90-day performance review.
A 90-day review for new hires — different bar from an annual review. Did onboarding work, are the right relationships forming, is the role the right fit? Designed to detect mismatch fast.
90-Day Review — [Employee Name] Start date: [Date] Review date: [Date + 90] Manager: [Name] 1. Onboarding completion [Did the new hire complete onboarding milestones? List specifics — systems access, training modules, first deliverable, expected meetings.] 2. Role-fit signals [Are the early signals positive? Work quality, judgement, collaboration, learning velocity…]
What's inside the document.
Did the new hire complete onboarding milestones — systems access, training modules, first deliverable?
Are the early signals positive — work quality, judgement, collaboration, learning velocity?
Has the new hire built the relationships the role requires — manager, peers, cross-functional partners?
Anything to flag now. Easier to address at day 90 than day 365.
What good looks like by day 180. Two or three clear focus areas.
Recommendation: confirm in role, extend probation, or end employment. Clear and defensible.
A complete document set.
- Word document (.docx) — fully editable
- PDF — signature-ready
- Google Docs — one-click copy to your Drive
- 12 months of updates to this document
- Commercial-use licence for internal and client work
Three formats, one document.
- Word document (.docx) — fully editable
- PDF — signature-ready
- Google Docs — one-click copy to your Drive
6 steps from download to use.
- 01Schedule the 90-day review in the calendar at the offer-acceptance stage so it cannot slip.
- 02Have the new hire fill in the self-assessment portion first.
- 03Get peer and cross-functional partner input — one paragraph each, no forms.
- 04Write the manager assessment using the four-question structure above.
- 05Make the pass / extend / no decision before the conversation, not during it.
- 06Walk through the review in person; document the decision in the file.
The right document at the right moment.
Use this review at the 90-day mark of a new hire — typically aligned with the end of probation. The structure is designed to surface mismatch early; the bar is different from an annual review (signal, not steady-state performance).
For roles with longer ramp times (legal, sales, deep technical), the 90-day review may be a check-in rather than a decision point; the 180-day review carries the pass / extend / no decision instead.
Honest answers before you download.
- Should I rate the new hire on a numeric scale at 90 days?
- No. Rate signal, not steady-state performance — too early for a calibrated rating. The recommendation field is the operative output.
- What if I want to end the employment at 90 days?
- Document the recommendation clearly in this template and follow your jurisdiction's process for ending probation. In AU, Fair Work probation rules apply; in the US, at-will employment makes this simpler but the documentation still matters.
- Can I extend probation?
- Where local law allows (most US states, AU with care), yes — flag it in the recommendation. The extension should be a finite period with clear success criteria.
This 90-day performance review template is a professionally drafted starting point and is not legal advice. The clauses follow current US and AU practice; adapt the document for your specific jurisdiction and have qualified counsel review any clauses you add before signing or distributing. Full disclaimer.