Book a demo
|
Log in
Guru logo
Product
Pricing
Solutions
Resources
Enterprise
Product
tools emoji
Features
See how Guru captures, transforms, and delivers knowledge when you need it.
Employee Intranet
See how Guru captures, transforms, and delivers knowledge when you need it.
Shuffle icon emoji
Integrations
Guru works where you do - Slack, Chrome, Gmail and more.
Thinking face emoji
Why Guru?
With Guru's collaborative knowledge management solution, answers find you.
Google Chrome icon
Get the Chrome extension  >
Slack logo
Get the Slackbot  >
Microsoft Teams icon
Get the Microsoft Teams bot  >
Solutions
Plug emoji
Product enablement
The latest product information, delivered to reps in their workflow.
speech bubble emoji
Internal communications
Teams stay connected with anytime access to expert-verified information.
ship emoji
Employee onboarding
Automated onboarding to meaningfully integrate new teammates.
Laptop emoji
Remote work
A work-from-anywhere solution to help teams collaborate and connect.
Briefcase emoji
Company-wide
megaphone emoji
Marketing teams
Chart with upwards red line emoji
Sales teams
Telephone emoji
Support teams
Woman on computer emoji
Engineering teams
Face with hearts emoji
People Ops teams
Resources
Rocketship emoji
Free Templates
Boost your productivity and free up time with expert-designed templates.
Open book emoji
Glossary
Does KM make you say IDK? We explain all the industry terminology here.
Map emoji
Guides
Quizzes, toolkits, white papers, and more to help you do your best work.
Laptop emoji
Blog
The only place where you can literally read our minds.
Floppy disk emoji
Developers
Raised hand emoji
Help Center
Graduation cap emoji
Academy
Neighborhood emoji
Community
Sign up freeExplore product
Product
Features
Employee Intranet
What is Guru?
Integrations
Pricing
Solutions
Product enablement
Internal communications
Employee onboarding
Remote work
Company-wide
Support teams
Sales teams
Marketing teams
Engineering teams
People Ops teams
Resources
Free templates
Glossary
Guides
Blog
Developers
Help Center
Academy
Community
Customers
Enterprise
Log in
Sign up free
No credit card required  🚀
We use cookies to give you to give you the best experience possible on our website and to better understand how users interact with our content.
OkLearn more
We use cookies to give you the best experience possible on our website and to better understand how users interact with our content.
OkLearn more
Arrow icon
Back to template gallery
Guru logo
Guru logo

One-on-One Meeting Templates for Productive, Trust-Building Meetings

These templates ensure every one-on-one meeting in your calendar is effective and useful.

Get the template
Get these templates
Explore templates
Communications
30-60-90 Day Plan Templates
Product Documentation Template
Best Practices to Reduce Meetings
Brand Guidelines - Press Kit
Branded Slides
Change Management Plan Templates
Chrome Extensions for Productivity (via Noom)
Company Objectives and Key Results (OKR) Template
Customer-facing Communications Template (Voice and Tone Guide)
Customer Support "Voice"
Customer Support Overview Template
Customer Win Story
Employee Handbook: How to Create or Update Yours in 2022
Enable G Suite Multifactor Authentication
Feature Release Template
Executive Summary Template
Press Release Templates from PR Pros
Glossary of Terms
Goals of Support Onboarding
Guide to Your First Weeks!
Guru 101 Template
Sales Script Documentation Template
How Our Team Uses Asana
How to Create a Unified Support Team
IT Request Submission Template
How to Use Slack
Communication Plan Templates
Case Study and Customer Quote Template
What is an SOP? The 2022 Guide to Writing One [Templates + Examples]
Project Plan Templates
IT Information Overview Template
Engineering Project Feedback Template
Internal Communications and Team Updates
Internal Content Style Guide
Meeting Minutes Templates and How-to
Mission and Vision Statement Examples and Templates
Daily Briefing Template
Process Documentation Template with How-to and Examples
Project Communication Plan Templates with Examples and How-To
Project Proposal Templates
Project Summary Template
Recommended Slack Channels Template
Remote Work Resources Template
Required Microsoft Teams Channels Template
Return to Office Milestones, Timelines, and Recommendations Templates
Return to Office Roadmap Template
Revenue Team Newsletter Template
Sales Enablement Charter Template
Sales Onboarding Template
Sales to Customer Success Information Flow Template
Slack Best Practices Template
Social Media Plan
Support Policies and Procedures Template
Productive Meeting Best Practices Template
Voice of the Customer: Strategy and Survey Templates
Customer Service
30-60-90 Day Plan Templates
Change Management Plan Templates
Company Objectives and Key Results (OKR) Template
Customer-facing Communications Template (Voice and Tone Guide)
Customer Experience Template Collection
Customer Support "Voice"
Customer Support Overview Template
Feature Documentation Template
Feature Release Template
Glossary of Terms
Guru 101 Template
How Our Team Uses Asana
How to Create a Unified Support Team
Meeting Minutes Templates and How-to
Process Documentation Template with How-to and Examples
Project Proposal Templates
Project Summary Template
Recommended Slack Channels Template
Return to Work and Remote Work Template Collection
Social Media Plan
Support Policies and Procedures Template
Voice of the Customer: Strategy and Survey Templates
Employee Onboarding
30-60-90 Day Plan Templates
Brand Guidelines - Press Kit
Change Management Plan Templates
Company Objectives and Key Results (OKR) Template
Competitor Battle Card
Customer-facing Communications Template (Voice and Tone Guide)
Customer Support Overview Template
Customer Win Story
Employee Handbook: How to Create or Update Yours in 2022
Enable G Suite Multifactor Authentication
Glossary of Terms
Goals of Support Onboarding
Guide to Your First Weeks!
Guru 101 Template
HR and People Ops Template Collection
Onboarding Checklist Template
Employee Turnover Rate Calculator and Template
How to Use Slack
Case Study and Customer Quote Template
What is an SOP? The 2022 Guide to Writing One [Templates + Examples]
Internal Content Style Guide
Meeting Minutes Templates and How-to
One-on-One Meeting Templates
Process Documentation Template with How-to and Examples
Required Microsoft Teams Channels Template
Sales Onboarding Template
HR and People Ops
Guru 101 Template
Employee Offboarding Templates
Marketing
30-60-90 Day Plan Templates
Proven Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy Templates
Brand Colors
Brand Guidelines - Press Kit
Chrome Extensions for Productivity (via Noom)
Proven Cold Sales Email Templates
Company Objectives and Key Results (OKR) Template
Competitor Battle Card
Customer-facing Communications Template (Voice and Tone Guide)
Cross-Functional Team Guide
Customer Support "Voice"
Customer Win Story
Feature Release Template
Press Release Templates from PR Pros
Glossary of Terms
Guru 101 Template
Sales Script Documentation Template
How Our Team Uses Asana
How to Use Slack
Communication Plan Templates
Case Study and Customer Quote Template
Meeting Minutes Templates and How-to
Mission and Vision Statement Examples and Templates
Process Documentation Template with How-to and Examples
Project Proposal Templates
Project Summary Template
Revenue Team Newsletter Template
Sales Enablement Charter Template
Social Media Plan
Operations and IT
12+ Action Plan Templates
30-60-90 Day Plan Templates
9 Project Management Excel Templates
Best Practices to Reduce Meetings
Intranet Software Requirements Template
Change Management Plan Templates
Intranet CMS Requirements Template
Company Objectives and Key Results (OKR) Template
Competitor Battle Card
Employee Handbook: How to Create or Update Yours in 2022
Enable G Suite Multifactor Authentication
Glossary of Terms
Guide to Your First Weeks!
Guru 101 Template
HR and People Ops Template Collection
How Our Team Uses Asana
Onboarding Checklist Template
Employee Turnover Rate Calculator and Template
Root Cause Analysis Template
IT Request Submission Template
How to Use Slack
Communication Plan Templates
What is an SOP? The 2022 Guide to Writing One [Templates + Examples]
IT Information Overview Template
Engineering Project Feedback Template
Meeting Minutes Templates and How-to
Mission and Vision Statement Examples and Templates
Employee Offboarding Templates
One-on-One Meeting Templates
Process Documentation Template with How-to and Examples
Project Proposal Templates
Project Summary Template
Recommended Slack Channels Template
Remote Work Resources Template
Required Microsoft Teams Channels Template
Return to Office Milestones, Timelines, and Recommendations Templates
Return to Office Roadmap Template
Slack Best Practices Template
Product Management
30-60-90 Day Plan Templates
Proven Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy Templates
Product Documentation Template
Virtual Product Brainstorm Template
Brand Colors
Branded Slides
Chrome Extensions for Productivity (via Noom)
Company Objectives and Key Results (OKR) Template
Competitor Battle Card
Cross-Functional Team Guide
Customer Support "Voice"
Customer Support Overview Template
Feature Documentation Template
Feature QA Process
Feature Release Template
Press Release Templates from PR Pros
Glossary of Terms
Goals of Support Onboarding
Guru 101 Template
Sales Script Documentation Template
How Our Team Uses Asana
Support Questions Response Template
IT Request Submission Template
Communication Plan Templates
What is an SOP? The 2022 Guide to Writing One [Templates + Examples]
IT Information Overview Template
Engineering Project Feedback Template
Integration Troubleshooting Template
Meeting Minutes Templates and How-to
Mission and Vision Statement Examples and Templates
New Feature Outreach Template
Daily Briefing Template
Process Documentation Template with How-to and Examples
Support Troubleshooting Template for Products and Features
Project Proposal Templates
Project Summary Template
Recommended Slack Channels Template
Return to Office Roadmap Template
Slack Best Practices Template
Voice of the Customer: Strategy and Survey Templates
Project Management
12+ Action Plan Templates
20+ Project Timeline Templates
30-60-90 Day Plan Templates
7 Essential Project Document Templates
9 Project Management Excel Templates
Product Documentation Template
Virtual Product Brainstorm Template
Best Practices to Reduce Meetings
Company Objectives and Key Results (OKR) Template
Competitor Battle Card
Daily Standup Meeting Templates
Executive Summary Template
Press Release Templates from PR Pros
Guru 101 Template
What is an SOP? The 2022 Guide to Writing One [Templates + Examples]
How to Write a Project Brief with Templates
Project Plan Templates
Engineering Project Feedback Template
Internal Communications and Team Updates
Daily Briefing Template
One-on-One Meeting Templates
Process Documentation Template with How-to and Examples
Project Communication Plan Templates with Examples and How-To
Project Proposal Templates
Project Status Report Template
Project Summary Template
Recommended Slack Channels Template
Sales
30-60-90 Day Plan Templates
Proven Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy Templates
Chrome Extensions for Productivity (via Noom)
Proven Cold Sales Email Templates
Company Objectives and Key Results (OKR) Template
Competitor Battle Card
Customer Win Story
Feature Documentation Template
Executive Summary Template
Press Release Templates from PR Pros
Glossary of Terms
Guru 101 Template
Sales Script Documentation Template
How Our Team Uses Asana
Communication Plan Templates
Case Study and Customer Quote Template
Meeting Minutes Templates and How-to
Mission and Vision Statement Examples and Templates
Process Documentation Template with How-to and Examples
Project Proposal Templates
Project Summary Template
Revenue Team Newsletter Template
Sales Enablement Charter Template
Sales Onboarding Template
Team Meetings
12+ Action Plan Templates
30-60-90 Day Plan Templates
Virtual Product Brainstorm Template
Best Practices to Reduce Meetings
Change Management Plan Templates
Daily Standup Meeting Templates
Guru 101 Template
How Our Team Uses Asana
Employee Turnover Rate Calculator and Template
How to Use Slack
How to Write a Project Brief with Templates
Engineering Project Feedback Template
Internal Communications and Team Updates
Meeting Minutes Templates and How-to
Daily Briefing Template
One-on-One Meeting Templates
Process Documentation Template with How-to and Examples
Project Communication Plan Templates with Examples and How-To
Project Status Report Template
Project Summary Template
Recommended Slack Channels Template
Remote Work Resources Template
Slack Best Practices Template
Productive Meeting Best Practices Template
UX and Design
30-60-90 Day Plan Templates
Virtual Product Brainstorm Template
Brand Colors
Branded Slides
Cross-Functional Team Guide
Feature QA Process
Glossary of Terms
Guru 101 Template
Meeting Minutes Templates and How-to
Mission and Vision Statement Examples and Templates
Process Documentation Template with How-to and Examples
Project Proposal Templates
Project Summary Template

We’re guessing that even though one-on-ones (also called 1:1s or 1-2-1s) are already on your calendar, you’re not too thrilled with them. Ironically, meetings are supposed to be about getting things done, but productivity suffers from time spent in meetings. According to research conducted by Deep Analysis on behalf of Guru and Loom, half of the tech workers surveyed say 40% or more of the time they spend on video calls was unproductive and wasteful.

One-on-one meetings are the most important way managers can lead, exchange feedback, review priorities, and support their teams’ professional development. Don’t let yours fall into the unproductive meeting trap. Our hand-picked one-on-one meeting templates here make meetings better. So, instead of hitting send on that Zoom chat to say, “Your internet isn’t working,” grab them now.

Zoom issues

‍

Example Agendas - 1:1 Meeting Templates

‍

You’ll find each of these templates below: 

  • First one-on-one meeting with your employee 
  • Weekly employee one-on-one meeting
  • Monthly one-on-one meeting
  • OKR goal planning one-on-one meeting
  • 90-day performance review meeting
  • Routine performance review meeting
  • Compensation review meeting
  • Peer one-on-one meeting
  • Skip-level one-on-one meeting

‍

First 1:1 Meeting Template

First one-on-one meeting with your employee 

The first meeting sets new employees up for success by ensuring managers’ expectations are clearly communicated. Employees can ask questions, begin exploring how best to work with their manager, and start to understand the OKRs and goals they’ll help accomplish. 

In your first one-on-one meeting, you’ll want to be sure to cover these questions:

  • What do you enjoy outside of work? 
  • How does this role ladder up to the larger organization’s strategy? 
  • How will success in this role be measured? 
  • What is expected in the first 30 days? 60 days? 90 days? 
  • What coworkers are important to get to know? 
  • What’s the best way to communicate with you? Where and how frequently?
  • What kinds of projects would you most love to work on?
  • Where do you want to land in your career in the next few years? 
  • Where are onboarding resources, like the employee handbook?
  • Where are company information and updates shared? 
  • What procedures, SOPs, or templates does our team use?

‍

Weekly employee 1:1 meeting template

Weekly employee one-on-one meeting

There are only so many hours in a week, so why not make each conversation count? Your weekly employee one-on-one meeting is your best opportunity to build a trusting relationship and set everyone up for success. 

Leave room for emergent agenda items from the week. These questions to ensure each employee is getting what they need to keep work moving forward: 

  • How are your goals tracking this week? 
  • Are you facing any blockers we can talk through? 
  • How do you find these meetings? How can we make them better? 
  • We know burnout is an issue during this time. I want to make sure you’re feeling like you’re getting enough time to recharge. How do you feel about your work-life balance? 

Don’t hide from the personal either. Actually talking about life outside of work is how employees can tell their manager cares about them as people, too. 

Here are some fun ways to get to know each other you can add to your next agenda: 

  • What was your biggest highlight of the week? 
  • What has been the hardest part of your week?
  • At Guru, we share rants and recs, so we ask, “What’s something you can’t stand?” (At Guru, we call these rants.) Or we’ll ask, “What have you really loved lately?” (We call these recs.)

‍

Monthly employee 1:1 meeting template

Monthly one-on-one meeting

When managers and reports meet less often, there tends to be more ground to cover. Ensure each of you prepares an agenda so that key items aren’t missed. Here are some questions to consider for your regular agenda: 

  • How have you been feeling about your work this month? 
  • How are you feeling about how you’re tracking towards your goals? 
  • Where can I provide support, help you think things through, or remove blockers? 
  • What do you wish we would get to that we haven’t? 
  • Are there things you’re finding frustrating on our team? How can we make them better? 
  • How do you think our processes could work better? 
  • What ideas do you have to level up our work?
  • How are you feeling about the way I support you? What can I do to support you better?

‍

OKR and goal setting employee 1:1 meeting template

OKR goal planning one-on-one meeting

Goal setting is a special time of year where each employee’s work is structured to align with reaching larger goals. When working on goal setting, consider asking these questions: 

  • Do you think this is an achievable goal? If not, why?
  • In the last [month, quarter, year], where did we struggle, and how do you think we can improve things this time?
  • What do you need to succeed at hitting these goals? (Consider tools, budget, and roles)
  • What are some of the potential barriers or risks we can anticipate facing this next [quarter, year]? How can we prepare to navigate those? 
  • What are your goals for the coming year within your role? For your professional development?

‍

90-day 1:1 meeting template

90-day performance review meeting

The key to success for any employee is hitting the mark on the manager’s expectations for the first 90 days. It’s also a time to reflect on whether new employees are working well in the organization. Employees can complete a self-assessment review and may also want to nominate colleagues for peer reviews. 

Here are some questions to help structure your conversation: 

  • Where do you think you have been successful so far here? 
  • Where do you think you could improve? 
  • What can I do to better support you? 
  • Where would you like to grow professionally? 
  • How do you feel about your performance against goals?

‍

Employee performance review 1:1 meeting template

Routine performance review meeting

Any performance review can be full of nerves, especially for newer hires. Taking time to reassure your employee about the step-by-step process and what to expect helps ensure a productive conversation. You’ll want to make time to talk about: 

  • Self-review and manager review
  • Any peer feedback
  • Performance-based review, including discussion of goals
  • What went well
  • Areas for growth
  • Any title updates, promotions, or compensation changes

‍

Compensation review 1:1 meeting template

Compensation review meeting

For some organizations, compensation isn’t a part of routine performance reviews. During a compensation review, sharing this info can help smooth the conversation: 

  • Share how the company determines total compensation, including a conversation about leveling, tiers, or approach
  • Updated compensation/title
  • Details about the change and where to go for additional information
  • How are you feeling about the update? 
  • Do you have any questions for me?

‍

Skip-level 1:1 meeting template

Skip-level one-on-one meeting

If you’re getting time with your CEO or leaders, it’s worthwhile to ensure you’re well-prepared to take advantage of their precious time and wisdom.

Here are some items to consider bringing to your agenda: 

For employees:

  • Review of the planned and/or actual impact of your strategy
  • Sharing the business impact of your accomplishments to date

For leaders: 

  • What long-term goals do you have for your career? 
  • How do you like working here? What would make it better?
  • What’s something we could do even better? 
  • What ideas do you have to improve things here? Are there things we should do or stop doing?
  • Is there anything you’re feeling unclear about in our strategy?

‍

Peer 1:1 meeting template

Peer one-on-one meeting

Pro tip: When you’re new in a role, meet your coworkers for (virtual) coffee or lunch and get to know each other as people. We all trust people more when we know them a bit, and it helps ensure working relationships are smooth from the start.

‍

Peer one-on-ones are more informal and can be great for building trust and sharing relevant projects. These questions can prompt a thorough, fun conversation: 

  • How are things with you lately? 
  • How have things been for you and your team?
  • Have you been working on anything lately that might be helpful to share?
  • What’s the best way to keep you updated when working on things relevant to you?

19 one-on-one meeting questions managers and employees should ask

Chances are, you’ve had a meeting or two where you really didn’t have anything to cover. If you don’t cancel, these can be the best way to build trust and let people know you care. Spare yourself some awkward moments and stash these questions in your back pocket to prompt more well-rounded 1:1 meetings.

1:1 meeting example agenda

For managers to ask employees

  • How have you been outside of work?
  • What priorities are you working on? 
  • Are you facing any blockers now? 
  • What can I do to help support you?
  • Where do you see yourself in your next career phase? 
  • In the short term, are there skills you’d like to develop or conferences you want to attend?
  • How has it been working with me? Would more (or less) specific direction be useful?
  • How could we make our meetings together even better?
  • How do you prefer to receive feedback?
  • Do I give you enough feedback?
  • What’s something you think I should stop or start doing?

‍

1:1 meeting with your manager - template with example questions

For employees to ask their manager

  • How can I support our team goals? 
  • What’s the best way to keep you updated (email, messaging, weekly updates, etc.)?
  • What can I do right now to show you I’m ready for work at the next level?
  • Do you think I could work on [reach/desired project/account]? I think I could contribute [how you would approach the responsibility].
  • How am I doing with [specific thing]?
  • How can I better contribute to our team? To our meetings?
  • What is something that’s not working well today for our team that I might be able to help solve?
  • Where do you think I need to develop my skills to do a better job here?

We’re guessing that even though one-on-ones (also called 1:1s or 1-2-1s) are already on your calendar, you’re not too thrilled with them. Ironically, meetings are supposed to be about getting things done, but productivity suffers from time spent in meetings. According to research conducted by Deep Analysis on behalf of Guru and Loom, half of the tech workers surveyed say 40% or more of the time they spend on video calls was unproductive and wasteful.

One-on-one meetings are the most important way managers can lead, exchange feedback, review priorities, and support their teams’ professional development. Don’t let yours fall into the unproductive meeting trap. Our hand-picked one-on-one meeting templates here make meetings better. So, instead of hitting send on that Zoom chat to say, “Your internet isn’t working,” grab them now.

Zoom issues

‍

Example Agendas - 1:1 Meeting Templates

‍

You’ll find each of these templates below: 

  • First one-on-one meeting with your employee 
  • Weekly employee one-on-one meeting
  • Monthly one-on-one meeting
  • OKR goal planning one-on-one meeting
  • 90-day performance review meeting
  • Routine performance review meeting
  • Compensation review meeting
  • Peer one-on-one meeting
  • Skip-level one-on-one meeting

‍

First 1:1 Meeting Template

First one-on-one meeting with your employee 

The first meeting sets new employees up for success by ensuring managers’ expectations are clearly communicated. Employees can ask questions, begin exploring how best to work with their manager, and start to understand the OKRs and goals they’ll help accomplish. 

In your first one-on-one meeting, you’ll want to be sure to cover these questions:

  • What do you enjoy outside of work? 
  • How does this role ladder up to the larger organization’s strategy? 
  • How will success in this role be measured? 
  • What is expected in the first 30 days? 60 days? 90 days? 
  • What coworkers are important to get to know? 
  • What’s the best way to communicate with you? Where and how frequently?
  • What kinds of projects would you most love to work on?
  • Where do you want to land in your career in the next few years? 
  • Where are onboarding resources, like the employee handbook?
  • Where are company information and updates shared? 
  • What procedures, SOPs, or templates does our team use?

‍

Weekly employee 1:1 meeting template

Weekly employee one-on-one meeting

There are only so many hours in a week, so why not make each conversation count? Your weekly employee one-on-one meeting is your best opportunity to build a trusting relationship and set everyone up for success. 

Leave room for emergent agenda items from the week. These questions to ensure each employee is getting what they need to keep work moving forward: 

  • How are your goals tracking this week? 
  • Are you facing any blockers we can talk through? 
  • How do you find these meetings? How can we make them better? 
  • We know burnout is an issue during this time. I want to make sure you’re feeling like you’re getting enough time to recharge. How do you feel about your work-life balance? 

Don’t hide from the personal either. Actually talking about life outside of work is how employees can tell their manager cares about them as people, too. 

Here are some fun ways to get to know each other you can add to your next agenda: 

  • What was your biggest highlight of the week? 
  • What has been the hardest part of your week?
  • At Guru, we share rants and recs, so we ask, “What’s something you can’t stand?” (At Guru, we call these rants.) Or we’ll ask, “What have you really loved lately?” (We call these recs.)

‍

Monthly employee 1:1 meeting template

Monthly one-on-one meeting

When managers and reports meet less often, there tends to be more ground to cover. Ensure each of you prepares an agenda so that key items aren’t missed. Here are some questions to consider for your regular agenda: 

  • How have you been feeling about your work this month? 
  • How are you feeling about how you’re tracking towards your goals? 
  • Where can I provide support, help you think things through, or remove blockers? 
  • What do you wish we would get to that we haven’t? 
  • Are there things you’re finding frustrating on our team? How can we make them better? 
  • How do you think our processes could work better? 
  • What ideas do you have to level up our work?
  • How are you feeling about the way I support you? What can I do to support you better?

‍

OKR and goal setting employee 1:1 meeting template

OKR goal planning one-on-one meeting

Goal setting is a special time of year where each employee’s work is structured to align with reaching larger goals. When working on goal setting, consider asking these questions: 

  • Do you think this is an achievable goal? If not, why?
  • In the last [month, quarter, year], where did we struggle, and how do you think we can improve things this time?
  • What do you need to succeed at hitting these goals? (Consider tools, budget, and roles)
  • What are some of the potential barriers or risks we can anticipate facing this next [quarter, year]? How can we prepare to navigate those? 
  • What are your goals for the coming year within your role? For your professional development?

‍

90-day 1:1 meeting template

90-day performance review meeting

The key to success for any employee is hitting the mark on the manager’s expectations for the first 90 days. It’s also a time to reflect on whether new employees are working well in the organization. Employees can complete a self-assessment review and may also want to nominate colleagues for peer reviews. 

Here are some questions to help structure your conversation: 

  • Where do you think you have been successful so far here? 
  • Where do you think you could improve? 
  • What can I do to better support you? 
  • Where would you like to grow professionally? 
  • How do you feel about your performance against goals?

‍

Employee performance review 1:1 meeting template

Routine performance review meeting

Any performance review can be full of nerves, especially for newer hires. Taking time to reassure your employee about the step-by-step process and what to expect helps ensure a productive conversation. You’ll want to make time to talk about: 

  • Self-review and manager review
  • Any peer feedback
  • Performance-based review, including discussion of goals
  • What went well
  • Areas for growth
  • Any title updates, promotions, or compensation changes

‍

Compensation review 1:1 meeting template

Compensation review meeting

For some organizations, compensation isn’t a part of routine performance reviews. During a compensation review, sharing this info can help smooth the conversation: 

  • Share how the company determines total compensation, including a conversation about leveling, tiers, or approach
  • Updated compensation/title
  • Details about the change and where to go for additional information
  • How are you feeling about the update? 
  • Do you have any questions for me?

‍

Skip-level 1:1 meeting template

Skip-level one-on-one meeting

If you’re getting time with your CEO or leaders, it’s worthwhile to ensure you’re well-prepared to take advantage of their precious time and wisdom.

Here are some items to consider bringing to your agenda: 

For employees:

  • Review of the planned and/or actual impact of your strategy
  • Sharing the business impact of your accomplishments to date

For leaders: 

  • What long-term goals do you have for your career? 
  • How do you like working here? What would make it better?
  • What’s something we could do even better? 
  • What ideas do you have to improve things here? Are there things we should do or stop doing?
  • Is there anything you’re feeling unclear about in our strategy?

‍

Peer 1:1 meeting template

Peer one-on-one meeting

Pro tip: When you’re new in a role, meet your coworkers for (virtual) coffee or lunch and get to know each other as people. We all trust people more when we know them a bit, and it helps ensure working relationships are smooth from the start.

‍

Peer one-on-ones are more informal and can be great for building trust and sharing relevant projects. These questions can prompt a thorough, fun conversation: 

  • How are things with you lately? 
  • How have things been for you and your team?
  • Have you been working on anything lately that might be helpful to share?
  • What’s the best way to keep you updated when working on things relevant to you?

19 one-on-one meeting questions managers and employees should ask

Chances are, you’ve had a meeting or two where you really didn’t have anything to cover. If you don’t cancel, these can be the best way to build trust and let people know you care. Spare yourself some awkward moments and stash these questions in your back pocket to prompt more well-rounded 1:1 meetings.

1:1 meeting example agenda

For managers to ask employees

  • How have you been outside of work?
  • What priorities are you working on? 
  • Are you facing any blockers now? 
  • What can I do to help support you?
  • Where do you see yourself in your next career phase? 
  • In the short term, are there skills you’d like to develop or conferences you want to attend?
  • How has it been working with me? Would more (or less) specific direction be useful?
  • How could we make our meetings together even better?
  • How do you prefer to receive feedback?
  • Do I give you enough feedback?
  • What’s something you think I should stop or start doing?

‍

1:1 meeting with your manager - template with example questions

For employees to ask their manager

  • How can I support our team goals? 
  • What’s the best way to keep you updated (email, messaging, weekly updates, etc.)?
  • What can I do right now to show you I’m ready for work at the next level?
  • Do you think I could work on [reach/desired project/account]? I think I could contribute [how you would approach the responsibility].
  • How am I doing with [specific thing]?
  • How can I better contribute to our team? To our meetings?
  • What is something that’s not working well today for our team that I might be able to help solve?
  • Where do you think I need to develop my skills to do a better job here?
One-on-One Meeting Templates
Guru logoGuru logo
One-on-One Meeting Templates
Crafted by 
  |  
at
Guru
Guru logo
One-on-One Meeting Templates
Crafted by Guru
Get the template
Get these templates
More Guru templates
Guru is the source of truth that skyrockets productivity and works well with all the tools you love. Explore our ready-to-use templates or check out the trending ones here.
InVision LogoGuru logo
Guru logo
Daily Standup Meeting Templates
Use these templates to streamline your team's daily, weekly, or regular standups to maximize productivity.
Crafted by
InVision
Guru
Guru logoGuru logo
Guru logo
Change Management Plan Templates
Use these proven, hand-picked templates to lead any change successfully.
Crafted by
Guru
Guru
Noom logoGuru logo
Guru logo
Internal Communications and Team Updates
Use this template to provide your team with a weekly digest of the information they need to know. Monthly and daily update Card templates included as well.
Crafted by
Noom
Guru
Product
FeaturesPricingIntegrationsWhy Guru?Knowledge management softwareEmployee IntranetInternal wiki
By Use Case
Product enablementEmployee onboardingInternal communicationsRemote work
By Team
Company-wideSupport teamsSales teamsMarketing teamsEngineering teamsPeople Ops teams
Company
About usCustomersCareersPress kitStay in the know
Support
Guru Help CenterStatusSecurity
Resources
BlogFree TemplatesGlossaryGuidesEventsDevelopersAcademyCommunityKnowledge Fest: Knowledge Mangement ConferenceGuru savings calculator
More
Partner with GuruSales enablement Switch to GuruKnowledge managementKnowledge driven cultureProduct TrainingSlack
Contact us
Get a demo
Talk to us
121 S Broad St, Floor 10, Philadelphia, PA
The Guru Blog
Where we drop our knowledge
Visit blog
Arrow icon
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
💌  Stay in the know with Guru email updates
Terms of serviceDev agreementPrivacyBeta agreement
©XXXX Guru Technologies, Inc
Close icon
Guru template gallery
Almost there...
Guru logo
I have a Guru account
Arrow
Not a Guru user?  Simply fill out this form.