What is a 60-day review?

A 60-day review is a performance review conducted at the end of an employee’s first two months in a new role. 

Whereas a 30-day review is centered around onboarding the employee, a 60-day review builds on this by taking a closer look at their experience at your organization and how they’re finding their new role. 

Do all employees need a 60-day review?

60-day reviews are only relevant to new hires. You are not required to conduct a 60-day review for all employees. However, they are widely considered an important part of the onboarding process and can be a valuable opportunity for recently hired employees to feedback on how the first two months with your company have gone.

Why do a 60-day review?

An effective onboarding process can take up to 12 months. Regular reviews at the 30, 60, and 90-day mark are useful tools for ensuring your new hires are settling in. Checking in with new employees during their onboarding period means you can proactively address any underlying issues or grievances that they may have at this stage.

The benefits of a positive onboarding experience

The onboarding process directly affects employee engagement, productivity, and job satisfaction—employees who had a positive onboarding experience are 2.6 times more likely to be satisfied with their place of work. And satisfied employees are more likely to stay with an organization, reducing overall employee turnover.  

What to focus on during the 60-day review

The focus of a 60-day review should be the employee’s experience with the organization so far and what their long-term career goals are. If needed, you can also incorporate an element of performance evaluation into the review. 

Discussing an employee’s professional goals demonstrates your interest in their career development and their future with your organization. 

Getting feedback on an employee’s experience with your company so far—including their understanding of their role and responsibilities, job satisfaction, experience with teammates, and how they found the onboarding process—allows you to identify any potential problems at an early stage. You can ensure the employee has everything they need to perform to their full potential and address any issues that could contribute to them leaving the organization. 

How to conduct a 60-day review

When it comes to conducting a 60-day review with new employees, here are some best practices to keep in mind. 

Before the review

• Give the employee notice. Don’t ambush your employees with unexpected reviews or evaluations. You should provide them with an overview of the review cycle when they’re hired—remind them during their 30-day review that a 60-day review will follow. This gives them adequate time to reflect on their responses. 
• Be clear about the purpose of the review. Knowing what information you would like to obtain from your employee during the review—as well as what you hope they will take away from it—helps you develop relevant questions to guide the conversation. 

During the review

• Follow through. Conducting a 60-day review on time demonstrates a commitment to an employee and an interest in their professional development. 
• Keep the conversation open and free-flowing. Be guided but not bound by your list of questions. The employee should feel comfortable enough to provide honest feedback, raise concerns, or ask any difficult questions during their review. 
• Review any issues that arose during the 30-day review. Discuss with the employee whether previous issues or concerns have been addressed. 

After the review

• Take notes during the interview and provide the employee with a copy. In addition to being useful for record-keeping purposes, these help you review and address any issues raised. It’s also helpful to have a list of points to revisit during the next review—typically at 90 days. 
• Remind the employee of their 90-day review. This puts them on notice and gives them time to prepare for it. 

Questions to ask during a 60-day review

As previously mentioned, there are several important areas to cover with your employee during their 60-day review. Included below are questions you can pose during the review to help you explore these topics.

The employee’s career goals.

Asking questions about an employee’s longer-term career goals can help you to understand their motivations and how you can help improve their job satisfaction and engagement. 

 

• What are your longer-term goals in the role and organization? 
• What can we do to help you achieve them?

The onboarding process.

During the 60-day review, continue to find out more about the employee’s onboarding experience. This information can help you refine the process and improve your onboarding practices. 

• Has the organization/role been as we described it in your interview?
• Has the training you’ve received so far adequately prepared you for the role?
• Have you encountered any challenges in performing your job?
• Do you have the tools and support you need to perform your role to the best of your ability?
• Do you have any feedback on how we can improve our onboarding process?
• Do you have any feedback on how we can improve this review process?

 

How the employee is fitting in.

The 60-day review allows you to explore the employee’s experience and fit within their team and the organization. You can also ask about how they see their role within the context of the organization’s goals. 

• Can you explain how your role fits into the organization’s mission and values?
• How are you finding your team? 
• Is there anyone in particular in your team who has assisted you with the onboarding process?
• Are you facing any challenges within your team?

Remember to allow time for the employee to ask their own questions

A review is a two-way street. It’s important to leave space for the employee to raise any questions or concerns that they may have. 

Conclusion

A 60-day review should focus on examining an employee’s role and responsibilities within the broader organization, as well as how you can support their professional goals. It’s a key component of an employee’s onboarding experience. Getting it right can increase an employee’s levels of engagement and productivity and helps you address any issues that may contribute to employee attrition. 

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