> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://sempler-minds.ghost.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # New way to onboard a new team member - 2week approach - URL: https://sempler-minds.ghost.io/how-to-onboard-a-new-team-member-2week-approach/ - Published: 2023-12-15T03:37:40.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-15T16:52:45.000Z - Description: In this blog, I will talk about a new approach which can be used to onboard new team members with effective results. - Author: Srihari Udugani - Tags: #Migrated-1789490948188, #Import 2026-09-15 22:19 If you are a manager, you will know the amount of effort that goes in to onboarding a new team member. Sometimes, even after doing everything right the results will be far from expectations. In my opinion, the reason why the onboarding has become difficult is due to lesser engagement and longer duration goals. > The usual 30–60–90 days plan have a month gap between each other. The measuring of progress and understanding the alignment of team member becomes tricky when there is a month gap between milestones. In this blog, I will provide a slightly modified approach, which could help all manager to track the progress and execute the onboarding more effectively. --- #### 2week approach I am not proposing a new approach which is out of this world. I am simply modifying the existing 30–60–90 days approach of onboarding a new team member. What all managers need is early feedback of what’s happening - whether the plan needs re-alignment; whether team member is engaged with the plan; whether the team members needs more time etc. The current plan gives feedback only after a month. This month gap does not help. So how do we reduce this? > In my opinion, the 30–60–90 days plan can have 2week milestones which can act as a validation point for both the manager and the new team member. By breaking down the plan into 2week milestone similar to Scrum, there can be regular feedback and gives an option to re-align the plan at regular intervals. > I have suggested a Scrum approach in this blog. But same thing can be applied to Kanban or any other execution model. > The approach is to execute onboarding is set of activities that can be related with the ongoing activities in the team. --- #### Advantages of 2week approach Here are 5 advantages of the 2week approach ▸ **Advantage#1** : Regular feedback Having 2week milestones will help to get regular feedback on the progress. As a manager, you can ask relevant questions related to topics and see how far the new team member has understood it. Based on the understanding, you can decide how to plan the following sprints. ▸ **Advantage#2** : Flexible planning The check point every 2weeks helps to plan next stages depending on the progress in last 2weeks. This creates flexibility in changing the onboarding the plan and gives a window to reprioritise the topics based on the need. Due to flexible planning, there is no need to wait until the end to make changes. ▸ **Advantage#3** : Early alignment The sprint based approach helps aligning the team member to the process and execution model easily. The whole team whether they are new or not, aligns to the 2week sprint from day 1. So managers have lesser overhead to build the rhythm or alignment for every new member. How wonderful that sounds? ▸ **Advantage#4** : Templatization Since the onboarding becomes a 2week sprint, the whole onboarding process can be templatized. In this case, only thing that changes is the topics depending on which role the new team member is getting onboarded. In this way managers need not spend lot time in planning new team onboarding. ▸ **Advantage#5** : Controlled velocity Since the approach of onboarding has become like a Scrum, there is better control over what goes on during each 2week sprint. The feedback at the end of 2weeks, gives clear indications on the progress and how it should go from here on. Based on the feedback loop, the velocity of the upcoming sprints can be adjusted depending on the speed at which the new team member is progressing. --- #### How to execute 2week approach? Sprint based example ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/3b/2a/3b2a32cf-7dab-4396-8df7-a62f8c8077aa/content/images/2026/09/1-3cpaywi0piwtxblzxn-qhq.png) 2week Sprint approach for onboarding new team members The execution approach looks very similar to that of the Scrum approach. The concepts of the Scrum / Sprint are curated for onboarding purposes. Everything starts with agreeing on 30–60–90 day plan. The new team member should be clear about the plan and how it will be executed. Once the overall plan is agreed, the 2week milestones should be broken down into set of onboarding backlog items and sprints. Initiate the first sprint, let the new team member execute or implement or watch videos based on what is agreed in the sprint. And you as manager validate the outcomes. At the end of the first sprint, you can provide the feedback and decide whether onboarding backlog grooming is needed. And then start the next sprint, and so on. > Note that every sprint make a decision on how to plan the next sprint. This will help in making sure the onboarding becomes a success. One of the mistakes that manager may end up doing in this approach is loosing the focus on overall goal of onboarding. So when you plan every sprint, make sure it helps to move closer to the overall goal of the onboarding. --- #### Final thoughts By breaking down the 30–60–90 day plan into 2week milestone and executing using scrum approach, will help in making sure there is always opportunities to provide constant feedback. > The sprint based execution of the onboarding plan will help in bringing clarity to the new team how things are progressing and where the alignment is missing. The sprint based execution also help managers to make decision on how to proceed further. Whether to slow down or speed up or maintain the speed. > This new approach gives managers early indicators whether the team member is suitable for the role or not. By having full control over the execution of onboarding plan and combined with the concepts of scrum, the onboarding will become less of a pain to the managers; in-turn helps to make the onboarding a success. Happy management! [Get email updatesIf you liked the blog, please subscribe and follow to get updates about my next content.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/3b/2a/3b2a32cf-7dab-4396-8df7-a62f8c8077aa/content/images/2026/09/0-hprfpktl_msa50pt.jpg)](https://srihariblogs.medium.com/subscribe?ref=sempler-minds.ghost.io) #### Further reading - [New Manager - stop being paranoid](https://sempler-minds.ghost.io/new-managers-stop-being-paranoid/) - [How to remain technical in Management role](https://sempler-minds.ghost.io/how-to-remain-technical-in-management-role/) - [How to avoid many meetings as a manager](https://sempler-minds.ghost.io/how-to-avoid-many-meetings-as-managers/) - [Manage remote teams effectively - a simple guide](https://sempler-minds.ghost.io/manage-remote-teams-effectively-a-simple-guide/) - [Free Udemy course: New Manager - Learn to become successful](https://www.udemy.com/course/simple-effective-way-for-transitioning-to-management-role/?referralCode=A405ACAA61A95EAED60E&ref=sempler-minds.ghost.io)