What are one-on-one meetings?
One-on-one meetings are regular check-ins between a manager and their direct reports. Although they can be as short as 10 or 20 minutes, they can make a real difference to a business. In these conversations, staff members and their managers can discuss what’s going well at the moment and what could be improved. Any issues can be immediately addressed and resolved before they grow into major problems.
Of course, one-on-one check-in meetings are also perfect opportunities for a manager to recognise positive contributions by their team members and make them feel appreciated. This is sure to boost employee morale and will help you maintain a pleasant and positive working atmosphere. Bear in mind that research has shown that positive feedback makes workers more creative and productive.
Why are one-on-one check-in meetings important?
A major benefit of regular one-on-one meetings between managers and their team members is that they boost employee engagement. This is important because, as a 2012 Gallup study found, there is a strong correlation between employee engagement and performance. Those workers who scored in the top half for employee engagement were almost twice as likely to achieve successful business outcomes than those in the bottom half.
The study also found that teams in the top quartile of employee engagement were 22% more profitable and 21% more productive than those in the bottom quartile. The importance of having engaged staff in your ranks couldn’t be any more obvious! Periodic one-on-one meetings should therefore be a priority on your calendar.
How to prepare for one-on-one meetings
Let’s take a look at five effective ways you can prepare for one-on-one meetings with your staff to ensure the best possible outcome:
1) Block time slots in your diary:
Everyone gets busy, and we often have to juggle multiple commitments. It’s only natural that sometimes meetings will have to be rescheduled. But you should make it a habit to always attend one-on-one meetings when they’re scheduled, and not cancel last minute. This shows your staff that you respect them and take them and their concerns or progress seriously. It’s a good idea to book recurring meetings ahead of time, either for each quarter or even for the whole year. If you block these check-ins as non-negotiable time slots in your diary, it’ll be easier for you to stick to them. And if your company uses a shared calendar, other employees will see that you’re busy during those times and not contact you or try to schedule other obligations in those time slots.
2) Set a clear meeting agenda:
Before you head into your one-on-ones, it pays to have a clear agenda. This will not only save time but also ensure a more effective meeting, especially given how short your time together is. Put together a meeting agenda consisting of a few bullet points with items you’d like to discuss, and send the agenda to your staff member beforehand. This will give them time to prepare and means they won’t be taken by surprise. You can, of course, also ask them if there are any issues they’d like to talk about, which you can then incorporate into the agenda as well. It goes without saying though that a bit of flexibility never goes amiss, so if your employee needs to discuss an urgent issue that’s not on the agenda, be open and avoid being too rigid.
3) Listen actively:
You may be busy and have a thousand things on your mind. But while you’re sitting across from your staff member, you should put all your focus on them and their concerns. One-on-one meetings are generally short, so make a point of being fully present and really listen to what the other party has to say. Have an open conversation to make sure you’re aware of how they’re getting on, familiarising themselves with the new corporate strategy or any other important current matters or changes in the company. Actively encourage them to ask any questions they may have, and be sure to listen carefully so you can address any potential concerns and answer their questions to their satisfaction.
4) Show that you care:
Everybody likes to feel valued and appreciated. It’s no different in business. Make a point of praising your staff member and tell them what you think they did well. It’s always an excellent strategy to start on a positive note before you raise issues or highlight things that may not have gone so well. If your staff feel their efforts are being recognised, they’re not only more likely to be motivated and engaged, they’re also less likely to look for other job opportunities because recognition is the key to employee retention. So employee engagement is, without a doubt, a crucial ingredient in any successful business recipe! Ultimately, this will also strengthen your employer brand and make your company desirable to work for.
5) Take notes:
As in any business meeting, it’s good practice to keep a record of what was discussed. This will help make sure that you’re all on the same page, and everyone involved can easily refer back to the notes if necessary. Especially if action points were agreed upon, a written summary can be very helpful for following up on those points. Remember to send your staff member a copy of your meeting notes after the one-on-one check-in, and keep a copy in their employee file for future reference. Such records also make it easy to check if action points agreed upon in earlier one-on-ones were completed and allow you to track the progress of any issues raised previously. One-on-one meeting notes also come in useful for future employee evaluations.
Build personal relationships
At a time when most communication is done by phone, email or Zoom video conferences, in-person one-on-one meetings are as important as ever. They help foster great working relationships, make employees more engaged and ultimately more productive, and have an all-round positive effect on businesses. The privacy of one-on-one meetings can also be an opportunity for your team members to share concerns they might be reluctant to share in larger staff meetings.
As a manager, you can gain better insights into your employees’ mindset in this way. One-on-one meetings let you connect with your staff on a personal level and are a great tool to fall back on, both during challenging times and when things are going well. Although everyone is busy and recurring short meetings may seem cumbersome at first glance, it pays in many ways to make time for habitual one-on-one check-ins. If you block regular time slots for one-on-ones, set a clear meeting agenda beforehand, are flexible and open, and make it a habit to praise your employees for things they have done well, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a one-on-one pro! The benefits far outweigh the time investment, and – remember that Gallup study? – you’ll have the results to show for it. For more tips on being the best employer you can be, browse our employer resources.