The first 90 days are critical for a new team member's long-term success. A thoughtful onboarding experience builds trust, boosts engagement, and helps new hires feel more confident in their roles sooner. Using 1:1 Meeting templates and Objectives gives managers and joiners a clear, supportive framework to track growth—without the administrative overhead of setting up formal performance review cycles for individual people.
Why use 1:1s and Objectives for onboarding?
Instead of waiting for a single review at the end of a probation period, combining regular 1:1 meetings with clear Objectives turns onboarding into a continuous, collaborative effort:
Build early alignment: Set clear expectations from day one so new joiners know exactly what success looks like in their first 30, 60, and 90 days.
Keep momentum going: Regularly review goals during 1:1 meetings to celebrate quick wins, address early hurdles, and keep progress on track.
Create a complete feedback history: Store notes, key milestones, and peer insights in one place, making future formal reviews and 360s effortless to prepare for.
Setting up onboarding 1:1 meeting templates
Templates give managers a clear structure for welcoming new team members and saving time on administrative setup.
Go to 1:1 Meetings > Templates tab
Click New Company Template.
Add talking points that help the new employee get acclimated.
Tip: Great talking points include team introductions, active project overviews, key office schedules, and a reminder to set up 90-day goals.
We have an inspiration for questions here: 24 questions to ask in your next 1:1 meeting
Below is an example template in action:
Tracking onboarding goals with Objectives
Creating an objective during the first week gives new hires clear visibility into what success looks like and what is expected of them.
Go to Objectives and click Create Objective.
Select your new team member as the owner.
Define key milestones for the 30-60-90 day introductory period.
Add a talking point in your 1:1 Meeting template to review progress on this objective regularly.
Conducting the 90-day reflection meeting
At the end of the introductory period, use a dedicated 1:1 reflection template to review progress and establish long-term feedback habits.
Create a 1:1 template specifically for the 90-day reflection.
Include talking points focused on past achievements and future growth:
What went well during onboarding?
How did you track against your 90-day objective?
What are the key areas for continued growth?
What are your long-term goals at the company?
Encourage the new hire to use Request Feedback to gather insights from peers they worked with during their first 90 days.
Add a talking point to discuss this peer feedback during the meeting.