A Complete Guide to Boosting Employee Performance Through One-2-One Meetings
Do you want to boost your organisation and enhance employee performance? Look no further than effective 121 meetings! These one-on-one sessions are key to managing and improving employee productivity.
In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing business environment, managers often struggle to keep up with individual employee performance. They face challenges such as lack of regular communication, misalignment with organisational goals, and delayed feedback, leading to decreased productivity and morale. Effective 121 meetings offer a targeted solution to these challenges, fostering a culture of continuous feedback, alignment, and personal development.
Now, you might be wondering, what exactly are effective 121 meetings? Well, read on to find out as we dive deep into 121s in the context of employee performance management.
What Is A 121 Meeting?
121s are regular check-in between two people in an organisation, typically a manager and an employee. Known as a “one-to-one” or “one on one”.
The meetings are usually informal and occur frequently. They allow managers to provide performance feedback, stay updated, address issues, and foster the employee’s development in their role.
Benefits of Effective 121 Meetings
A Time To Focus on Objectives and Behaviours
121 meetings give managers and employees time to focus on objective progress and behaviour. In other words, What they are doing and How they are doing it. The meetings also provide an opportunity to make or check progress on personal development plans.
Specific Feedback and Performance Improvement
By dedicating time solely to each employee, managers can provide specific feedback on strengths and areas for improvement. This feedback helps employees understand their roles and the steps they can take to enhance their performance.
Timely Addressing of Performance Issues
Since these meetings are relatively frequent, managers have the chance to address performance issues before they become unmanageable. This ensures no surprises when it comes to the performance review later in the year.
Workload Management
Effective 121 meetings assist in managing workload. Managers and employees can discuss the workload and identify factors affecting productivity, ensuring that employees have manageable workloads and perform at their best.
Goal Setting and Alignment
121 meetings help set clear goals and expectations. Managers can define specific objectives for each employee, outlining the steps needed to achieve them. Keeping everyone aligned towards a common goal.
Efficient Reporting
Effective 121 meetings contribute to efficient reporting. Through these discussions, managers can gather information about an employee’s progress, challenges, and achievements.
Benefits for Employees
121 meetings are essential for employees to receive the feedback and guidance necessary for success in their roles and career progress.
Various studies show a positive relationship between 121 meetings and employee performance. For example, Google’s Project Oxygen study showed that managers who held 121s performed better than managers who didn’t. From that, they created a simple tool for 121s.
There is also the Happiness at different ages study. The study analysed results from a survey of 38,000 people on behalf of the National Bureau of Economic Research. Analysis showed that employees with a “partner-like supervisor” (rather than a boss-like one) are the happiest. When your manager becomes a partner for your success by listening to you and providing timely guidance, you are happier.
Because you get regular feedback from your manager, 1-to-1 meetings provide the safety of always knowing where you stand.. If you need to correct you course, you will know about it sooner rather than later and be able to fix it in time. 121s also provide an opportunity for you to address challenging topics that may be difficult to discuss during hectic work days. Don’t forget, you can also provide Upwards Feedback too 😉
How to have an effective 121 meeting
- Frequency: Look to hold 121 meetings at least monthly. Any longer than that between meetings, things can drift. You might already be holding meetings more frequently than that, but I bet they are more operationally focused. So at least once a month make sure you take a step back and look at performance development.
- Prepare ahead: Gather any necessary reports or documents related to the employee’s performance. This will help you address specific factors and provide actionable feedback.
- Use templates and tools: Don’t worry about starting from scratch every time. Use ready-made templates or tools designed specifically for 121 meetings, like PerformanceHub that will keep all performance-related information in one place. They can save you time and make the process more manageable.
- Set an agenda: Create a clear agenda for the meeting, letting both parties know what to expect. This approach ensures you cover important topics within the allocated time frame.
- Engage in active listening: Give the employee your undivided attention during the meeting. Listen carefully.
What Does a typical 121 meeting agenda Look Like?
Review Progress on Objectives
- Assess Each Objective: For each objective, get an update on progress. Discuss any obstacles and ways to overcome them. Are the objectives still relevant, do any need to change, or are different ones required?
- Align with Team Objectives: Ensure that individual objectives align with broader teams’ (likely the manager’s ones in a cascading objectives scenario).
- Set New Objectives: If necessary, set new objectives or adjust existing ones to keep them challenging yet achievable.
Give Constructive Feedback
- Positive Reinforcement: Offering praise and positive reinforcement is essential to motivate employees.
- Use the Feedback Sandwich Technique: This involves sandwiching constructive criticism between positive comments, making feedback more palatable.
- Be Specific and Actionable: Provide concrete examples and suggest specific steps for improvement.
- Practice Active Listening and Empathy: Create a supportive environment by validating employees’ perspectives and showing empathy.
Discuss Additional Support Needs
- Identify Needs: Ask and discuss what additional support needs there are, e.g. additional resources, training, or mentorship.
- Create a Support Plan: Together, develop a plan to provide the necessary support. Ensure that it aligns with both the employee’s needs and organisation’s resources.
Review Progress on Personal Development Items
- Evaluate Personal Growth: Review progress on personal development items, such as skills enhancement or career growth plans.
- Set Personal Development Targets: Collaboratively set or adjust personal development targets, ensuring they align with both the employee’s career aspirations and the organisation’s needs.
- Discuss Opportunities for Growth: Explore opportunities for further growth, such as attending workshops, taking on new responsibilities, or pursuing additional training.
Wrap-Up and Next Steps
- Summarise Key Points: Recap the main points discussed during the meeting, ensuring clarity and mutual understanding.
- Set Next Meeting Date: Schedule the next 121 meetings, strengthening the commitment to ongoing communication and support. Better yet, have a fixed reoccurring meeting schedule in your calendars
- Encourage Open Communication: Emphasise that the door is always open for further discussion, fostering a culture of openness and trust.
Conclusion
Effective 121 meetings play a vital role in setting clear goals and expectations. Managers can define specific objectives for each employee and outline the steps needed to achieve them. This helps keep everyone aligned towards a common goal. Additionally, these meetings contribute to efficient reporting by providing managers with valuable information about an employee’s progress, challenges, and achievements. By using simple strategies such as summarising key points, setting next meeting dates, and encouraging open communication, these meetings can be more productive and engaging for both the manager and the employee.
One of the benefits of effective 121 meetings is that they provide a space for managers to establish a strong work relationship with their team members. By dedicating time to have one-on-one conversations, managers can get to know their employees on a personal level. This not only helps build trust and rapport but also allows managers to understand their employees’ strengths, weaknesses, and career aspirations. When employees feel understood and supported by their managers, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated in their work. This, in turn, leads to higher job satisfaction and productivity.
Furthermore, effective 121 meetings create an opportunity for managers to provide guidance and leadership to their team members. Managers can offer feedback, answer questions, and address any concerns or challenges that the employee may be facing. By providing clear direction and support, managers help employees grow both personally and professionally. These meetings also allow managers to align the employee’s goals with the overall objectives of the company, ensuring that everyone is working towards the same end result.
Final Thoughts
In addition to benefiting individual employees, effective 121 meetings also contribute to the overall success of the company. Through these meetings, managers gain valuable insights into the progress and performance of their team members. They can identify areas where additional training or resources may be needed and make informed decisions based on this information. The regular exchange of information during these meetings helps managers stay updated on the status of various projects and initiatives. It also enables them to assess whether their teams are on track to meet their targets and take corrective actions if necessary.
Setting aside time before the meeting to gather relevant information, such as reports or updates, can help keep the conversation focused and productive. Managers can also consider using templates or tools to streamline the meeting process and make it more manageable. By having a clear agenda and specific goals for each meeting, managers can ensure that they cover all necessary topics within the allotted time.
