Your First 90 Days in a New Role - Setting Yourself Up for Success

Starting a new job is like stepping into a brand-new world. The first 90 days? That's your window to lay a solid foundation for success. It's an exciting time but also a period full of adjustment—figuring out your role, meeting new faces, and making sure you're adding value quickly.

Think of it as a trial run. In these three months, you get the chance to show your potential, understand the company's vibe, and start making meaningful connections. You might feel the pressure to prove yourself right away, but remember—this isn't about overloading your plate. It's about making thoughtful moves that set you up for both short-term wins and long-term success.

At UpTeam, we know how important these early days are. Setting yourself up for success starts with understanding the company culture, finding opportunities to contribute, and building strong relationships. The biggest impact comes when you balance getting early results with truly understanding the culture and the people around you. It's about figuring out how the team works, the unwritten rules, and where your contribution matters most. And honestly, the relationships you build during these early days often shape the rest of your journey at the company.

Let's explore what makes the first 90 days so crucial, how you can make an impact immediately, and what it takes to really connect with your new team.

🔶 Week 1: Laying the Foundation 🔶

🔵Understand Expectations‍

Have a conversation with your manager to align on goals and success metrics. Clarify what is expected of you in the short term and how success will be measured.

🔵 Learn About the Company's Culture‍

Observe team dynamics during meetings, pay attention to how people communicate, and take note of key cultural norms. Learn how people prefer to interact and what informal practices are common.

🔵 Build Relationships Early‍

Introduce yourself to your teammates and other key colleagues. Focus on building rapport by showing genuine curiosity about their work and backgrounds. Simple messages and short virtual chats go a long way.

🔶 Weeks 2–4: Start Creating Value 🔶

🔵 Gather Information & Observe‍

Continue familiarizing yourself with workflows, processes, and the team's tools. Attend meetings, listen actively, and learn how decisions are made.

🔵 Quick Wins‍

Identify small tasks or challenges you can solve quickly to show your capability. These early wins help establish your presence and build confidence within the team.

🔵 Deep Dive Into the Company Culture‍

Join company events or informal team hangouts to better understand informal norms. This is key to integrating into the team on a more personal level.

🔵 Set Up Regular Check-Ins‍

Establish weekly check-ins with your manager to discuss progress, get feedback, and make necessary adjustments. This helps you stay on track and keeps communication flowing.

🔶 Month 2: Building Momentum 🔶

🔵 Contribute More Substantially‍

By now, you should have enough context to start owning a specific project or deliverable. Take charge and demonstrate your ability to add value.

🔵 Refine and Adjust‍

Use the feedback you've gathered to refine your approach. Show adaptability by aligning your contributions more closely with the team's overall direction.

🔵 Network Internally‍

Reach out beyond your immediate team. Learn about different departments and their impact on your role. Building a broader network helps you understand the bigger picture and identify opportunities to contribute.

🔶 Month 3: Establishing Your Presence 🔶

🔵 Showcase Your Impact‍

Present your contributions to your manager or team. Whether it’s through a report, presentation, or a summary of achievements, make sure others see the value you've brought.

🔵 Strengthen Relationships‍

Deepen the relationships you've started building. Take part in collaborative work, offer your help to colleagues, and continue engaging in informal conversations. Trust grows over time, and active engagement is key.

🔵 Plan for Long-Term Success‍

Work with your manager to set goals for the next phase. Discuss areas where you can grow, skills to develop, and upcoming opportunities to contribute. This helps establish your path within the company and ensures you’re set up for ongoing success.

🔶 Common Mistakes to Avoid in the First 90 Days 🔶

🔵 Trying to Do Too Much, Too Soon, Without Understanding Context‍

It’s natural to want to impress early on, but rushing to deliver without fully understanding the context can lead to mistakes or misalignment. Take time to understand how things work before diving in. Observe, ask questions, and make sure you know why things are done a certain way. In a remote and multicultural environment, context is even more crucial—different teams may operate differently based on their location or cultural norms.

🔵 Not Seeking Feedback Often Enough‍

Feedback is your fastest way to learn. Especially when remote, you need to be proactive in seeking it. Don’t wait for formal reviews—reach out to your manager or colleagues after a project or meeting to understand what went well and what could improve. Feedback helps you adjust to the company’s needs and demonstrates your willingness to grow.

🔵 Ignoring Company Culture and Informal Norms‍

In a distributed setting, company culture isn’t as obvious as when you’re in an office. You need to actively understand informal norms—like how decisions are made, how people communicate, and how teams celebrate wins. This might mean joining optional social calls, observing how others interact on Slack, or asking teammates about how things typically work. Failing to adapt to these norms can make it harder to fit in.

🔵 Underestimating the Importance of Internal Networking‍

Remote work makes it easy to stay within the boundaries of your immediate role or team. But building a network across departments is essential, even remotely. Attend cross-functional meetings when possible, reach out to colleagues in different departments for a quick introduction, and use any opportunities to engage on social platforms within the company. In a multicultural company, understanding different perspectives is key, and expanding your network gives you insights you wouldn’t get otherwise.

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The first 90 days in any new role are all about setting a solid foundation. At UpTeam, where we work remotely across 25+ countries, embracing our distributed culture means making an impact. UpTeam’s culture isn’t something you see in an office, but rather, it’s how we interact online, celebrate wins, and support each other across time zones. The more you engage, the better you’ll understand how to be a part of it. Our global setup brings together different teams with diverse perspectives, and understanding this bigger picture helps you find unique ways to add value.

If this kind of environment sounds like the place where you’d thrive, we’d love to hear from you. UpTeam has a range of open positions, and we're always looking for talented people ready to make an impact in a remote, global team. Check out our careers page and see where you might fit in!

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