each employee’s status, task history, and upcoming goals. It can help build out goals in the coming days, weeks, and months ahead.

❤️ Why we love this employee improvement plan template: Whether you’re managing an Agile, Waterfall, or hybrid project, this template can organize your tasks accordingly.

• Dashboard: Plenty of features get you started, including pre-built dashboards, sample folders, and a calendar
• File Management: File tasks in different teams, both in-person and remote
• Task monitoring: For both individual tasks and details
• To use this template, you need to purchase the Wrike Business plan.

10. PI Planning Template by Miro

🏅Best For: Developing a program increment planning (PI) workshop

Program Increment Planning gradually aligns employees or teams with company goals, especially valuable during organizational pivots. Miro’s PI Planning Template transforms company objectives into a dynamic workshop where employees collaborate.

❤️ Why we love this employee improvement plan template: This template generously offers ample space for teams to brainstorm ideas. This facilitates active participation from all participants and ensures comprehensive organization.

• Team Communication: In-person or remote
• Board Views: Program, ROAM, Teams, and a PI Planning agenda
• Structured: The PI Event is structured as a two-day event
• The formatting of this template does not easily format with Word and Google documents.

9. Corrective Action Plan Template by Smartsheet

🏅Best For: Creating improvement goals to boost employee performance

When confronted with a process, person, or event negatively impacting your business, utilize this simple corrective action plan template. It enables you to devise actionable steps to address the issue and prevent its recurrence, whether it involves creating a development plan or resolving a supply shortage.

❤️ Why we love this employee improvement plan template: This template lets you create a formal process for addressing deficiencies within your business.

• Record Keeping: Track resources, completion dates, and custom documents
• Status Columns: See how initial plans change over time
• Accessible: Plan, capture, manage, and report on work from anywhere
• There is limited customization away from the problem-solution format.

8. Performance Improvement Plan by Notion

🏅Best For: Managers to improve the performance of an employee who is not meeting expectations

Create a tailored plan for an employee to find new success by engaging them with a new set of strategies that raise their performance levels. This template adheres to a process that includes a problem statement, proposed solution, check-in points, feedback, measurable objectives, and resources for additional training .

❤️ Why we love this employee improvement plan template: This creates a direct correspondence between the manager and an employee that is both discreet and actionable.

• Attachments: Able to attach files
• Feedback: All aspects of the document have a place for feedback and input
• One employee name: The plan is directed at one employee, connected with the manager and human resources
• Lack of advanced features may be too simplistic for some.

7. Performance Review by ClickUp

🏅Best For: Conducting performance reviews

The template includes the tools that make performance reviews quick and effective. Organize the components of a plan, including performance measurement metrics for employee progress and measurement tracking.

❤️ Why we love this employee improvement plan template: It takes performance reviews to the next level by turning them into engaging projects for the entire team.

• Project folders: Each performance review gets a project subfolder
• Tasks: Assign team members to projects
• Accessible: Both in-person and remote
• There is a learning curve to adapt the performance review into projects on the platform.

6. My Development Plan by Miro

🏅Best For: Creating a personal development plan

Gather feedback from past discussions and meetings, along with past achievements and future expectations, and jot them down on a board. Organize these notes into an individual development plan. This plan can be utilized personally but is also shareable with managers and colleagues.

❤️ Why we love this employee improvement plan template: From your first day at orientation as a new hire , this canvas guides you through the onboarding process , allowing you to take notes on key information. By distinguishing between successful and unsuccessful strategies, you can effectively strategize your next steps.

• Boards: Use the same board and duplicate the frame so you can see how you change
• Shareable: Receive feedback from a mentor or colleague by sharing your board
• Sticky notes: Allows you to record all feedback
• This focuses heavily on the recording of feedback and not as much on the action plan.

5. PIP Template by Notion

🏅Best For: Managers making performance plans for underperforming employees

The Skills Improvement Plan Template on Notion is designed for managers to constructively address underperformance or areas needing enhancement in their team members. It allows you to track progress through regular check-ins and concrete observations over time, while adapting the template to your team’s specific needs.

❤️ Why we love this employee improvement plan template: This structured approach aims to turn poor performance into an opportunity for growth, fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

• Structured Sections: Expectations, Action Plan, and measured progress
• SMART goals: Set benchmarks to improve performance deficiencies
• Feedback: Allows both manager and employee to share views and understandings
• There is limited customization to the template.

4. 30 Day Performance Improvement Plan by Smartsheet

🏅Best For: Managers creating an employee performance improvement plan

This performance improvement plan template serves as a corrective action tool for addressing employee performance issues. It promotes shared responsibility among the manager, employee, and company to drive improvement. By offering clear and concise documentation, it establishes performance standards that prioritize constructive communication and action over disciplinary measures.

❤️ Why we love this employee improvement plan template: This method of performance management allows all parties to share in the responsibility when an employee is falling short of goals.

• Documentation: Corrective action, provides resources, and provides a time frame of expected results
• Communication: Create a channel for conversation between manager and employee
• Address Performance in Real Time: A formal procedure to help set up an employee for success
• Speak with your HR team to confirm that there is a PIP policy in place and identify when, where, how, and who you need to communicate with prior to meeting with the employee.

3. Performance Improvement Plan by Miro

🏅Best For: Managers creating an improvement plan for employees

This template aims to ensure better outcomes and a cohesive working environment by streamlining communication and providing a clear roadmap for improvement. It facilitates open communication, clearly defines expectations, and offers a roadmap for improvement.

❤️ Why we love this employee improvement plan template: This lets you build an actionable roadmap for employees to succeed.

• Structured communication: Instead of vague feedback, the template ensures that feedback is structured, specific, and actionable
• Clarity and accountability: It clearly outlines expectations and steps for improvement, ensuring the manager and employee understand what’s needed
• Documentation: Provides a written record of performance discussions, which can be crucial for HR processes
• The structure of this template may be too simplistic to account for a complex plan of action.

2. OKR Template by Wrike

🏅Best For: Define the steps to take toward achieving quarterly objectives and key results

Wrike’s OKR template will help you correctly format OKRs and monitor progress to ensure projects stay on track, both in the short and long term. By simplifying your strategic planning, your entire organization can have difficulty moving all work forward.

❤️ Why we love this employee improvement plan template: It aligns employees with company goals that are refreshed periodically.

• Metrics: Record specific objectives and metrics for success, and determine which tactics and strategies will achieve them
• Check Ins: Set up weekly, monthly, and quarterly check-ins
• Alignment: Link employees with business objectives, then department, team, and individual goals
• This template runs as a free trial before prompting pay to use.

1. Corrective Action Plan by ClickUp

🏅Best For: Creating an action plan

This template provides a comprehensive and user-friendly approach to organizing and visualizing all aspects of your corrective action plan. It facilitates identifying process or policy gaps, analyzing root causes of issues, and developing effective corrective actions to prevent future occurrences. Utilize this tool to craft a successful corrective action plan for your organization and take charge of any situation!

❤️ Why we love this employee improvement plan template: Its intuitive design and powerful features make corrective action planning effortless, allowing teams to address issues proactively and ensure continuous improvement.

• Custom Statuses: Create tasks with various custom statuses to keep track of the progress of each corrective action
• Project Management : Improve corrective action tracking with comment reactions, nested subtasks, multiple assignees, and priorities
• Custom Fields : Categorize and add attributes to manage your corrective action plan and easily visualize performance issues
• The colorful style of the template may not suite your preference for a more formal looking document. 

Benefits of Employee Improvement Plan Templates

 👉  benefit 1:.

Employee improvement plan templates provide a structured approach to address underperformance or areas of concern, fostering a culture of accountability and continuous growth.

 👉  Benefit 2:

These templates enable a measured response, clearly outlining expectations, specific feedback, and actionable steps for improvement, ensuring both the manager and employee understand what’s needed.

 👉  Benefit 3:

Templates help to set measurable objectives and track progress, keeping the improvement plan goal-oriented and focused on achieving tangible results.

Tips on How to Use Employee Improvement Plan Templates

Assess current productivity levels and identify specific areas where improvement is needed, ensuring a clear understanding of the challenges to be addressed.

Determine the root causes of underperformance or areas needing enhancement, and identify potential barriers or obstacles that may hinder progress towards the desired goals.

Develop a comprehensive action plan with specific, measurable objectives and a clear timeline, allowing for regular check-ins and progress monitoring to ensure the plan stays on track.

Common Mistakes to Avoid with Employee Improvement Plan Templates

❌ unclear action plan.

Failing to identify the root cause of the issue can lead to an ineffective action plan that may not adequately address the underlying problems.

• Solution: Take the time to thoroughly analyze the situation, gather relevant data, and involve the employee in the process to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges they face.

❌ Isolating the Employee

Treating the improvement plan as a one-sided process without actively involving and supporting the employee can lead to disengagement and resistance.

• Solution: Approach the process as a collaborative effort, fostering open communication, and providing the necessary resources, training , and support to help the employee succeed.

❌  Acting too late

Delaying action when performance issues arise can exacerbate the problem and make it more difficult to address.

• Solution: Regularly monitor performance and address concerns promptly, using templates as a proactive tool to nip issues in the bud and prevent further escalation.

People Also Ask These Questions About Employee Improvement Plan Templates

Q: what is an employee improvement plan template.

• A: An employee improvement plan template is a structured document or tool that provides a framework for managers to address performance issues or areas of needed improvement with an employee. The template provides a standardized approach to constructively address underperformance, foster accountability, and give the employee a fair opportunity to correct issues before more serious disciplinary actions are taken.

Q: What elements are typically included in an employee improvement plan template?

• A: An employee improvement plan template typically includes the following key elements: Employee information, Identification of the specific performance issues, Desired goals or performance expectations, stated in a measurable and objective way, An action plan outlining the specific steps the employee needs to take to improve, including any training, coaching, or resources to be provided, Timelines and deadlines for achieving milestones and overall improvement goals, A schedule for follow-up meetings or check-in points to monitor progress and provide feedback.

Q: Can an employee improvement plan be customized? 

• A: Yes, employee improvement plan templates are meant to be customized and tailored to fit the specific situation and needs of the employee and organization. While the core elements like identifying performance issues, setting goals, creating an action plan, and establishing follow-up remain consistent, the details can be modified.

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Employee fiduciary's latest study reveals how fiduciary advice reduces 401(k) plan costs.

MOBILE, Ala. , May 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Employee Fiduciary, LLC, a leading provider of 401(k) recordkeeping and Third-Party Administration (TPA) services, has released its latest 401(k) advisor fee study. The study highlights how fiduciary-grade investment advice can lower the cost of small business 401(k) plans, making retirement more affordable for plan participants.

The study comes at a crucial time, following the recent U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) release of the Retirement Security Rule. This rule redefines the term "investment advice fiduciary" under ERISA, expanding the circumstances in which financial professionals must provide impartial investment advice that prioritizes the interests of retirement investors. Effective September 23, 2024 , the new rule closes loopholes that previously allowed financial professionals to prioritize profit over impartial advice in certain situations.

"We fully support the new rule," says Eric Droblyen , President and CEO of Employee Fiduciary. "Our study demonstrates that fiduciary-grade investment advice lowers the total cost of 401(k) plans, resulting in higher returns for participants and more savings to compound until retirement."

Key Findings from the Study Include :

Fees Charged by Fiduciary Advisors : The study analyzed fees from 1,109 fiduciary-grade financial advisors, finding that fees decrease as plan assets increase. Smaller plans (assets $0 - $500k ) pay an average of 0.69%, mid-sized plans ( $500k - $1M ) pay 0.64%, and larger plans ( $1M - $5M ) pay 0.47%.

Total Plan Fees : When advisor fees are combined with Employee Fiduciary's plan administration fees, total plan fees are lower than national averages. For example, plans with average assets of $189,367.06 incur total fees of 1.63% of assets, compared to the national average of 1.71% for larger plans with $500,000 in assets.

Impact of Fiduciary-Grade Advice : Fiduciary-grade advice is crucial for reducing costs and enhancing retirement outcomes. Advisors who follow fiduciary standards recommend investments with reasonable fees, leading to additional savings through reduced investment expenses.

Droblyen adds, "When 401(k) fees are deducted from participant accounts, they reduce returns dollar-for-dollar, leading to less savings to compound until retirement. This cumulative effect of 401(k) fees can cost a worker hundreds of thousands of dollars in retirement. The Retirement Security Rule should blunt these losses by subjecting all retirement advice to ERISA's rigorous fiduciary standards."

For a detailed analysis of the 401(k) advisor fee study, visit www.employeefiduciary.com/blog/401k-advisor-fee-study .

About Employee Fiduciary

Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Mobile, AL , Employee Fiduciary, LLC is a leading provider of low-cost 401(k) plans for small to medium-sized businesses. The company's founding principles are transparent fees, personal care, and expert plan design. Serving over 5,000 small businesses and approximately 150,000 participants nationwide, Employee Fiduciary is committed to helping employers provide affordable and effective retirement plans for their employees.

For more information about Employee Fiduciary, visit   www.employeefiduciary.com , and follow us on Facebook ,  X, and LinkedIn .

For Additional Information Victoria Power Employee Fiduciary [email protected]   (251) 254-9634

View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/employee-fiduciarys-latest-study-reveals-how-fiduciary-advice-reduces-401k-plan-costs-302154628.html

SOURCE Employee Fiduciary

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FACT SHEET: President   Biden Takes Action to Protect American Workers and Businesses from China’s Unfair Trade   Practices

President Biden’s economic plan is supporting investments and creating good jobs in key sectors that are vital for America’s economic future and national security. China’s unfair trade practices concerning technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation are threatening American businesses and workers. China is also flooding global markets with artificially low-priced exports. In response to China’s unfair trade practices and to counteract the resulting harms, today, President Biden is directing his Trade Representative to increase tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 on $18 billion of imports from China to protect American workers and businesses.   The Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda has already catalyzed more than $860 billion in business investments through smart, public incentives in industries of the future like electric vehicles (EVs), clean energy, and semiconductors. With support from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CHIPS and Science Act, and Inflation Reduction Act, these investments are creating new American jobs in manufacturing and clean energy and helping communities that have been left behind make a comeback.   As President Biden says, American workers and businesses can outcompete anyone—as long as they have fair competition. But for too long, China’s government has used unfair, non-market practices. China’s forced technology transfers and intellectual property theft have contributed to its control of 70, 80, and even 90 percent of global production for the critical inputs necessary for our technologies, infrastructure, energy, and health care—creating unacceptable risks to America’s supply chains and economic security. Furthermore, these same non-market policies and practices contribute to China’s growing overcapacity and export surges that threaten to significantly harm American workers, businesses, and communities.   Today’s actions to counter China’s unfair trade practices are carefully targeted at strategic sectors—the same sectors where the United States is making historic investments under President Biden to create and sustain good-paying jobs—unlike recent proposals by Congressional Republicans that would threaten jobs and raise costs across the board. The previous administration’s trade deal with China  failed  to increase American exports or boost American manufacturing as it had promised. Under President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, nearly 800,000 manufacturing jobs have been created and new factory construction has doubled after both fell under the previous administration, and the trade deficit with China is the lowest in a decade—lower than any year under the last administration.   We will continue to work with our partners around the world to strengthen cooperation to address shared concerns about China’s unfair practices—rather than undermining our alliances or applying indiscriminate 10 percent tariffs that raise prices on all imports from all countries, regardless whether they are engaged in unfair trade. The Biden-Harris Administration recognizes the benefits for our workers and businesses from strong alliances and a rules-based international trade system based on fair competition.   Following an in-depth review by the United States Trade Representative, President Biden is taking action to protect American workers and American companies from China’s unfair trade practices. To encourage China to eliminate its unfair trade practices regarding technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation, the President is directing increases in tariffs across strategic sectors such as steel and aluminum, semiconductors, electric vehicles, batteries, critical minerals, solar cells, ship-to-shore cranes, and medical products.   Steel and Aluminum   The tariff rate on certain steel and aluminum products under Section 301 will increase from 0–7.5% to 25% in 2024.   Steel is a vital sector for the American economy, and American companies are leading the future of clean steel. Recently, the Biden-Harris Administration announced $6 billion for 33 clean manufacturing projects including for steel and aluminum, including the first new primary aluminum smelter in four decades, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. These investments will make the United States one of the first nations in the world to convert clean hydrogen into clean steel, bolstering the U.S. steel industry’s competitiveness as the world’s cleanest major steel producer.   American workers continue to face unfair competition from China’s non-market overcapacity in steel and aluminum, which are among the world’s most carbon intensive. China’s policies and subsidies for their domestic steel and aluminum industries mean high-quality, low-emissions U.S. products are undercut by artificially low-priced Chinese alternatives produced with higher emissions. Today’s actions will shield the U.S. steel and aluminum industries from China’s unfair trade practices.   Semiconductors   The tariff rate on semiconductors will increase from 25% to 50% by 2025.   China’s policies in the legacy semiconductor sector have led to growing market share and rapid capacity expansion that risks driving out investment by market-driven firms. Over the next three to five years, China is expected to account for almost half of all new capacity coming online to manufacture certain legacy semiconductor wafers. During the pandemic, disruptions to the supply chain, including legacy chips, led to price spikes in a wide variety of products, including automobiles, consumer appliances, and medical devices, underscoring the risks of overreliance on a few markets.   Through the CHIPS and Science Act, President Biden is making a nearly $53 billion investment in American semiconductor manufacturing capacity, research, innovation, and workforce. This will help counteract decades of disinvestment and offshoring that has reduced the United States’ capacity to manufacture semiconductors domestically. The CHIPS and Science Act includes $39 billion in direct incentives to build, modernize, and expand semiconductor manufacturing fabrication facilities as well as a 25% investment tax credit for semiconductor companies. Raising the tariff rate on semiconductors is an important initial step to promote the sustainability of these investments.   Electric Vehicles (EVs)   The tariff rate on electric vehicles under Section 301 will increase from 25% to 100% in 2024.   With extensive subsidies and non-market practices leading to substantial risks of overcapacity, China’s exports of EVs grew by 70% from 2022 to 2023—jeopardizing productive investments elsewhere. A 100% tariff rate on EVs will protect American manufacturers from China’s unfair trade practices.   This action advances President Biden’s vision of ensuring the future of the auto industry will be made in America by American workers. As part of the President’s Investing in America agenda, the Administration is incentivizing the development of a robust EV market through business tax credits for manufacturing of batteries and production of critical minerals, consumer tax credits for EV adoption, smart standards, federal investments in EV charging infrastructure, and grants to supply EV and battery manufacturing. The increase in the tariff rate on electric vehicles will protect these investments and jobs from unfairly priced Chinese imports.   Batteries, Battery Components and Parts, and Critical Minerals   The tariff rate on lithium-ion EV batteries will increase from 7.5%% to 25% in 2024, while the tariff rate on lithium-ion non-EV batteries will increase from 7.5% to 25% in 2026. The tariff rate on battery parts will increase from 7.5% to 25% in 2024.   The tariff rate on natural graphite and permanent magnets will increase from zero to 25% in 2026. The tariff rate for certain other critical minerals will increase from zero to 25% in 2024.   Despite rapid and recent progress in U.S. onshoring, China currently controls over 80 percent of certain segments of the EV battery supply chain, particularly upstream nodes such as critical minerals mining, processing, and refining. Concentration of critical minerals mining and refining capacity in China leaves our supply chains vulnerable and our national security and clean energy goals at risk. In order to improve U.S. and global resiliency in these supply chains, President Biden has invested across the U.S. battery supply chain to build a sufficient domestic industrial base. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Defense Production Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act, the Biden-Harris Administration has invested nearly $20 billion in grants and loans to expand domestic production capacity of advanced batteries and battery materials. The Inflation Reduction Act also contains manufacturing tax credits to incentivize investment in battery and battery material production in the United States. The President has also established the American Battery Materials Initiative, which will mobilize an all-of-government approach to secure a dependable, robust supply chain for batteries and their inputs.   Solar Cells   The tariff rate on solar cells (whether or not assembled into modules) will increase from 25% to 50% in 2024.   The tariff increase will protect against China’s policy-driven overcapacity that depresses prices and inhibits the development of solar capacity outside of China. China has used unfair practices to dominate upwards of 80 to 90% of certain parts of the global solar supply chain, and is trying to maintain that status quo. Chinese policies and nonmarket practices are flooding global markets with artificially cheap solar modules and panels, undermining investment in solar manufacturing outside of China.   The Biden-Harris Administration has made historic investments in the U.S. solar supply chain, building on early U.S. government-enabled research and development that helped create solar cell technologies. The Inflation Reduction Act provides supply-side tax incentives for solar components, including polysilicon, wafers, cells, modules, and backsheet material, as well as tax credits and grant and loan programs supporting deployment of utility-scale and residential solar energy projects. As a result of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, solar manufacturers have already announced nearly $17 billion in planned investment under his Administration—an 8-fold increase in U.S. manufacturing capacity, enough to supply panels for millions of homes each year by 2030.   Ship-to-Shore Cranes   The tariff rate on ship-to-shore cranes will increase from 0% to 25% in 2024.   The Administration continues to deliver for the American people by rebuilding the United States’ industrial capacity to produce port cranes with trusted partners. A 25% tariff rate on ship-to-shore cranes will help protect U.S. manufacturers from China’s unfair trade practices that have led to excessive concentration in the market. Port cranes are essential pieces of infrastructure that enable the continuous movement and flow of critical goods to, from, and within the United States, and the Administration is taking action to mitigate risks that could disrupt American supply chains. This action also builds off of ongoing work to invest in U.S. port infrastructure through the President’s Investing in America Agenda. This port security initiative includes bringing port crane manufacturing capabilities back to the United States to support U.S. supply chain security and encourages ports across the country and around the world to use trusted vendors when sourcing cranes or other heavy equipment.   Medical Products   The tariff rates on syringes and needles will increase from 0% to 50% in 2024. For certain personal protective equipment (PPE), including certain respirators and face masks, the tariff rates will increase from 0–7.5% to 25% in 2024. Tariffs on rubber medical and surgical gloves will increase from 7.5% to 25% in 2026.   These tariff rate increases will help support and sustain a strong domestic industrial base for medical supplies that were essential to the COVID-19 pandemic response, and continue to be used daily in every hospital across the country to deliver essential care. The federal government and the private sector have made substantial investments to build domestic manufacturing for these and other medical products to ensure American health care workers and patients have access to critical medical products when they need them. American businesses are now struggling to compete with underpriced Chinese-made supplies dumped on the market, sometimes of such poor quality that they may raise safety concerns for health care workers and patients.   Today’s announcement reflects President Biden’s commitment to always have the back of American workers. When faced with anticompetitive, unfair practices from abroad, the President will deploy any and all tools necessary to protect American workers and industry.  

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