The one-on-one meeting is one of the most valuable tools for communicating with an employee, especially when working remotely. Here, we highlight 10 items that must be addressed during a one-on-one meeting.
Turn your webcam on and ask your employee also to turn theirs on. Pour yourself some tea, coffee, or water to deal with a dry mouth if you have to. And make sure you smile.
Small talk. A brief exchange on an unrelated matter is needed to make sure you both are tuned in and on the same page. For example, you can give the other person a compliment, say something nice about their hoodie, cool glasses, their Google Meet background or the view out the window, and so on. Yes, these are trivial things, but they go a long way to contributing to an overall pleasant vibe and bringing a smile to the other person’s face.
Ask about how things are going for them and how the sprint went. Watch closely as the person talks about issues they have encountered in the past week.
Ask how things are going with the team and the team lead.
Discuss your employee’s concerns. Don’t interrupt them, and let them fill you in on all the key details.
Check in to make sure the employee has been able to look at the agenda you had prepared for this meeting. If not, go over the highlights once again.
Share the news or important announcements you have to discuss. This item is optional, as you might have nothing to share for this particular week :)
Ask the employee what they think about the news and important announcements you just brought up. Find out how your employee feels about this new information.
At the very end of the session, check if the employee has any questions left to ask, and whether they are clear on everything you have discussed. Make sure you both are on the same page on all key points of the agenda.
End the call with a smile and wish your employee a great day.
Additionally, below we will highlight several crucial points that a manager should bear in mind during a one-on-one meeting so as to establish a relationship of trust with the employees.
Important point #1. I recommend one-on-one meetings be conducted not only with the employee, but also with their team lead or product lead. From them, you can learn how the employee behaves within the team, as well as get feedback on their performance. The team lead or product lead may be able to shed light on details that may have slipped under the manager’s radar.
Important point #2. During a one-on-one conversation, neither the employee nor the supervisor should be distracted by any chats, parallel incoming calls, or other unrelated tasks. If your employee is distracted in this way, stress to them the importance of the discussion and explain that it would be great if they could focus their undivided attention on the conversation at hand.
Important point #3. Always take an interest in the employee’s opinion and perspective on various workplace situations, even if they are inexperienced or disagree with you. The important thing here is to show that you are interested in their opinion. This is essential to build mutual trust and get to know your employee better as a person and a professional. This makes them feel how important it is to communicate and helps them take a deeper dive into the topics under discussion in a one-on-one setting, rather than just answering with platitudes or keeping their opinions to themselves.
Important point #4. If you have some relevant examples from your past jobs, make sure you always share your stories, screw-ups, and inspiring cases.
Important point #5. When talking with your employee, make sure to ask more open-ended questions and give them enough time to think through and perhaps discuss the issue briefly with you (remember Point #3).
Important point #6. As a meeting recap, always briefly summarize the points you have agreed on and what you expect from the employee concerned.
Most important! Point #7. You must deliver on any promise made to your employee. If you can’t do that, be honest about it and explain the reason.