The First 30 Days: an onboarding plan that actually works
What’s the goal for the first 30 days
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Productivity: the new hire performs core tasks independently and to standard.
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Compliance: all documentation and legal requirements are completed.
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Adaptation: understands the rules, work culture, and team communication.
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Retention: established connection with mentor and manager; clear expectations for the next 60 days.
Who is responsible for what (roles)
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Manager: 30-day goals, tasks, performance standard, feedback.
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Mentor (buddy): daily questions, demonstrations, cultural nuances.
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HR/Coordinator: documents, schedules, trainings, social adaptation (housing, transport card, SIM, etc.).
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Safety/EHS: briefings, clothing/equipment, understanding checks.
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IT/Access: accounts, systems, badges/keys.
Before Day 0 (preparation)
Documents & access
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Employment contracts, permits, insurance — ready to sign.
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User accounts, email, badge, workstation/uniform.
Logistics & environment
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Meet-and-greet and transfer, move-in-ready housing, area map (in the employee’s language).
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Prepared packs: safety instructions, workplace rules, glossary of key terms (bilingual).
Plan & goals
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Individual 30-day schedule (trainings, tasks, meetings).
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Assigned mentor; reserved slots for 15-minute check-ins.
Day 1 — a clear start (sample schedule)
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Welcome & tour (30–45 min) — people, spaces, rules.
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Safety briefing + equipment (60 min) — short comprehension check.
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Documents & IT access (30–45 min) — signing, logins/systems.
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Lunch with mentor (informal) — first questions, team rituals.
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Demonstration of a core task (60 min) — observe + practice.
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Daily check-in (10 min) — how the day went, what’s missing.
Mini-goal for Day 1: knows who to turn to, where things are, and has practiced the key task under supervision.
Days 2–7 — orientation and core skills week
Training/demonstrations:
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1–2 core processes per day: demo → practice → feedback.
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Mini-test/checklist for each process (yes/no, photo/mentor signature).
Culture & communication:
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Bilingual “situational handbook”: how to ask for help, how to report an issue, breaks, punctuality.
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Introductions to colleagues/roles; key phrases/terms (one A4 sheet).
Social adaptation:
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Bank account/transport card/SIM; guidance on the area and shops.
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Help channel outside work (housing, health, transport).
Check-ins:
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Manager (day 3–5, 15 min) — training progress; any blockers.
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HR (day 5–7, 10 min) — documents, housing, overall satisfaction.
Mini-goal for Week 1: performs core tasks with minimal help; feels oriented and supported.
Week 2 — stabilization and first mini-results
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Independent execution of key operations to standard.
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Cross-practice: second shift/station/sub-task (broadening skills).
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Quality: first quantitative indicators (e.g., speed, accuracy, defects) — reviewed with the manager.
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Language/communication on the job: 10 min/day of simple conversation for typical situations (bilingual cards/posters).
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Manager check-in (end of week, 20 min) — confirm progress and set next week’s goal.
Week 3 — expanding responsibilities
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Added responsibility: small area/line/segment under supervision.
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Safety: repetition of critical safe actions (micro-test).
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Cultural scenarios: working with guests/colleagues under pressure — role plays.
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Internal systems: deeper work with software/forms.
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Mentor check-in (mid-week, 10 min) — where support is needed.
Week 4 — evaluation and plan for days 60–90
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Skills assessment by checklist (manager + mentor).
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Quality & productivity: compare to standard; improvement plan if needed.
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Employee feedback: what helps/hinders; ideas for optimization.
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60–90 day plan: second skill, micro-role (e.g., shift lead), language level, quality/speed target.
Mini-goal by Day 30: independent work on core tasks, documentation complete, clear plan for days 60–90.
Templates (ready to copy)
“Before Day 0” checklist
- Contract/permits/insurance
- IT access/badge/uniform
- Housing/transport/meet-and-greet
- 30-day plan + mentor
- Bilingual instructions (safety/rules)
- aily training card (process):
Process: ___ | Demonstration: yes/no | Practice: yes/no | Notes: ___ | Mentor signature: ___
Weekly check-in (10–15 min):
What went well? ___ | Where do you need help? ___ | Next goal: ___
Common risks and how to avoid them
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Too much info on Day 1 → split into modules through Day 5.
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No mentor available → assign a backup; don’t leave the employee “on their own.”
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Language barriers → visual instructions, bilingual cards, key phrases.
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Unclear expectations → numeric goals/checklists; short daily feedback.
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Social hurdles → planned solutions for housing, transport, health.
How to measure onboarding success (KPIs)
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Checklist completion by Day 7 and Day 30 (target ≥ 90%).
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Quality/speed vs. standard (target ≥ 80% of the goal by Day 30).
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Retention at 30/60/90 days.
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Employee satisfaction (short survey on Day 7 and Day 30).
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Safety signals/incidents (target: zero).
Final: how we help
We organize end-to-end onboarding for international hires: documents and arrival, bilingual instructions, mentors, and clear KPIs. The result — independent, standard-compliant work by Day 30 and higher retention afterward.
Want a tailored plan for your roles and shifts? Message us — we’ll return a concrete schedule and checklist for your site.
