1x1 meetings are a valuable tactic practiced by successful leaders. When used correctly, such meetings can increase the efficiency of employees' work, provide an opportunity to get to know them better and increase their non-material motivation.
Empower the relationship between coworkers. 1x1 meetings give employees an opportunity to openly communicate with their managers, and this is the first step in building good work relationships. When employees feel trusted, they are more confident and can perform on a higher level.
Employees who have good relationships with their managers are more open about issues in their personal lives that might be affecting performance. If the employer helps to solve these issues correctly and in a timely manner, the loyalty and motivation of employees will definitely increase.
Improve productivity. According to the Gallup's latest research, 87% of millennials (people born between 1981 and 1996) value growth and professional development in a job and 1x1 meetings are the perfect time to discuss these topics. To build effective meetings, managers should use the time to talk about the employee's career aspirations, professional development opportunities and passion projects.
By showing interest and investing in your employees’ growth, not only will you make them happier and more motivated to work, but you will also increase the odds they will be loyal to your company longer.
Give an opportunity to check in on goals. 1x1 meetings provide an opportunity to see the employee's goals, analyze and discuss his or her achievements. You can give specific feedback on the progress and together discuss next actions to reach the goal.
Take the guesswork out of management. When you know your people well, you can make more informed and forward-thinking decisions, see more clearly everyone’s perspectives and move the employees in the direction of both personal and beneficial for the company growth.
"The general impression about 1x1 is of course positive. Easy conversation takes place thanks to the mutual openness that encourages the friendly atmosphere among employees. In my opinion, this is a necessary thing, because it allows you to clarify problematic moments in the psycho-emotional state of the developer in the early stages. Missing this moment can lead to a loss of interest, and, as a result, loss of attention to the people you work with and general concentration on the project. Plus, these meetings prevent getting stuck in a routine" - Dima, developer.
"1x1 is always a useful thing in any company, because there you can discuss everything that worries you, get feedback about your work and the necessary directions of development. Sometimes these calls lead to ideas that in general can be very, very useful. Therefore, such meetings are very necessary for both newbies and senior representatives" - Vlad, developer.
"In general, I think all kinds of 1x1 meetings are the most needed for people who are private or not very active. Because they are inclined to hide problems and misunderstandings inside for a long time. Surely, they can’t do this forever, one moment it will all just burst out and can easily end up with firing. Therefore, it is necessary to empower them to communicate openly" - Andriy, developer.
1x1 meetings are a direct investment in your employees. Don't neglect it!