How many times have you hired someone with impressive potential, only to watch them struggle during their first few months? Too often, new hires struggle to connect, find clarity in their role, or become fully productive. The first few weeks tend to be a blur of paperwork, quick introductions, and unclear expectations. Instead of building momentum, new team members may lose confidence or leave before they can contribute at their best.
After seeing this happen time and again, I decided it was time for a new solution. That’s why I developed the 90-Day Jumpstart framework.
What is the 90-Day Jumpstart?
It’s a structured plan that helps new hires get grounded, feel genuinely connected, and start making meaningful contributions in their first three months. The process is built around three clear phases, each with practical goals and the right support to create progress at every stage.
Onboarding should be more than a checklist. The most effective onboarding journeys have a rhythm—a beginning, a middle, and a point where your new hire is ready to stand on their own. That’s the foundation of the 90-Day Jumpstart.
Here’s how it breaks down:
Phase 1: Immersion (Weeks 1–2)
This is about getting grounded. Your new hire learns the company’s purpose, connects with key people, and gets an inside look at your culture. It’s not about overwhelming them with information. Instead, you’re welcoming them, building relationships, and helping them see where they and their role fits in the bigger picture of your organization.
Phase 2: Integration (Weeks 3–8)
This is when things start to click. Your new hire begins to take on more responsibilities, contribute to projects, and develop confidence in their new environment. The goal is to help them find their rhythm, balancing guidance with growing independence.
Phase 3: Independence (Weeks 9–12)
Now, your new hire is working more autonomously. They’re not just completing tasks—they’re solving problems, offering ideas, and making a real impact. At this stage, you want to see them actively shaping their role and helping others.
These phases are simple, but powerful. Each one builds on the last, creating momentum and setting up your new hire for lasting success.
Most new hires decide if they'll stay or go within their first two weeks.
That's why Phase 1 of the 90-Day Jumpstart framework focuses entirely on Immersion – and it's about so much more than paperwork and office tours.
Here's what makes Immersion work:
🔑 Go deeper than a tour and lunch. Spend time sharing your company's story, the mission, and the impact your team makes. Set up individual meetings with key colleagues so your new hire feels welcome and starts building relationships right away.
🔑 Give them a clear plan for each day, not just a list of policies to read. Set up small, manageable projects or tasks that let them get a quick win early.
🔑 Check in often, even informally. Ask what questions they have and what feels unclear. Ask what's exciting them about their new role so far, this helps you understand what's uniquely resonating with this new team member.
The goal? Immersion is about helping someone feel part of the team and connected to their work as quickly as possible.
At the start of Phase 2, your new team member has spent the last couple weeks getting grounded in your culture and connecting with the team. Now it's time for the next evolution. By the third week, your new hire is ready to put learning into action. The Integration phase is where confidence and real contribution begin to grow.
Here's how to make Integration work:
🔑 Assign real projects, not just shadowing or busywork. Give regular, actionable feedback—ideally through weekly meetings or updates.
🔑 Invite your new hire to participate in cross-functional projects. These experiences help build both their knowledge and their network within your organization.
🔑 Encourage them to suggest new ideas or improvements, even if they're small. Early autonomy shows you trust (and value!) their judgment.
The balance: Integration succeeds when you give enough support to build confidence while creating space for them to own their work.
Your new hire has found their footing and built confidence. Now comes the most rewarding phase – watching them truly own their role. By weeks nine to twelve, your new hire should be taking real ownership of their work. This is where great onboarding pays off!
Here's how to guide them into Independence:
🔑 Shift from manager to coach. Ask them for their ideas and solutions to current challenges. Encourage them to support other team members or even take the lead on a small project.
🔑 Celebrate their wins – big and small. Whether it's a project completed, positive feedback from clients or coworkers, or a new process they helped improve, recognition fuels momentum.
🔑 Start the bigger conversation. Begin discussing longer-term goals and future growth. Your check-ins should shift from day-to-day tasks to strategic impact.
🔑 Complete with a formal review. At the end of this phase, conduct a formal review of their progress and performance. This sets the foundation for future performance discussions and establishes the ongoing feedback cadence.
The transformation: This is when you see someone evolve from new hire to valuable team member. Someone who contributes ideas, solves problems, and adds real value.
If you want new hires to thrive, set clear, practical goals at every stage. I use a simple approach called “Know, Do, Impact” to make sure expectations are aligned and momentum keeps building.
KNOW:
What must your new hire understand to succeed? This could include core processes, key team relationships, product knowledge, or unwritten cultural norms that make your organization unique. Make these goals specific and easy to check off.
DO:
What should your new hire accomplish during each phase? These are the concrete outcomes, projects, or responsibilities that show they’re making progress and adding value.
IMPACT:
How can your new hire make a real difference, even during onboarding? Maybe they suggest an improvement, tackle a persistent problem, or help the team work better together. Impact goals are about encouraging initiative and showing your new hire their contribution matters.
Write out these goals and talk about them early and often. Regular check-ins keep everyone accountable and build confidence as each milestone is met.
But even the best goals won’t matter if onboarding runs off track. In the final post, I’ll cover common pitfalls and how to make sure your 90-Day Jumpstart delivers real results.
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