The importance of 1-on-1 meetings

1-on-1 meetings are one of the simplest, most reliable ways managers can support, develop, and stay connected to their people. Yet many teams treat them as casual check-ins rather than the high-impact conversations they are.

This guide is here to change that. Let’s break down what 1-on-1s are, why they matter, and how to run them in a way that drives performance, alignment, and connection.

Quick stats

• 48% of employees say their boss doesn’t understand them or their job – something that effective 1-on-1s can significantly improve.
• Employees who work under high-performing leaders are 4.5x more likely to be high-performing themselves.
• Yet, unfortunately, one in every five 1-on-1 meetings is canceled – one of the common pitfalls of 1-on-1s.

What is a 1-on-1 meeting?

A 1-on-1 meeting is a regular, scheduled conversation between a manager and their direct report. This conversation typically happens weekly, lasts 30 to 60 minutes, and is designed for a two-way exchange.

It’s more than a glorified check-in. A 1-on-1 meeting is a dedicated space where a manager can offer support, remove obstacles, and provide feedback, while the employee can share updates, raise concerns, or explore their goals.

When they’re done well, your 1-on-1 meetings will help you maintain momentum on your operational work (projects, blockers, and priorities) and your relational work (trust, career aspirations, and personal context).

Why are 1-on-1 meetings important for high performance?

According to Culture Amp’s research on sustainable high performance, people do their best work when they feel supported, connected, and clear about what’s expected of them. Regular 1-on-1 meetings are one of the most effective ways to create those conditions.

A consistent cadence of 1-on-1s helps managers build trust and psychological safety, two hallmarks of high-performing teams. They also create space for real conversation – not just status updates – so managers can understand what’s motivating someone, what’s blocking them, and what they need to thrive. This shift from “What are you doing?” to “How are you doing?” strengthens connection and helps employees feel seen and valued.

1-on-1s also improve alignment. When priorities shift (as they often do), these regular conversations ensure employees have clarity about what matters most right now. This reduces rework, lowers stress, and boosts both productivity and engagement.

In other words, 1-on-1s act like a grounding point in the week. They keep people aligned, supported, and moving forward. Over time, this rhythm becomes a key driver of sustainable performance – not because it demands more output, but because it protects a team’s capacity to perform at its best.

What are the benefits of 1-on-1 meetings?

1-on-1 meetings will be different for every company, every manager, and every direct report. But while each approach will be unique, the goal of these meetings remains the same: to maintain open communication between a manager and their direct reports.

But 1-on-1 meetings do more than just that. Here’s a look at the other benefits of these weekly meetings:

1. Improve performance: Leaving performance discussions until annual performance reviews leaves little time for employees to actually adjust their performance. Weekly or bi-weekly check-ins provide space for managers to offer timely feedback and allow employees to raise any roadblocks that are impacting their productivity and performance.
2. Drive development: 1-on-1 meetings are the perfect time to discuss growth. Managers can use the time to ask about direct reports’ career aspirations and share relevant professional development opportunities. Learning and development are among the top drivers of employee engagement. So, showing interest in and investing in your employees’ growth increases their engagement – and their desire to stick around. If your 1-on-1 tends to fill up with day-to-day operational discussions, consider setting aside time for a separate conversation dedicated to development.
3. Build trust: 1-on-1 meetings allow employees to get personal. Direct reports and managers can get to know one another and build lasting relationships, which positively impact your company culture. Employees who have a solid relationship with their manager might also be more forthcoming about issues in their personal lives that could affect their performance. Handling topics like these with empathy can improve employee loyalty and engagement even further.
4. Increase team agility: During 1-on-1 meetings, employees have time to identify and address blockers, challenges, and issues as they arise. These meetings also give teams an opportunity to pivot if goals or objectives become outdated, so they can remain agile and adapt as business needs change.

8 tips for effective 1-on-1 meetings

Effective 1-on-1s don’t happen by accident. They require intention, structure, and a shared commitment from both manager and employee. Here are some simple, science-backed ways to make every conversation count.

1. Set a consistent cadence (and stick with it)

Pick a regular rhythm – like weekly or bi-weekly – and stick with it. If you wait too long between meetings, you can lose momentum. Do your best to avoid canceling or postponing 1-on-1s. Frequent cancellations may give the impression that the meeting is optional and leave your direct report feeling like they aren’t a priority.

2. Let your direct report co-own the agenda

1-on-1s work best when the employee has a say in what you discuss. Shared ownership means the direct report shows up prepared, and the manager isn’t driving the whole meeting. Using Culture Amp, both managers and employees can add topics to the agenda as they come up, so everyone can head into the conversation with an idea of what’s coming.

3. Use a structured format (but stay flexible)

A loose structure ensures you touch on all of the key areas, like a quick check-in, alignment, progress, relationships, and career. But remember, you don’t need to stick to a rigid script. If something important comes up, adapt accordingly.

4. Go beyond tasks

It’s tempting (and easy) to use a 1-on-1 to cover what a direct report did that week – and there’s nothing wrong with getting a better understanding (especially when 48% of employees say their boss doesn’t understand them or their job). But the best conversations hit three layers: operational (projects, blockers, priorities), relational (trust, connection, feedback), and developmental (career, skills, aspirations). Effective 1-on-1s go beyond tactical performance and status updates to dig into deeper topics, too.

5. Ask the right questions

Good 1-on-1 meeting questions open up a dialogue, so plan to ask open-ended questions that prompt employees across different categories. Don’t worry – we’ll get into specific questions for managers and employees a little later.

6. Use data signals

Tracking engagement, performance, and wellbeing gives you a tangible starting point for your 1-on-1 meetings with employees. You can use those insights to bring up topics and observations that are rooted in what employees are actually telling you, not assumptions. For example, Wave Utilities relies on slider-based wellbeing data to spot when someone is struggling and adjust support accordingly.

7. Identify action-oriented next steps

A 1-on-1 is more than a chat. Look for ways to achieve results: a decision, a removal of a blocker, a skill to build, or a career conversation. Try ending your meetings with questions like, “What will you commit to before our next meeting?” and “What can I do to help you?”

8. Practice and evolve

Running effective 1-on-1 meetings isn’t an inherent quality – it’s a skill any leader can practice and refine. And it’s well worth the effort to learn. Culture Amp research shows that employees under high-performing leaders are 4.5x more likely to be high-performing themselves. To improve your 1-on-1s, regularly reflect on these conversations to identify what’s working (and what isn’t), and ask your direct reports for feedback on how you can improve these sessions. Need more help? Culture Amp’s AI Coach delivers contextualized insights, opportunities to role-play challenging conversations, and personalized coaching to help managers tackle even the trickiest topics with confidence.

What are some common pitfalls of 1-on-1 meetings?

Sure, your 1-on-1 meetings might seem like casual check-ins – but it’s all too easy for these conversations to run off the rails. Here are three common pitfalls that could transform your 1-on-1s from productive to problematic:

1. Skipping meetings: Of course, things happen sometimes. But if either party makes a habit of skipping meetings, it implies they don’t appreciate the other person’s time and could hurt the relationship. Yet, one in every five 1-on-1 meetings is canceled. For these conversations to feel meaningful, both parties need to make the 1-on-1 a priority. Set a time and cadence that works with both people’s schedules and needs.
2. Rushing through feedback: Even in short meetings, managers should provide thoughtful feedback and deliver it constructively. Make sure your managers are familiar with how best to deliver and receive feedback (AI Coach can help with this, too), so every employee gets an equal opportunity to improve their work.
3. Failing to listen: While managers have a responsibility to stay engaged and ask thoughtful 1-on-1 questions, ultimately, they should let direct reports take the lead and spend most of their time actively listening. This allows the employee to voice what matters most, while managers focus on understanding and supporting them.

1-on-1 meeting template

There’s a lot to get through in a weekly 1-on-1, so here’s a simple 1-on-1 meeting with manager template to keep your meetings on-task and productive:

1. Start with a casual check-in

At the beginning of every meeting, take a minute to chat casually with your employee. This sets the tone for the meeting and helps you get to know your direct report more personally. You might choose to ask them about their weekend, an upcoming vacation, or even a passion project outside of work – anything that gets them to open up and feel more at ease before you dive into the rest of your meeting.

2. Review your shared agenda

1-on-1 meetings aim to be mutually beneficial to both you and your employees. Creating a shared agenda allows employees to take joint ownership of the meeting and ensure they get what they need from your conversations.

Drop your items into the agenda (and remind your employee to do the same) ahead of time so you can jump right in and begin discussing those topics.

3. Ask questions

Once you’ve addressed everything on your joint agenda, ask your employee any lingering questions you may have. This could be anything from how they feel to requesting more detailed updates on their current projects.

Here are a few examples of things you might want to ask, but we’ll share even more 1-on-1 questions in the next section:

• Do you have any feedback for me?
• What do you find most helpful/least valuable about our 1-on-1s?
• Is there anything we didn’t cover today that you’d like to discuss next time?

4. Capture meeting points and agreed-upon actions

While 1-on-1s are often fairly quick meetings, you’ll be surprised by how much you can discuss in such a short amount of time. Take detailed notes during or immediately following your meeting to capture the breadth of your discussions and keep track of any action items that came up during your conversation. Culture Amp has a section for shared notes so you can clearly outline the next steps and items to discuss in the future, helping hold both you and your employee accountable.

1-on-1 questions to ask your manager

As an employee, you have just as much ownership (if not more) over your 1-on-1 with your manager. Coming prepared with thoughtful questions shows that you’re invested in learning, growing, and improving. For example, you could ask:

• What’s the most important thing you want me to focus on right now?
• Is there anything I could be doing differently to make your job easier or our team more effective?
• What context or updates do you have that would help me do my work better?
• Where do you see the biggest opportunities for me to grow this quarter?
• Is there anything coming up that you’d like me to prepare for or think about?

1-on-1 questions to ask employees

As a manager, one-on-one meetings are your opportunity to delve into how your direct reports are feeling and identify ways to support them more effectively. Questions like the following can help you do this:

• How is everything going today? Tell me about this past week.
• What’s one thing (or a few) you learned this week?
• Are there any recent interactions with team members you’d like to discuss?
• What are you committing to between now and the next time we meet?

That’s only a small slice of the questions you could ask. Check out this list of 24 meaningful 1-on-1 questions to ensure your conversations with your direct reports are valuable opportunities – not repetitive calendar cloggers.

It’s time 1-on-1s became more collaborative

Think of your 1-on-1 meetings as far more than a recurring calendar invite – they’re a weekly opportunity to strengthen trust, surface challenges, and keep people focused on what matters most. With the right structure, questions, and commitment, these conversations can transform how your team performs and feels.

FAQs about 1-on-1 meetings

1. How often should managers hold 1-on-1 meetings?

Most teams benefit from weekly or bi-weekly 1-on-1s. A consistent rhythm helps maintain momentum, prevents misalignment, and shows employees that their time and wellbeing are a priority.

2. Who should set the agenda for a 1-on-1 meeting?

The manager and direct report share responsibility for setting the agenda – but, ideally, the employee takes the lead. When direct reports help shape the agenda, the conversation becomes more meaningful, balanced, and relevant to their needs and goals.

3. What should managers focus on during a 1-on-1?

Effective 1-on-1s look beyond task updates. Managers can explore projects, blockers, career development, well-being, and relationship-building. The goal is understanding what the employee needs to perform and grow – not just what they’ve completed and what’s next on their list.

4. How can managers make 1-on-1s more effective?

Use a simple structure, ask open-ended questions, rely on data signals (like engagement or wellbeing insights), and follow up on action items. Tools like shared agendas and Culture Amp’s AI Coach can also help managers prepare, role-play tricky conversations, and build confidence.

5. What are the biggest mistakes to avoid in 1-on-1s?

Common pitfalls include skipping meetings, rushing through feedback, and dominating the conversation instead of listening. Prioritizing the meeting, slowing down for meaningful discussion, and paying attention to your direct report can prevent these issues.

Key takeaways

• Regular, intentional 1-on-1s help employees feel supported, aligned, and clear on expectations – all of which are key ingredients of sustainable high performance.
• The most effective 1-on-1s are shared, two-way conversations where employees help shape the agenda and managers focus on listening, coaching, and removing blockers.
• Great 1-on-1s address three layers of work: operational progress, relationship-building, and long-term development.

Learn more in our guide for 1-on-1 meetings

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