One-on-one meetings, sometimes called check-in meetings, are informal conversations between managers and employees. They are typically held on a regular basis and focus on whichever aspects of performance are currently most relevant.
Being able to hold a successful 1-on-1 meeting is critical to good performance management, especially in today’s feedback-focused workplace cultures. In fact, frequent transparent feedback is at the heart of continuous performance management, and one-on-ones are a perfect way to both give and receive input.
Here we’ll look at the fundamentals of holding successful one-on-one meetings, so you can be prepared for your next employee check-in with an awareness of how best to structure your meeting, how to ask the right questions and bring the right mindset for an effective session.
Key Takeaways
- One-on-one meetings are informal conversations between managers and employees, held on a regular basis to talk about current performance-related issues.
- As a means of giving real-time feedback, they are an important element of continuous performance management.
- The perfect one-on-one meeting structure is a live call or session that lasts at least half an hour. However the length may vary depending on how often you meet.
- It is recommended that one-on-ones be held frequently (once a week, ideally) especially with remote employees.
- During the meeting, managers should dedicate time to checking-in, focusing on recent work, planning and support, and summing up.
- Specific topics discussed will depend on the employee’s role and current concerns.
- One-on-ones should be private for reasons of psychological safety and to encourage open, honest feedback. What you discuss depends on the employee and situation.
- Managers should always be well-prepared for one-on-ones. Asking specific questions about the employee’s performance can help managers come prepared with an agenda.
- Employees should also prepare for one-on-ones by listing their own concerns and topics for discussion.
- Managers can run effective one-on-ones by doing the following: stay positive, focus on the future, keep the tone informal, clarify expectations in advance, focus on personal growth, discuss strengths and opportunities, prepare well, ask open-ended questions, leave room for brainstorming, show gratitude for employee performance, refuse interruptions from external sources during the meeting, commit to the date a time without making any last-minute changes, and use performance management software like Primalogik to create a clear agenda and track feedback, progress and milestones.
- Managers should avoid showing up late, forgetting to enjoy some small talk, looking at their phone, and coming across as an authority figure.
Table of Contents
1. Purpose of a One-on-One Meeting
2. The Perfect 1-on-1 Meeting Structure
3. One-On-One Meeting Cadence: How Often Should You Meet?
4. Choosing One-On-One Meeting Topics
5. For Managers: Preparing a One-on-One Meeting Agenda
6. How Employees Should Prepare for a One-On-One Meeting
7. 13 Tips for Successful One-on-One Meetings
8. What Managers Should Avoid Doing During One-on-One Meetings
9. Primalogik performance management software supports successful one-on-ones
Purpose of a One-on-One Meeting
A one-on-one meeting is an interaction between a manager and an employee that allows everyone to focus on what matters right now. It plays a key role in guiding employees’ performance and growth.
One-on-one meetings are a place to share honest feedback and help build a better rapport between managers and employees. They also give managers a stronger understanding of how employees are performing in their daily work.
During this meeting, employees may gain clarity on how to overcome challenges. Managers might help them identify barriers to success and how to overcome them. Employees can also receive guidance on meeting their goals for their job and career. There are many benefits to holding regular one-on-one check-ins, making them an integral part of any performance management strategy.
The Perfect 1-on-1 Meeting Structure
Good managers hold one-on-one meetings routinely with each of their direct reports. Set a regular time for these meetings. Otherwise, you’ll have to debate meeting times with each employee every week. Following a specific format can make the meeting easier to direct and manage and can guarantee that you cover important topics and give every issue the attention it deserves.
Typical One-On-One Meeting Format
Typically, one-on-one check-ins should last for at least half an hour. Structure your one-on-ones with a 5-min check-in, a 10-min focus on recent work/achievements, a further 10 minutes for future planning and support, and 5 minutes to sum up direct action items.
One-On-One Meeting Location
Managers should hold one-on-one meetings in a private setting. They can take place in an office, via a private video call, or in another quiet location. Providing privacy creates a sense of psychological safety and helps employees feel freer to voice concerns and ask questions.
Sample Roadmap for a Typical Check-In Meeting
Here is a sample step-by-step structure for a one-on-one meeting:
- Check in with the employee regarding the discussion points you’ve each listed and come prepared to discuss. (5 minutes)
- Express gratitude for something the employee has done in the past week. (10 minutes for steps 2 and 3)
- Ask the employee to discuss any challenges faced recently. If necessary, share feedback.
- Shift the focus to planning ahead, including weekly or monthly project priorities, or broader professional development goals. This could include directing the employee toward the right support or training if required. (10 minutes)
- Do a quick recap of action steps you’ve discussed so that there is a clear plan for follow-up before the next meeting, and thank the employee for participating. (5 minutes)
The exact items in this list will depend on what you need to discuss. For a newer employee, you may focus more on clarifying responsibilities and expectations. For someone confronting a major hurdle, you may be more focused on creating an action plan.
One-On-One Meeting Template
Employee: ____________
Manager: ____________
Date: _______________
1. Check-In (5 min)
- How are you doing this week? ____________
- Anything top of mind? ____________
2. Recent Work & Wins (10 min)
- Key accomplishments: ____________
- What’s going well? ____________
- Any challenges or blockers? ____________
3. Planning & Support (10 min)
- Priorities until next meeting: ____________
- Where do you need support? ____________
- Any development or growth topics? ____________
4. Action Items & Wrap-Up (5 min)
- Agreed next steps: ____________
- Follow-ups for manager/employee: ____________
- Next meeting date: ____________
One-On-One Meeting Cadence: How Often Should You Meet?
Ideally, you’ll hold one-on-one’s once a week, particularly if working remotely. This allows you to give detailed and up-to-date feedback on a regular basis. Once every two weeks can also work, coupled with more frequent quick check-ins via messaging or chats. Creating a consistent cadence of one-on-ones reduces work anxiety; regular short check-ins are generally considered more beneficial than less-frequent longer check-ins.
The length of one-on-one meetings will vary depending on how often they are held. Half-hour meetings are appropriate for weekly sessions. If you meet less frequently, try making the meeting longer, up to a maximum of a full hour for deeper discussions.
New hires may need more time or more frequent check-ins. The most important element is the frequency of the event: do not wait too long in between meetings, or the advantages of continuous feedback will be lost.
Choosing One-On-One Meeting Topics
Topics for 1-on-1s will vary according to each employee’s role and whatever is currently taking place within the company or project. But asking the right questions in one-on-ones is key to gathering the feedback you need quickly and efficiently, so come prepared. A professional performance management software suite allows you to keep a manager journal so that you can easily refer to important points noted for each employee, and tailor your questions accordingly.
Discussions can focus on any of the following:
- Issues employees are confronting
- Strengths employees have mastered
- Abilities employees want to develop
- Progress employees have made
- Accomplishments employees have achieved
- Any changes to employees’ career goals
- Any issues with team members
Managers may need to provide the following types of input:
- Clarification of goals, responsibilities, or expectations
- Information on how to access learning resources
- Guidance on how to improve particular skills
- Input on solutions or ideas proposed by the employee
- Appreciation for employees’ hard work
- Reminders of how their work helps fulfil the organizational vision.
In some cases, one-on-one’s are the time to establish the need or build the groundwork for Performance Improvement Plan. In other cases, employees may simply need a check-in on their progress. This is the time for real, open communication, whether you are voicing praise or concerns.
For Managers: Preparing a One-on-One Meeting Agenda
Since one-on-one meetings tend to be informal, it’s a common error not to be well-enough prepared. The best way to make the most of everyone’s time is for managers to be thoughtful in their approach and prepare a basic meeting agenda. Take time to collect your thoughts before the meeting. Jot down notes about how the employee’s performance has changed since your last meeting. Consider whether the employee has achieved any successes (small or large). Decide what really must be said, and what can wait for another time.
If you only plan for a generic conversation, your employee may leave the check-in thinking, “Why did we have this meeting?” This has more far-reaching consequences that you might think, impacting morale, employee engagement, respect levels and confidence in all your performance management processes.
How Managers Can Decide What to Discuss
Managers are best prepared when they create a list of discussion points to cover in the meeting. The following questions may help you organize your thoughts:
- Where is the employee struggling most?
- How can I help the employee to prepare for the coming week’s challenges?
- Has the employee’s performance changed recently? In what ways?
- Is the employee prioritizing effectively?
- What have I noted about this employee’s performance recently? Which points deserve deeper exploration?
- Are there any important priorities or projects for the coming week?
- Is the employee on track in terms of career development?
How Employees Should Prepare for a One-On-One Meeting
Managers often neglect to tell employees how to prepare for a one-on-one meeting. However, when both parties take the time to get ready for their discussion, they’ll have a far more productive conversation.
One way to encourage active participation is to ask employees to make a list of topics they want to cover. These should include challenges they face, along with possible solutions. Encouraging employees to share discussion points will help them become proactive about their growth.
Managers can also take the time to reassure and encourage employees, emphasizing the importance of having a transparent and honest discussion. When employees are encouraged to come prepared to listen and to be heard, the one-on-one meeting becomes a powerful performance management tool.
13 Tips for Successful One-on-One Meetings
Follow our advice for best practices and your one-on-one meetings will have maximum impact!
1. Stay Positive
Managers should strive to stay positive. Sharing gratitude for particular efforts employees have made will set the right tone.
2. Focus on the Future
When giving feedback, keep it future-focused. That means discussing what people can improve, not what they’ve done wrong. In other words, focus on the potential benefits of improving, rather than negative impacts of past performance. The idea is to maintain a more optimistic tone that boosts morale.
3. Keep Meetings Informal
Choose the most informal possible setting for your check-ins. In some cases, getting away from your workspace can be a good idea. The idea is to get to know your employees better, and avoid having the meeting feel like a formal performance review. Maintaining a relaxed tone builds trust and rapport.
4. Clarify Expectations in Advance
Clarify the purpose, tone, and setting of one-on-ones in advance so your employees know what to expect. This will help make them feel at ease. Tell employees you want to have an authentic exchange where they can raise concerns and discuss questions rather than defend their performance. In other words, it’s all about supporting them.
5. Focus on Personal Growth
Your one-on-ones shouldn’t focus only on project status updates. A manager who uses one-on-ones mainly to introduce the next big project is missing the real reason for holding these meetings: employee development.
Instead, give employees actionable feedback about their own individual performance. Address their professional growth, and discuss their progress toward goals. Show you’re committed to their long-term career success by giving them advice on how to reach the next level.
6. Discuss Strengths and Opportunities
Rather than speaking of strengths and weaknesses, speak of strengths and opportunities. This helps the conversation stay positive, keeping people from feeling defensive and, at the same time, boosting motivation.
7. Always Come Prepared
Before the meeting, create a list of bullet points you want to talk about, arranging them in order of priority so you cover the most important bases. At the same time, be flexible about what subjects to cover. An important topic you may not have considered might come up and deserve your time and attention.
8. Ask Open-Ended Questions
Pose specific but open-ended questions to prompt discussion. Inquire about how you can better support employees in their growth, asking them to provide actionable advice. Ask them about challenges they are experiencing so you can problem-solve together, as well as questions about the company’s performance and processes. Give employees a chance to voice their ideas about what your organization could do better. Remember, a game-changing idea could arise at any time.
9. Leave Room for Brainstorming
If possible, brainstorm together on how to improve individual and team performance. The act of brainstorming puts you on an equal playing field, emphasizing that you’re both learning together, which makes employees feel validated.
10. Say Thank You
Always share gratitude for your employee’s contributions, too, and work to keep the tone positive by mentioning what the employee has been doing well. Afterward, you can send a brief “recap” email to highlight the key takeaways.
11. Refuse Interruptions
Protect this time, not allowing it to be interrupted. Each employee deserves your undivided attention, which will ensure they gain maximum benefits from the meeting.
12. Commit: Don’t Cancel
Avoid cancelling your one-on-ones except in an emergency, showing that this time truly matters to you. Even if you do not have much to discuss, keeping the appointment shows that the employee’s well-being and presence matter to you, and will encourage higher engagement and commitment on their part as well. If you do have to cancel, reschedule immediately.
13. Use Performance Management Software
Use tools that help you construct a clear and relevant agenda. The best performance review tools also support light check-ins. Drawing from current goal-tracking data and recent manager notes, they highlight points to discuss and calibrate progress toward objectives.
What Managers Should Avoid Doing During One-on-One Meetings
You can also make the most of your check-ins by avoiding these four things:
Avoid Showing Up Late
Always be punctual. You’ll convey the importance of these meetings by showing up on time. Plus, employees will get more out of them when you fully use the time.
Avoid Getting Straight to Business
This may seem counterintuitive, but spending a moment on chit-chat will build your rapport.
Avoid looking at your phone
Silence any distractions, so you can give the employee your undivided attention.
Coming across as an authority figure
Try to avoid coming across as ‘the boss’. Instead, be a supportive coach.
Primalogik performance management software supports successful one-on-ones
Take all the above steps, and you’ll be ready to make the most of your one-on-one meetings. You’ll see employee morale rise as they receive the right support and encouragement, and you’ll build trust and encourage better performance across all your teams.
Primalogik’s award-winning performance management software makes it simple to note down and track employee progress, goals, and important data for quick reference in one-on-ones. Our performance review tool is especially designed for longer meetings held yearly (or once every few months). Or, use our instant feedback tool for quick real-time check-ins. We support continuous performance management through a variety of effective tracking and meeting tools.At Primalogik, we believe that happy employees make for successful companies. Our tool is used successfully by HR Managers in companies of all sizes, from start-ups with small teams to mid-sized companies with more complex needs. Book a free demo today!