One-on-one interactions between employees and their supervisors have a direct impact on employee engagement. Research shows that engaged employees report receiving meaningful feedback at least once per week. Depending on your operations and the number of people you supervise, you may not have the time for weekly conversations. But less time doesn’t have to mean less support. A focused and organized 15-minute conversation that occurs monthly can be as effective and productive for both you and the employee.
When you initiate these meetings, make it clear to your employees that they own them. You, as their supervisor, are their coach. That means they should be prepared to point out dilemmas so you can help find solutions. If these kinds of interactions are completely new to your organization or your team, you may need to provide some initial training or instruction on the purpose and process for these meetings. Before you can do that, you need to establish that process so every meeting is clear and consistent.
Formulas are your friend here, and that includes with scheduling. Set up your meetings as recurring appointments in your calendar so everyone knows when to expect them. Like any meeting worth having, these should have documented agendas and action items, and your employees should go into and leave each meeting knowing what is expected from them. So establish an agenda blueprint that you and the employee update each time you meet. Your template agenda might look something like this:
Agenda item 1: The employee’s assessment of their performance.
Before your meetings, your employee should prepare by thinking about how they are tracking with their goals and objectives. This can be as straightforward as looking at whether or not they are on, below or ahead of their targets. If they are below targets, they should come into the meeting having already thought about what kinds of resources or support they need from you in order to improve.
Agenda item 2: The employee’s satisfaction with their development in their role.
How does your employee feel about their development in their current roles? This is especially important when talking with employees who are either new to your company or who have just switched roles within it. Checking in on this regularly (and not just when performance issues arise) will show your employees that you are on their side and are rooting for and encouraging their growth.
Agenda item 3: The supervisor’s assessment of the employee’s progress and current performance.
After you’ve heard the employee’s perspective, provide your assessment of their progress and current performance. You can also coach them on any problems they brought to your attention during the first two agenda items, or on any other opportunities for improvement you identify.
Agenda item 4: Review action items from the prior meeting and create new action items if needed.
This is important for accountability. Check in on any action items you established during your last meeting, and create new ones if needed. Your employees should always leave these meetings understanding your expectations for them and knowing what they need to do next.
Your agenda might look different, but regardless, it’s important to dedicate time to your feedback and to demonstrate your support for your employees’ success.
When your meeting process is clear and consistent, one-on-one meetings can be very effective for engagement and alignment between a supervisor and employee. While the primary objective for these meetings is to support employees in achieving their workplace goals, they also help supervisors deal with performance issues. Regular meetings allow you to address potential problems before they’ve grown, and you’re also less likely to find yourself in reaction mode when these dilemmas arise if you’re able to provide coaching and feedback on them regularly.