60-Day New Hire Performance Check-In
A 60-day new hire performance check-in for reviewing early goal progress, competency development, support needs, and next steps. Use it to document ramp-up issues before they become end-of-quarter surprises.
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Overview
This 60-Day New Hire Performance Check-In template is built for the early part of onboarding, when a manager needs to review what the employee has completed, where they are still ramping, and what support will help them succeed. It focuses on four practical areas: role ramp-up and goal progress, core competency progress, support needs and manager coaching, and overall next steps. The template is meant to create a clear record of early performance without turning the conversation into a full annual review.
Use this template when a new hire has had enough time to show initial patterns, complete starter goals, and begin working with some independence. It is especially useful after the first projects, customer interactions, or training milestones. It is not the right tool for a casual welcome chat, and it is not a substitute for a formal performance improvement process if serious issues already exist. It works best when the manager can point to specific examples, compare progress against role expectations, and identify concrete coaching actions.
The template is also useful for documenting early concerns in a fair, consistent way. It prompts managers to separate goal performance from competency progress, capture employee comments, and set a next check-in date so follow-up does not get lost. If you need a structured way to review onboarding progress, surface blockers, and align on support, this template gives you a clean starting point.
Standards & compliance context
- Use uniform performance criteria for employees in similar roles so early check-ins are applied consistently and fairly.
- Document observations with specific examples to support EEOC documentation expectations and reduce reliance on vague or subjective language.
- Keep comments focused on job-related behavior and performance, and avoid language that could conflict with general at-will employment guidance.
- If the check-in is used in a probationary process, make sure the template aligns with your organization's onboarding and review policies.
General regulatory context for orientation only — verify current requirements with counsel or the relevant agency before relying on this template for compliance.
What's inside this template
Role Ramp-Up and Goal Progress
This section shows whether the new hire is meeting the concrete milestones that were set for the first 60 days.
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60-Day Goals Review
Capture the employee's initial goals, current progress, and manager assessment of completion.
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Key Accomplishments Since Start Date
List specific deliverables, milestones, or contributions completed in the first 60 days.
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Early Challenges or Blockers
Document any barriers affecting ramp-up, including process gaps, access issues, or role clarity concerns.
Core Competency Progress
This section matters because it shows how the employee is performing against role-relevant behaviors, not just task completion.
No items.
Support Needs and Manager Coaching
This section matters because early performance issues often improve when the manager removes blockers or adjusts coaching.
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Support Needed from Manager or Team
Capture specific support requests such as training, shadowing, access, feedback cadence, or process clarification.
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Manager Coaching Actions
Document the manager's planned coaching actions, check-in cadence, and follow-up commitments.
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30-Day Development Plan
Define the next development focus areas, resources, timeline, and success criteria for the next 30 days.
Overall Summary and Next Steps
This section matters because it closes the loop with a clear status, follow-up date, and employee perspective.
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Overall Summary
Provide a concise summary of current performance, early progress, and any concerns that need follow-up.
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Next Check-In Date
Schedule the next follow-up conversation, typically 30 days after this review.
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Employee Comments
Optional space for the employee to add reflections, context, or questions.
How to use this template
- 1. Enter the employee's role, start date, review date, and the goals or onboarding milestones that were set at the beginning of the ramp period.
- 2. Review recent work samples, manager notes, and any feedback from peers or stakeholders so each comment in the check-in is based on specific examples.
- 3. Complete the role ramp-up and goal progress section by noting what was achieved, what is still in progress, and where early challenges are affecting output.
- 4. Assess core competency progress using behavior-based observations tied to the role, and record support needs plus coaching actions that the manager will take next.
- 5. Summarize the employee's current status, agree on the next check-in date, and capture employee comments before closing the review.
Best practices
- Use behavior-based examples instead of labels like 'strong' or 'weak' so the feedback is easier to understand and act on.
- Separate goal progress from competency progress so a missed milestone does not get confused with a skill gap, or vice versa.
- Document support needs as specific blockers, such as missing access, unclear priorities, or insufficient shadowing, not as broad complaints.
- Keep the conversation anchored to the employee's first 60 days and avoid judging them on work they have not yet been trained to do.
- Record what the manager will do next, including coaching, training, introductions, or process clarification, so the review leads to action.
- Invite employee comments and note their perspective on onboarding, workload, and support so the record reflects both sides of the conversation.
- Set the next check-in date before closing the meeting so follow-up happens on time and early issues do not linger.
What this template typically catches
Issues teams running this template most often surface in practice:
Common use cases
Frequently asked questions
What is included in a 60-day new hire performance check-in?
This template includes role ramp-up and goal progress, core competency progress, support needs and manager coaching, and an overall summary with next steps. It is designed to capture what the employee has accomplished so far, where they are still ramping, and what help they need to succeed. It also leaves room for employee comments so the check-in is not one-sided.
When should this check-in be used?
Use it around the 60-day mark, or after the employee has had enough time to complete early onboarding tasks and begin working independently. It works well after the first few projects, customer interactions, or training milestones. If the role has a longer ramp period, you can keep the same structure and move the timing to match the onboarding plan.
Who should run the 60-day check-in?
The direct manager should usually run it, with input from the employee and, when helpful, HR or a hiring manager. The manager should document observations based on specific work examples rather than general impressions. If your organization uses a formal onboarding process, HR can help standardize the template and timing.
Does this template replace a formal performance review?
No. This is an early-stage check-in focused on ramp-up, support, and initial competency progress, not a full annual or midyear review. It is useful for identifying issues early and aligning on expectations before a formal review cycle. Many teams use it alongside onboarding milestones and later performance reviews.
How does this template help with fair documentation?
It encourages managers to record behavior-based examples, goal progress, and support needs instead of vague labels. That makes the conversation easier to defend, easier to act on, and more consistent across employees. It also supports uniform performance criteria by keeping the same sections for every new hire in the same role family.
What are the most common mistakes when using this check-in?
The biggest mistakes are waiting too long to give feedback, relying on recency bias, and writing vague comments like 'doing well' without examples. Another common issue is skipping the support section, which leaves onboarding blockers unresolved. This template helps avoid those problems by prompting managers to document specific accomplishments, challenges, and coaching actions.
Can this be customized for different roles or departments?
Yes. You can tailor the goal section, competency examples, and support prompts for sales, operations, customer support, engineering, or other functions. The structure should stay consistent, but the behaviors you measure should match the role's expectations and onboarding plan.
How should this connect to other HR tools or workflows?
It can be paired with onboarding plans, 30-60-90 day goals, manager notes, and later performance review templates. Many teams also connect it to document storage or HRIS workflows so the check-in is easy to retrieve during probationary reviews or follow-up conversations. The key is to keep the record accessible and tied to the employee's onboarding timeline.
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