Employees who have regular 1:1 meetings with managers are 3x more likely to be engaged.
– Gallup, 2016

Did you know? Voluntary attrition at Adobe dropped 30% since annual performance reviews were replaced by regular 1-on-1 meetings.
– CMI, 2018

Did you know? 69% of managers are uncomfortable communicating with their employees.

It is no news that many managers are uncomfortable giving the right and honest feedback. However, the abominable side of sugarcoating and eschewing honest feedback is dysfunction and disconnection, which leads to an unproductive team. That’s why it is critical to give feedback early and often. And using a platform like Xoxoday Empuls to conduct 1-on-1s will only make the process smooth and effective. 

Using a technology platform to conduct one-on-one meetings will not only reduce the time and effort in conducting one, but also ensures the return on investment is huge. Through regular conversations, managers can develop trust with both individual employees and the teams. In return, the act encourages a higher degree of trust and engagement among the employees that solidify teams and improves a better mechanism where employees work on the feedback to rectify the gaps in their performance.

This article will reflect on how managers can run effective one-on-one meetings that can have a positive impact on employees’ performance.

Pre-work: Planning the one-on-one meetings

Here are a set of activities that you should mark-off from the checklist before scheduling a one-on-one meeting with your employee

Set the context of human care:

Make sure you plan your conversation on constructive feedback that reflects you are personally invested in your employees’ growth. Conduct the one-on-ones in difficult times as well as good times. When things are going poorly, it’s time for a difficult conversation. When things are going well, use the time to appreciate the person’s accomplishments and help guide them into their career trajectory. 

Set an agenda:

You have to understand what’s going on within your team so that you can use one on ones effectively. One on ones are a collaborative effort and agenda items will be based on concerns from you and from your employee. Ask one of these questions at least a day before the meeting:

“What do you want to discuss in our next one on one meeting?”

“What challenges are you facing?”

“What challenge is the employee facing?”

Create a plan:

Managers, it’s up to you to help employees bridge the gap between where they are and where they could be. Think about the behaviors and skills of your employee and what could be standing in their way of success.

Xoxoday’s people engagement platform-- Empuls-- takes care of effective feedback process and more>>

Now that we have talked about the key considerations one must reflect on before scheduling a 1-on-1 meeting, let’s look at what you should talk about when you’re in one.

Clarifying performance expectations and goals (OKRs):

Make sure individual goals aren’t drifting off the map; at the same time, use one-on-ones to clarify any doubts about the OKR cycle and performance expectations, rather than leaving your employees to assumptions.

Honest and constructive feedback:

Give honest, open and constructive feedback. Make sure you don’t discourage an employee but share what is expected of him/her, where are the gaps, how he/she can rectify the gaps, and what support you can offer. Also, use this opportunity to ask for feedback. 

Focusing on development:

The one-to-ones should also focus on understanding the aspirations and career trajectories of the employee. Does an employee work in marketing, but want to learn to code? Or maybe someone really struggles in one area and wants to take a course to up their confidence. Find out how they want to grow and coach them through what they need to get there. 

Recognizing the right behaviors and actions:

One-on-ones can be the perfect space to remind your colleagues you see and value their work. Appreciate the good work and give feedback on what is the right thing they are doing and what actions and behaviors they should continue displaying. 

To know how you can improve manager effectiveness in your organization, talk to xoxoday expert today