Incentive Magazine

By Roy Saunderson

Employee engagement surveys often identify the need for more one-on-one time between employees and their managers. An easy way to fulfill this is to hold regular one-on-one feedback meetings. This simple idea gets overlooked or bumped by supposedly more important priorities. Yet making time for one-on-ones can eliminate communication problems, boost morale and productivity, and guarantee higher scores on your next employee engagement survey.

Use these 10 steps for making your feedback sessions more successful.

1. Plan them in. Schedule one-on-one meetings at mutually agreed regular times and frequencies (biweekly or monthly would be the minimum).

2. Keep guests out. Keep this meeting as a private, one-on-one opportunity between yourself and your employee. By keeping it this way, you demonstrate respect and the importance of this time together.

3. Set clear expectations. For a more effective session together, define and agree upon each other's roles for these sessions. Knowing what to expect from each other helps build trust.

4. Plan the content. Both the manager and subordinate should prepare agenda items to be discussed. That way, there are no surprises and each of you can be better prepared.

5. Make it two-way. Remember that the focus for these one-on-one meetings is to improve both individuals' performance, the manager and employee. It shouldn't just be the manager directing comments, so be willing to receive valuable feedback, too.

6. Block out adequate time. Provide sufficient time for these meetings and feel out what is best for both of you. Allow at least one hour in the beginning and be flexible to situational needs.

7. Keep the structure simple. Simply, focus on making improvements at work with your specific job tasks and on better interpersonal relationships skills. Provide feedback on the progress being made each time you meet.

8. Make followup critical. Effective leadership and delegation is one-quarter leading the way and three-quarters followup. A key agenda item should be following up on previous meetings' action items.

9. Seldom is heard. While constructive feedback and concerns may be necessary, make sure to section some time to give genuine praise and acknowledgement within the meeting.

10. Set the stage. At the end of each meeting, review the generated action items established in the session for each person's benefit before leaving the office.