# 🧱 Your First 90 Days - New Todoister Onboarding Guide ## **Hey there! 👋** :::info So you’re here — either as Todoist’s newest team member or as someone helping them settle in. Welcome to our particularly unique corner of the internet. Starting remotely at Todoist is its own special experience. Imagine walking into a cafe where fascinating conversations are happening at every table, except those tables are scattered across 35+ countries, and everyone’s having coffee at wildly different times of day. No awkward kitchen small talk, but also no one to tap on the shoulder when you can’t find that one important document. This guide is here to make those first 90 days less “wait, what am I supposed to be doing?” and more “okay, I’m starting to get this.” We’ll help you figure out who to talk to, what to focus on when, and how to navigate a company where your closest colleague might be 10 time zones away (but somehow still feels like a desk neighbor). Take a deep breath. You've got this, and we've got you. ::: ## Overview Starting at Todoist means juggling two adventures at once: 1. Learning your actual role — the work you were hired to do 2. Adapting to async life — where meetings are rare, documentation is everything, and nobody expects instant replies We’ve designed onboarding to support both sides of this experience. Over your first 90 days, you’ll gradually shift from learning the ropes to owning your work — all at a pace that makes sense for you. Some folks hit the ground running. Others need more ramp-up time. Both approaches are completely valid here, because this isn’t a race. During your onboarding, we focus on: * Helping you understand Todoist’s mission, values, and how we make async work actually work * Setting clear milestones so you know what “good progress” looks like at each stage * Connecting you with the right people at the right times — your mentor, manager, and People team * Giving you room to explore, ask questions (especially the “obvious” ones), and find your own way of contributing ### Where everything lives Your onboarding runs through **Todoist** – all your learning materials, work tasks, and milestone check-ins live there. Think of it as your single source of truth for what to do and when. **Bob** is our HR system where you'll maintain your employee profile and basic information. For everything else – benefits, time off, payroll, and compliance – you'll use either **Remote**, **Deel**, **Gusto**, or **PeopleKeep**, depending on your location and employment type. Don't worry about juggling between systems – your Todoist onboarding project includes reminders for when you need to hop over to these other platforms. Everything's connected, even if it lives in different places. ## Meeting Frequency During onboarding, you’ll have regular check-ins with a few key people. We keep this light weight but consistent, with enough structure to support you without adding meeting fatigue to your first weeks. #### Your main support system | **Who meets** | **Why** | **How often** | |-----------|-----|-----------| | You ↔ Your Mentor | Navigate onboarding, answer questions, provide day-to-day guidance | Weekly | | You ↔ Your Head | Review progress, give feedback, discuss priorities | Weekly | | Mentor ↔ Head | Stay aligned on your progress and any support you need | Monthly | #### Additional support The People Team check in monthly with everyone involved — you, your mentor, and your head. These conversations help us spot patterns, address any early concerns, and make sure the onboarding process is working for everyone. | Collaboration | Purpose | Frequency | |---------------|---------|-----------| | People Team ↔ You | Temperature check on how things are going overall | Monthly | | People Team ↔ Mentor/Head | Ensure they have resources and support to help you succeed | Monthly | Remember: these are starting points. If you need more support early on, speak up. If you’re flying solo and need less structure after a few weeks, that’s fine too. The point is finding what works for you. Here’s a [sample 1:1 agenda](https://handbook.doist.com/doc/1-on-1-meeting-guide-IpXZ5VuCFu) if you want ideas for structuring these conversations. ## Onboarding Timeline | **Timeline** | **Phase** | **Focus** | |----------|-------|-------| | Before Day 1 | **Pre-boarding** | Contracts, accounts, equipment setup | | Day 1 | **Welcome** | First connections, system access, early wins | | Week 1 | **Getting to know Todoist** | Mission, values, async culture, tool setup | | Week 2 | Getting to know your team & squads | Team dynamics, objectives, relationships | | Month 1 (Week 3-4) | **Shadowing & First Contributions** | Guided work, scoped tasks, goal setting | | Month 2 | **Build & Deliver** | Creating real work, shipping with support | | Month 3 | **Own & Optimize** | Independent contribution, full ownership | **First 30 days:** Learning, observing, and starting to contribute with heavy support **Days 31–60:** Building confidence, delivering real work with regular guidance **Days 61–90:** Working independently, owning projects, contributing as a full team member **Key checkpoints & short surveys:** * Day 1: Welcome meetings with People Team, Mentor, and Head * Week 1: Onboarding Check-In * Week 2: Onboarding Pulse * Day 30: Foundations Review * Day 90: Onboarding Retrospective This timeline shows the gradual progression from supported learning to independent contribution, with clear milestones that match the tasks and meetings we've outlined in the main document. ## Onboarding Milestones Your onboarding balances structure with flexibility. You’ll have clear milestones to hit, but plenty of room to explore, ask questions, and figure out your own way of working. Regular feedback throughout the process reinforces positive behavior and helps redirect anything that might slow success. Each milestone builds on the last, moving from learning and guided support to independent contribution. **Pro tip for mentors and heads**: Keep notes from your 1:1s. When you look back at the end of 90 days, you’ll have a clear picture of the journey and be ready to celebrate how far your newcomer has come. --- ### ⚙️ Basics & Routines **Onboarding at Doist** A brief guide on all things onboarding at Todoist. Always a work in progress, but a great place to get an overview of how we think about onboarding and what that experience looks like. Start Date: Leader: Onboarding Mentor: End of Onboarding: - [ ] ✂️ Report your snippet in the [Snippets channel](https://twist.com/a/1585/ch/1290/) - [ ] 💰 Submit your expenses in [Ramp](https://app.ramp.com/sign-in) --- ### Week 1 : Getting to know Todoist *Making you feel welcome, getting you connected with your team, and making sure you can actually log into everything you need.* *Understanding what makes* *Todoist* *tick – our mission, how we work async, and getting all your tools set up.* **Meetings**: * **People Team**: Welcome call and early questions * **Mentor**: Welcome, review the Mentoring Agreement, and set goals & expectations **Head**: Welcome and introduction to team dynamics and goals **Todoist Tasks:** - [ ] **Your First Day: Welcome & Orientation 🎉** - [ ] A little welcome gift 🎁 - [ ] 📚 Read ["Start at Todoist"](https://handbook.doist.com/doc/start-at-doist-1pj5qCIihc) onboarding overview - [ ] [Your First 90 Days - New Todoister Onboarding Guide](https://handbook.doist.com/doc/new-doister-onboarding-guide-mAqMuIP752) - [ ] [Onboarding Resources](https://handbook.doist.com/doc/onboarding-resources-uouOwzFVo2) - [ ] [Onboarding Period](https://handbook.doist.com/doc/onboarding-period-89Nqz2m6Nd) - [ ] [Mentoring program overview](https://handbook.doist.com/doc/mentoring-wEp8T5dXfe) - [ ] [Onboarding FAQs](https://handbook.doist.com/doc/onboarding-faqs-s5xUMy1KWa) - [x] Check out your welcome thread in Comms - [x] Schedule your first call with your leader - [x] Schedule your first call with your onboarding mentor - [ ] Check out a bit early on your first day! - [ ] **Day 2: Core Setup** - [ ] Confirm you have access to these accounts listed as subtasks - [ ] Todoist - [ ] Comms - [ ] Bitwarden - [ ] Outline - [ ] Ramp - [ ] Github - [ ] Workable Referrals Dashboard - [ ] Google Shared Drive - [ ] `[For U.S. Employees]` PeopleKeep - [ ] Complete your employee profile in Bob - [ ] Set up your appointment schedule in Google Calendar - [ ] Create your standardized email signature - [ ] **Day 3: Company Foundation** - [ ] Read [About Todoist](/doc/796bb8bc-7b47-4692-8989-d542ad1f4db7) fundamentals - [ ] [Todoist Mission](/doc/c2c82799-b5a7-40c2-bdee-4e97e5295707) - [ ] [Core Values](/doc/71dc52b8-b971-4a0b-a8e2-444ca179298b) - [ ] [The Todoist Story](/doc/11adee9c-c485-46cd-a554-2e638dc41ec1) - [ ] [Our History](/doc/c1317335-57ca-4d5c-84de-fd731f08a0cc) - [ ] 📋 Explore [People & Policies at Todoist](/doc/c4057b6b-1890-45ce-9221-c17c10ce14e8) - [ ] [How We Work](/doc/2ba3d496-31fb-4947-9620-48d0ec5e0ea0) - [ ] [Cultural Guidelines](/doc/f5040901-c9b4-4d92-93b8-1d1a794022f0) - [ ] [Bob (HR Information System)](/doc/1eb5c6cb-4ca1-42e7-8272-29a0fd532abf) - [ ] **Day 4: Security & Systems** - [ ] 🔒 Review [Data & Security](/doc/b42f132a-5094-4500-86d4-16bf36e446f1) guidelines - [ ] [**Important]** Complete the [Todoister Security Checklist](/doc/9c71b06e-5ad4-4495-9140-8dce93d781dd) - [ ] 👥 **[For Leads]** Review [Lead at Todoist](/doc/db3a15be-9ddb-496b-a0f8-19a79417be1f) essentials - [ ] [Lead Role](/doc/870799d9-b925-4c0a-8b4f-d82b2708a154) - [ ] [Setting Leadership Accountability Goals](/doc/72ce5c3c-838a-439a-ae05-3c1e0955f719) - [ ] [Hands-on management](/doc/e2fc13cd-3cbb-4e05-8047-8fcc3028d289) - [ ] [Leading](/doc/b9790109-f430-4155-85e1-7ede9b171ab9) - [ ] [Growing](/doc/f5144a20-8428-47cb-a453-263309256a5a) - [ ] **Day 5: Goals & Check-in** - [ ] Prepare and share 10 things about yourself in Comms - [ ] Complete the Week 1 - Onboarding Check-In on Bob --- ### Week 2: Getting to know your team & squads *Learning how your team and how squads operates, understanding objectives, and building relationships with your immediate working group.* **Meetings**: * **Mentor**: Share observations from Week 1 and discuss your role in squad objectives * **Head**: Check in on team priorities and any early contributions **Todoist Tasks:** - [ ] **Day 6: Team Discovery** - [ ] 👥 Explore Bob and get to know some members of the team - [ ] Explore your Team Handbook in [Teams](/collection/43e331a5-f0da-4fef-9cac-ac4d8de52196) - [ ] Learn about [Directly Responsible Individuals (DRIs)](/doc/0da6f838-d1c9-4088-8a58-96775715b96e) *(who owns what)* - [ ] **Day 7: DO System Foundations** - [ ] Understand the DO System (how work gets done at Todoist) - [ ] [DO System: Overview](/doc/ce77976d-b682-41fb-89e1-84d5b3edc1f5) - [ ] [DO System: Key Terms & Concepts](/doc/1d37f889-88fe-44db-a13e-a0e9c91fabeb) - [ ] **Day 8: DO System in Practice** - [ ] [DO System: Roles Guide](/doc/c86de0a9-e88d-42fb-bd69-616a6e86bfd3) - [ ] Ask you mentor: Which DO are they working on this quarter, ask to observe to learn - [ ] Check out one of your mentor’s Squad weekly snippets to get a peek into the DO System and squad work - [ ] **Day 9: Broader Learning** - [ ] 📚 Review helpful resources from [Lead at Doist](/doc/db3a15be-9ddb-496b-a0f8-19a79417be1f) - [ ] [Essential Documentation Creation Guidelines](/doc/3c3cb8ae-0a1e-40cf-ae2f-fac36c886621) - [ ] [Iterative Execution for Leaders](/doc/c65da918-6717-4f36-bf61-a1bbe42a0ce3) - [ ] [Performing](/doc/429153c1-1364-436b-a33f-200cf7bc50e8) - [ ] 📞 Set up a call with someone on your team who you don’t know well - [ ] **Day 10: Week Wrap-up** - [ ] Catch up on any remaining reading - [ ] Complete the Week 2 - Onboarding Pulse on Bob --- ### First Month (Week 3–4): **Shadowing & first contributions** *Shadowing team members, shipping your first scoped work with support, and shaping goals for the rest of onboarding.* **Meetings** * **Mentor**: Weekly plus as-needed support * **Head**: Weekly check-ins, plus end-of-month 1:1 to review progress **Todoist Tasks** * \* Priorities [Text box] - [ ] Observe the DO System in action - [ ] Review [DO System: Planning Guide](/doc/b5de1195-adbb-4188-b4ab-4c8f6f68eab3) - [ ] Review [DO System: Execution Guide](/doc/29afdef7-bdd8-4783-aee3-c96e7895f74d) - [ ] Review [DO System: Specs Guide](/doc/a72725c8-f6b0-4868-b8b9-c343d0010350) - [ ] Shadow how your mentor’s squad tracks progress - [ ] 📈 Explore [Growth at Doist](/doc/1f85eee5-67b6-4868-bbfc-abf0536ce35b) - [ ] [Feedback Compass](/doc/9db9b5a8-c56e-41fc-8926-38c6d89380d2) - [ ] [Career Framework](/doc/92be0a54-8300-4198-bdb7-63b49ec5f19e) - [ ] [Performance Philosophy & Review Cycle](/doc/1be663f6-8241-48ac-b9f6-324d5e49e1b0) - [ ] 📞 Set up a call with someone outside of your team who you haven't met - [ ] 📞 Set up a call with one person from every team who you haven't met yet - [ ] Explore [AI at Doist](/doc/838a6adf-7186-4980-88b9-5fb7e57a93db) - [ ] Complete the Day 30 - Onboarding Foundations Review --- ### Second Month: Build & deliver (role-specific) *Rolling up your sleeves and creating real work. You're still learning, but now you're also shipping things that matter.* **Meetings** * **Mentor**: Weekly plus as-needed support * **Head**: Weekly check-ins, plus end-of-month review **Todoist Tasks (CSV-exact)** * \* Priorities * **Learning** * **Output** - [ ] DO System: Watch how the current cycle wraps up --- ### Third Month: Own & optimize (role-specific) *This is it – you're working like a full-fledged Doister. By now, you're owning projects, contributing ideas, and probably teaching us a thing or two.* **Meetings** * **Mentor**: Weekly plus as-needed support * **Head**: End-of-month recap with head, mentor, and newcomer to review the full onboarding period and next steps **Todoist Tasks** * \* Priorities * **Learning** * **Output** - [ ] DO System: Observe planning for the next cycle (you'll participate in the one after that) - [ ] Sign up for your Week in Customer Experience (WiCX)! - [ ] **Complete the Day 90 - Onboarding Retrospective** --- ### Onboarding mini-challenges *What these are: Optional, bite-sized ways to practice async habits and get to know the team. Think of them as side quests – fun if you're into them, completely skippable if you're not.* **Todoist Tasks** * 🤔 What are onboarding mini-challenges? - [ ] 📂 Create your own "Smile File" - [ ] 📱 Get social with us! - [ ] 🐧 Join a social channel in Comms - [ ] 📣 Give someone a public shoutout in the Thank You channel - [ ] 🔗 Share an interesting article, resource, or idea in the "Inspiration" channel - [ ] 💡 Offer some feedback on something someone shares in Comms - [ ] ✍️ Suggest an edit in the company handbook - [ ] 🐛 Identify and report a Todoist bug --- ### For mentors, heads, and People team admin *Quick reference for everyone supporting our newcomer, because great onboarding is a team sport.* **Todoist Tasks** - [ ] Manager’s tasks - [ ] Start drafting goals for onboarding period - [ ] Schedule debrief call for end of onboarding period - [ ] Mentor’s tasks - [ ] Discuss mentoring trip plans - [ ] Invite mentee to observe your squads rituals to shadow/observe - [ ] People team’s tasks (Currently redundant on Bob) - [ ] Your upcoming hire is starting in a week! - [ ] Your upcoming mentee is starting in a week! - [ ] [For Ana] Add new hire to the Todoist team page (details in description) - [ ] [For Olivia] Add new hire to birthday & work anniversary announcement bots (details in description) - [ ] [For People Team] [For US Employees] Complete newcomer's I-9 form - [ ] Your recent hire has reached their 30-day milestone at Todoist! - [ ] Your recent hire has finished their 60-day milestone at Todoist! - [ ] Your recent hire's onboarding period is ending soon! --- ## One last thing... Onboarding can feel overwhelming. There's a lot to learn, people to meet, and systems to figure out. Some days you'll feel like you're getting it, other days you'll wonder what you've gotten yourself into. Both feelings are completely normal. Remember: We hired you because we believe you'll add something special to Todoist. Not because we expect you to be perfect from day one. Give yourself time to find your groove. And hey – in a few months, you'll be the one helping the next newcomer feel at home. Circle of (Todoist) life. 🌱 ## ==Frequently Asked Questions — New Hire Edition== ### Getting Started #### **What if I need more time to complete my onboarding tasks?** That's completely normal. Some folks cruise through everything in a few days, others take weeks. Your mentor is there to help you adjust timelines to match your reality. Just communicate openly about what you need. #### **Is it normal to feel overwhelmed in the first few weeks?** Absolutely. You're learning a new role, new tools, new people, and a new way of working all at once. Most people say it takes about a month to feel oriented and three months to feel truly settled. Be patient with yourself. It gets easier. #### **Is it okay to ask 'obvious' questions?** Yes. Always. That question that feels obvious to you? Someone else is probably wondering the same thing. Plus, fresh eyes often spot things we've gotten too used to. Your "obvious" question might spark an improvement nobody else noticed. ### Support & Feedback #### **What if I'm not getting enough support? Or too much?** Speak up! Tell your mentor or head what's working and what isn't. Maybe you need more check-ins, or maybe you need more space to figure things out independently. We can't adjust if we don't know. #### **How do I know if I'm doing well?** Your mentor and head will give you regular feedback – both the "you're crushing it" kind and the "here's something to work on" kind. But also: Are you learning? Contributing? Feeling more comfortable each week? Those are good signs. If you're genuinely unsure, ask directly. We value transparency here, and that includes being transparent about performance. #### **What happens if this role isn't what I expected?** Sometimes roles evolve differently than we imagined – for both you and us. That's why we have regular check-ins. If something feels off, bring it up early. Often we can adjust responsibilities, find better-fit projects, or clarify expectations. The earlier we talk about it, the more options we have. ### Communication & Working Async #### **How does communication work at** Todoist**?** As a fully remote, distributed team. We've carefully shaped our communication culture. You can learn more about how we communicate in [Communication](/doc/2d030b85-466c-4f6e-9f8b-5ac9d6a8230a). #### **How do I handle working across time zones?** Async is our superpower, but it takes getting used to. You'll rarely need immediate responses from anyone. Post your questions when you have them, and trust that answers will come. If something's truly urgent (rare!), we'll figure it out. Your mentor can help you learn when to use which communication channels. #### **Everyone seems to know each other already. How do I break in?** It might feel like everyone's best friends already, but remember: every single person here was new once. Jump into Comms conversations, share something in our social channels, or simply reach out to someone whose work interests you. Doisters are genuinely friendly – we promise nobody will think you're weird for saying hi. #### **How do meetings work at** Todoist**?** At Todoist, we keep meetings to a minimum. We're not against meetings, but we believe in being intentional about why we meet and making sure that, even when we do meet, we maintain our async-first culture. There's more learn more about [Meetings at Todoist](/doc/768b458d-f09f-4a2f-94f1-8c1535ae5fb0). ### Projects & Responsibilities #### **How do we prioritize and execute projects at Doist?** We've been long evolving our own system for this. You can learn more about our [DO System](/doc/a05b07bc-5a37-4b4f-92ea-e8877f2a5d10). #### **How do I know who to talk to about a certain project or area?** Figuring out who does what can be tricky in any organization and even more so when everyone is remote. To help create clarity around ownership and responsibilities we've established what we call, [Directly Responsible Individuals (DRIs)](/doc/0da6f838-d1c9-4088-8a58-96775715b96e). A DRI is someone who takes ownership of a specific area or project, typically within their domain, but occasionally also outside. By designating DRIs it's also easier to identify who best to ask about certain things. ### Technical & Administrative #### **What if I can't figure out a tool or keep hitting technical issues?** You're not alone – we all struggle with tech sometimes. Post in [#Todoister Welcome 👋](https://twist.com/a/1585/ch/799358/) on Comms for help, or ask your mentor if it's something team-specific. Nobody expects you to figure out every tool on your own. Screenshots of error messages are your friend. #### **How do I make sure my work devices are secure?** The [Todoister Security Checklist](/doc/9c71b06e-5ad4-4495-9140-8dce93d781dd) includes guidelines to ensure that your devices are setup correctly to minimize the risk of data loss or leaks. #### **How do I report my monthly expenses?** You can learn all about reporting your monthly expenses by reading our [Expense Reporting Guide](/doc/a8e85e0e-695d-45db-b8c9-6bbb2b04fb2a). ### Benefits & Growth #### **Where can I find a list of all the benefits/perks available to me?** [Benefits and Perks](/doc/26e99e95-b9df-4822-b0f7-823217cbc850) includes everything currently available. #### **How do I plan for and take time off?** We have a variety of [Paid Time Off](/doc/a90b0df4-c067-4239-8249-a1cc87ac190a) policies to enable you to disconnect from work, recoup when you're not feeling well, and address those unexpected situations where working isn't feasible. #### **How flexible is flexible work really?** Very. As long as you're meeting your commitments and communicating with your team, you can work when and where works best for you. Doctor's appointment at 2pm? Kid's school play? Need to work from a different country for a few weeks? Just communicate with your team and make it work. #### **How does Doist approach compensation?** Our [Total Compensation](/doc/edff72dd-be5e-4be2-952f-69e0f5452359) is an area that has evolved over the years. #### **How do I grow at Doist?** Our goal is to create a culture where everyone has the opportunity to grow and have that growth be supported, acknowledged, and rewarded over time. We've created a lot of resources to share how we think about growth and the systems and opportunities we've put in place to make that possible. Learn more at [Grow at Todoist](/doc/d8aeb8de-5346-470d-972b-61e5fc4539e9).