Setting Clear Performance Expectations: Onboarding Best Practices
Navigating the complexities of employee onboarding can significantly impact a company’s growth trajectory. This article distills expert insights into actionable strategies to set clear performance expectations from day one. Learn from industry leaders about the best practices in onboarding, from creating personalized plans to defining measurable goals.
- Implement a 30-60-90 Day Roadmap
- Use Structured Mentorship for Onboarding
- Create Personalized Onboarding Plans
- Combine SMART Goals and OKRs
- Define Goals in Initial Sessions
- Focus on Measurable Goals
- Detail Job Specifications Thoroughly
- Provide Structured Onboarding Literature
- Ask ‘What Does Success Look Like?’
Implement a 30-60-90 Day Roadmap
Setting clear performance expectations during onboarding is all about transparency, structure, and continuous feedback. One specific method I’ve found highly effective is implementing a 30-60-90 day roadmap for every new hire.
During their first week, we sit down and outline key milestones, expected contributions, and success metrics for their first three months. For example, a new marketing hire might be expected to analyze past campaign data by day 30, develop and propose a content strategy by day 60, and execute their first campaign by day 90.
This approach works because it removes ambiguity—new employees know exactly what’s expected of them and when. Plus, it fosters open communication since we schedule regular check-ins to assess progress, adjust goals if necessary, and provide support.
By combining structured expectations with ongoing feedback, we ensure new team members feel confident, aligned, and set up for long-term success.
Max Shak
Founder/CEO, nerDigital
Use Structured Mentorship for Onboarding
When onboarding new team members, I focus on setting clear performance expectations by combining hands-on guidance with clear, measurable goals. I’ve found that the best way to achieve this is through a structured mentorship approach during the first few weeks. For example, when I brought on a new team member, I sat down with them to outline specific standards for quality, timeliness, and customer interaction.
I didn’t just tell them what to do, I demonstrated how I approach tasks like hedge trimming, creating clean edges on a lawn, or planting in a way that promotes long-term health for gardens. This step by step, practical introduction helped them understand the level of professionalism and attention to detail our clients expect. By aligning these expectations with clear, achievable milestones, such as completing a mock garden project under supervision, they gained confidence in their role and felt prepared to take on independent tasks.
My 15 years of experience and certification in horticulture were essential in shaping this process. I’ve worked in diverse settings, from small urban courtyards to sprawling rural gardens, so I know the pitfalls and challenges that come with different types of projects. This depth of knowledge allows me to tailor expectations and training to the specific demands of the job, ensuring no detail is overlooked. By pairing this with open communication, I make sure team members understand not only what’s expected but also why it matters. As a result, they don’t just perform well, they take pride in their work, which has a lasting impact on both their development and the reputation of the business.
Andrew Osborne
Owner, Ozzie Mowing & Gardening
Create Personalized Onboarding Plans
Setting clear performance expectations during onboarding is about creating a strong foundation for success. My approach combines open communication, role-specific training, and aligning the new team member’s goals with the overall mission of the clinic. I ensure every new hire understands not only their responsibilities but also how their work contributes to the holistic care we provide. A critical part of this process is scheduling one-on-one check-ins during their first month to address any challenges, clarify expectations, and offer feedback. This structured yet supportive approach fosters confidence and accountability right from the start.
One specific method I’ve found particularly effective is the use of personalized onboarding plans. For example, when onboarding a new physical therapist, I developed a tailored plan that included shadowing senior staff, reviewing case studies, and participating in team discussions on complex musculoskeletal cases. My 30 years of experience allowed me to guide them through nuanced treatment strategies while emphasizing patient communication and holistic care.
By the end of their onboarding period, they were confident in managing a full caseload and contributing to interdisciplinary discussions with other team members like Pilates instructors and nutritionists. This approach not only enhanced their clinical skills but also reinforced the importance of collaborative care, which is central to our philosophy at The Alignment Studio.
Peter Hunt
Director & Physiotherapist, The Alignment Studio
Combine SMART Goals and OKRs
Setting clear performance expectations during onboarding requires a structured yet adaptable approach that aligns individual contributions with broader business objectives. One of the most effective methods I’ve used is a combination of SMART goals and OKRs (Objectives & Key Results), integrated into a 30-60-90 day framework. This ensures that new hires, especially at mid-to-senior levels, have a precise roadmap with measurable outcomes while maintaining flexibility for iterative learning.
From day one, employees receive a tailored performance plan that outlines expectations in three phases-foundational learning (30 days), contribution (60 days), and ownership (90 days). This progressive structure prevents ambiguity and accelerates alignment with company goals. Beyond structured goal-setting, it’s crucial to define role-specific performance benchmarks that translate high-level expectations into tangible deliverables. Instead of generic success metrics, I establish KPIs directly linked to the individual’s function and expected business impact.
For example, for a senior product manager, the first 30 days may focus on understanding customer pain points and internal workflows, the next 30 days on shaping a strategic product roadmap, and by the 90-day mark, they should be leading cross-functional initiatives with measurable outcomes. This approach ensures that performance is assessed based on impact-driven milestones rather than arbitrary timelines, allowing for agility in execution.
Regular feedback loops and recalibration further reinforce expectations. Weekly check-ins help identify roadblocks early, ensuring that expectations remain realistic and aligned with both the company’s evolving needs and the employee’s growth trajectory. Additionally, using data-driven insights—such as performance analytics, stakeholder feedback, and comparative benchmarking—creates an objective basis for evaluating progress. This not only fosters accountability but also empowers new hires to self-assess and adjust their approach proactively.
Mohammad Haqqani
Founder, Seekario
Define Goals in Initial Sessions
We set clear performance expectations during onboarding by using goal-setting sessions within the first few weeks. New hires meet with their manager to define both short-term and long-term objectives, which are tied to measurable outcomes such as improving customer satisfaction or supporting promotions like our “50% off the first month” deal.
One effective method we use is providing a detailed roadmap that outlines key milestones and performance benchmarks. This roadmap gives employees a clear understanding of what success looks like in their role and how their work contributes to the company’s goals. Regular check-ins throughout the onboarding period help reinforce these expectations, allowing for adjustments and support as needed. This approach has led to improved clarity, engagement, and early success for new team members.
Jonas Duckett
Founder, Store-It Quick
Focus on Measurable Goals
During onboarding, we set clear performance expectations by focusing on measurable goals. In recruitment, a new hire first learns the basics, then works toward filling one or two simple positions within their trial period. In 3-4 months, they should be able to source and engage candidates independently. Success isn’t just about filling positions. It’s also about tracking key sourcing metrics and conversion rates to interviews. Keep in mind that external factors like client feedback can impact timelines.
A mentor stays in close contact throughout the trial period. They provide real-time corrections and strategic advice. This hands-on guidance ensures the new hire understands expectations. They improve their sourcing skills and gain confidence in delivering results.
Ann Kuss
CEO, Outstaff Your Team
Detail Job Specifications Thoroughly
I find a well-written and detailed job specification that you go through in detail with new hires to be invaluable.
I find that every company operates differently and the expectations for a specific job role are completely different from company to company.
For instance, Senior Software Engineer may entail one set of responsibilities in one company, and a completely different set of responsibilities for somewhere else.
It’s unfair for the new joiner to have a different set of expectations than that of their new company, so I like to make sure that we are all on the same page right at the very beginning.
With clear expectations in place, you can fairly evaluate them against that during their first review.
Ben Grimwade
Software Engineering Manager, Just Another Tech Lead
Provide Structured Onboarding Literature
I appreciate expectation management through structured, communicative clarity. For instance, thorough onboarding literature outlines all position-related expectations, the desired outcome of the employee, and the supportive company culture. Also, I assign a mentor, which the onboarding literature mentions in connection to daily experience. This gives newcomers someone with whom they can discuss the onboarding guide and their new position, either in reference to the guide or its application. When people understand what’s expected of them and how they can accomplish it from day one, they are in an empowered space to succeed.
Chris Hunter
Director of Customer Relations, ServiceTitan
Ask ‘What Does Success Look Like?’
When setting clear performance expectations during onboarding, I like to use the question, “What does success look like?”
Sometimes the companies themselves don’t have a clear vision of what performance expectations are and a road to get there. If the company isn’t clear in their understanding, let alone their communication of the expectations, the employee doesn’t stand a chance.
With the question, “What does success look like?” it clearly paints a picture of what both parties need to see in the first 90 days and sets them up for the next growth conversation.
Ben Eden
High Performance Coach, Reach Your Ultimate Potential