One-on-one meetings aren’t just a chance to catch up with your team members — they can lead to big benefits, from stronger engagement to improved morale. One study shows that employees are 3 times more engaged when they meet weekly with their boss. Individuals and managers alike see the benefits of regular check-ins, with 89% of managers and 73% of staff members believing that one-on-one meetings positively impact their team’s performance. 

BambooHR’s Matthew NeSmith says one-on-ones aren’t just nice to do on occasion but should happen regularly. He outlined 9 ways to get the most out of your one-on-one meetings. We highlight his ideas in this issue of PromoPro Daily.

  1. Schedule a time that works for you both. Once you agree on a time for your recurring one-on-ones, block it off on the calendar. This makes it easier than booking new meetings every week, month or quarter, NeSmith says.

  2. Create a loose agenda together. An agenda reveals what you’ll discuss but try to keep it loose so there’s room to discuss other topics. NeSmith recommends using a shared document you can both access.

  3. Create effective one-on-one questions. When you meet with each of your team members, ask open-ended questions like “How can I support you?” and “Are there any areas you’d like specific feedback on?”

  4. Listen more, talk less. NeSmith says that, as a rule, if you’re talking more than 50% of the time, you’re talking too much. He advises actively listening and taking notes. This helps your team members feel like you value and understand what they’re saying.

  5. Share and receive feedback. You can share feedback in one-on-ones, but you should also look for feedback yourself. Ask your employees how you can do better.

  6. Build rapport. Effective relationships are based on rapport, NeSmith says, which means not being afraid to talk about personal issues. You don’t have to reveal deeply personal stories, but sharing relatable experiences helps build trust.

  7. Stick to the schedule. Always try to start and end your meeting at the scheduled times. This ensures consistency. If something requires further conversation, NeSmith advises booking another meeting rather than allowing the one-on-one to run over.

  8. Assign next steps. During your one-on-ones, make sure to outline what needs to happen next, how it will get done and when it should be completed.

  9. Avoid status updates. Don’t use your one-on-one time for sharing status updates. NeSmith recommends saving the updates for team meetings.


Your one-on-ones don’t need to be overly formal or super lengthy. What matters is that you show up consistently and focus on what your team members really need. Follow the ideas above to make your one-on-one meetings count.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Matthew NeSmith is a senior editor at BambooHR. His experience running his own businesses and managing teams contributes to his writing on human resource topics.