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30-60-90 Day Plan for New Maintenance Managers

Jeff O’Brien, Co-Founder, Zoidii

Posted 7/23/2024

Congratulations on your new maintenance manager role! In the first three months of employment, the ultimate goal is to make an immediate positive impact. First impressions last, so it’s crucial to have a comprehensive plan to help navigate the critical first few months on the job. The 30-60-90 Day Plan is a widely recognized methodology that assists new managers in effectively managing their transition into a leadership role. Each phase entails specific goals, objectives, and action plans tailored to the demands of the position and the organization.

The First 30 Days – Understand the lay of the land

The first 30 days of the plan are crucial for establishing a solid foundation. During this period, new maintenance managers should focus on thoroughly understanding the organization’s maintenance processes, procedures, and systems. This involves immersing oneself in the daily operations, meeting team members, and familiarizing oneself with the existing maintenance schedules and documentation. The first 30 days are also an opportune time to identify critical issues or areas requiring immediate attention. By examining current maintenance practices, new managers can identify gaps in workflows, potential risks, or areas for improvement.

  1. Start to build relationships with the maintenance team. Engaging in regular one-on-one meetings, team huddles, and open forums can facilitate open lines of communication and promote collaboration. Strong and effective communication is essential to fostering a positive work environment and gaining the trust and support of the team members.
  2. Start to evaluate the maintenance team’s strengths and weaknesses. By conducting performance reviews or informal assessments, managers can identify individual skills and expertise, enabling them to allocate resources effectively and create development plans for team members.
  3. Assess the current maintenance processes and systems. By closely evaluating the existing procedures, managers can identify areas of inefficiency, standardize practices, and implement improvements. This may involve analyzing equipment maintenance records in their maintenance management system, evaluating maintenance logs, and consulting with team members for their input.
  4. Start having dialog with other departments within the organization. Collaborating with departments such as operations, procurement, and finance can help streamline processes, improve resource allocation, and ensure maintenance activities align with the overall business goals.

Take the time to understand the maintenance department’s specific needs and challenges. By gaining a comprehensive understanding of the department’s unique requirements, managers can tailor goals and objectives to address these specific areas. A proactive approach in the first 30 days can set the stage for success in the subsequent phases of the plan.

30-60 Days – Start putting a plan in place

During the second phase, new maintenance managers must establish clear goals and objectives to streamline maintenance processes, enhance team productivity, and optimize resource allocation. By setting goals, managers can define their vision and strategy for the maintenance department, ensuring that every effort is directed toward achieving measurable results.

One common challenge that new maintenance managers face is resistance to change. New processes or procedures may be met with skepticism or reluctance from team members. Some employees may fear that the new processes will make their jobs more difficult or that automation will replace them. Effective communication, transparency, and employee engagement initiatives can help ensure the smooth adoption of changes. New maintenance managers must involve the team in the process to ensure buy-in. By actively soliciting feedback from the maintenance team and implementing their suggestions, managers can create a culture of empowerment and innovation. Managers should encourage maintenance team members to actively participate in brainstorming sessions, identify new technologies or methodologies, and implement best practices. Active participation helps build a culture of continuous improvement and innovation that evolves and proactively addresses challenges.

Identifying key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to measure the effectiveness of the implemented changes will help track progress. These could include equipment downtime, response time to maintenance requests, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). By setting clear benchmarks and tracking progress, the new maintenance manager can monitor the impact of their initiatives and make data-driven decisions to drive continuous improvement within the maintenance department.

60-90 Days – Start by addressing some quick wins

New maintenance managers must be proactive in identifying potential roadblocks and finding innovative solutions. They must lead by example and demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement. As the new manager transitions into the plan’s 60-90 day phase, the focus shifts toward implementing improvements and addressing any identified issues. Prioritize tasks based on their positive impact on maintenance operations and allocate resources accordingly. Start with a few low-hanging fruit that could help build momentum after the first 90 days. By getting ahead of potential challenges, managers can ensure that the department operates more efficiently and effectively. Establishing clear communication channels and providing regular feedback on progress can help encourage further improvement.

Reflect on the journey as the first 90 days come to a close. Review the key milestones achieved and the improvements made. Gather feedback from the team on what worked well and what challenges persist. These insights will help refine your plan as you move beyond 90 days.

Why should new maintenance managers have a 30-60-90 day plan?

New managers should have a 30-60-90 day plan to ensure a structured and effective transition into their new role. Here are several key reasons why a plan is essential:

1) Building Relationships

The 30-60-90 day framework emphasizes the importance of building relationships with team members, peers, and other stakeholders. Strong relationships are essential for effective collaboration and leadership.

2) Clear Objectives

A 30-60-90 day plan helps new leaders set clear, achievable objectives for their first three months. This structured approach allows them to focus on specific goals and milestones, making it easier to prioritize tasks and allocate time effectively.

3) Immediate Impact

A 30-60-90 day plan encourages new leaders to identify potential challenges and areas for improvement proactively. With a plan, new leaders can identify quick wins and areas where they can make an immediate positive impact. This early success can build confidence and credibility within the team and organization.

4) Setting Expectations

By sharing their 30-60-90 day plan with their supervisors and team, new leaders can set clear expectations about their priorities and intended actions. This transparency helps manage expectations and gain support from others. This proactive approach also demonstrates leadership and a commitment to continuous improvement.

5) Establishing Authority

Achieving the goals outlined in the plan helps new leaders establish their authority and credibility. Demonstrating competence and delivering results early on can help them earn the trust and respect of their team and peers.

The Bottom Line

In conclusion, the 30-60-90 Day Plan provides new maintenance managers a structured framework to navigate their crucial first few months. It gives clarity, focus, and direction, helping them integrate into the organization, align with strategic goals, build relationships, and establish their authority. By setting clear objectives and tracking progress, new leaders can make a meaningful impact early on and set the stage for long-term success. By understanding the plan’s stages, setting clear goals, developing a long-term strategy, and addressing challenges, managers can pave the way for success and drive continuous improvement in the maintenance department and the organization.

Remember, a maintenance manager’s journey is an ongoing process. By embracing challenges and roadblocks as opportunities for growth and improvement, managers can create a resilient and high-performing maintenance team that consistently delivers exceptional results.


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Jeff O'Brien

Jeff O’Brien is co-founder of Zoidii—the maintenance solution that gives you real-time visibility of maintenance cycles, labor assignments, parts allocations, and maintenance costs. Jeff has managed over 600 CMMS implementation projects and written over 200 industry articles on leadership, manufacturing, maintenance, and operational excellence.

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Brawley

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