Table of Contents
If Sherlock Holmes was the leader of a team, what would he do? Yes, that's right. He would attract ridicule by wearing his Deerstalker cap in the office and online calls. But that's not what I mean.
Sherlock Holmes is very intelligent, so he would quickly come to an obvious conclusion: The relationship and communication with his team members is one of his key levers for team success. And there is one meeting in particular that is designed to do just that: the one-on-one meeting with his colleagues (for which there are some professional one-on-one templates, but more on that in a moment).
So, Sherlock, do you already place an appropriate value on 1-to-1 conversations? Or are your one-on-one conversations part of the 52% addressed in the quote below? Either way, this text will help you take your one-on-one conversations to the next level. In particular, our free sample templates and sample agendas for one-on-one conversations will help you.
"52% of employees lose attention in meetings in the first 30 minutes."
Goal and purpose of one-on-one staff meetings
As already indicated above, one-to-one staff meetings have different objectives. From a bird's eye view, it is simply about leading employees in a personal conversation (whether with or without a professional 1-to-1 meeting template).
If I lead poorly, my best employees will quit in the worst case scenario without me being prepared for it. Another consequence would be that the team's goals are missed because the team members' activities are not coordinated. Both would reflect extremely poorly on my skills as a manager, supervisor or boss. So here we are at the first goal of good one-on-one staff meetings (bad one-on-one staff meetings tend to lead to the reaction you see in the following picture...).
Based on this, the first goal of one-on-one staff meetings is to build a good, trusting and respectful relationship with my team members. Only then will conflicts and tensions be openly communicated to me. It is also the only way I can fulfill my role as a servant leader or coach and help employees to develop further. Good one-to-one templates, whether printed or digital, can of course help with this.
Not in all one-on-one staff meetings, but in many, the second key objective of regular one-on-one staff meetings is to ensure that the activities or tasks of my team members are being carried out correctly. The extent to which I need to intervene here depends heavily on the maturity level of my direct report. In principle, however, the one-on-one meeting (whether virtual or in the office) can be a good opportunity to solve blockages in current tasks, to challenge and to refer to team colleagues in the right places in order to strengthen intra-team communication.
I would like to give you one specific tip at this point to help you achieve the goal of good one-to-one conversations: adapt it to your direct report. Some people want more feedback, for example, while others want more guidance on their current activities. This can also be seen in these statistics on Generation Z, for example.
"76% of Generation Z employees want more opportunities to learn and apply new skills."
By the way: If you are a manager of software developers, the following article might be of interest to you: 6 Examples of feedback to software developers.
Before we get to our free printable templates, sample agendas, samples and questions for one-on-one conversations, I'd like to leave you with some critical food for thought.
Why you shouldn't use (printable) 1-to-1 templates
When supervisors or team leads of any kind ask me for a template or sample agenda for one-on-one staff meetings, I become cautious. What exactly are they trying to achieve? That's why I'd like to make a brief checklist of what characterizes good and bad one-on-one staff meetings:
Characteristics of good 1-to-1 conversations:
- Conversations are full of energy
- Regular moments of success or satisfaction because tasks have been completed
- Measurable skill improvements (e.g. through surveys)
- Sometimes you are a little nervous before these conversations (for example, because you want to share constructive feedback).
- Both interlocutors take regular follow-ups with
Characteristics of poor 1-to-1 calls:
- After the small talk, there are no more topics
- 1-to-1 are moved
- You've forgotten the names of your employees' two children again
- 1-to-1s are not prepared by either side
My point is: Do you think you make your 1-to-1 staff meetings better by using the same template or agenda for every meeting and for every team member? I hope not.
It is better if you adapt both in each case. I therefore recommend that you use a variety of templates or forms for your particular situation in order to achieve the above goals: energetic, productive 1:1 conversations. The printable templates below can help you do just that.
Incidentally, the content of the templates comes from the Echometer software for 1-to-1 calls. So if you want to make it particularly easy for yourself, just try out our 1-to-1 manager tool for free.
Another little tip: If you're interested in a general intro to one-to-one meetings, take a look at our post on the subject: A guide: 6 tips for successful 1-to-1 conversations.
Template questions: How do you start the one-on-one meeting with employees?
For the question "How to start a one-on-one meeting staff with employees", I can refer you to the above: To honestly hear the opinion of your employees, you need a good relationship with them. A good relationship helps to create the conditions for good one-on-one conversations: A relaxed conversation atmosphere.
Whether junior or senior, direct reports regularly get nervous when talking to their own boss in person. They have the attitude: "Don't say the wrong thing". This attitude is, of course, poison for a good conversation and a relaxed atmosphere. A poor basis for any good one-on-one staff meeting agenda.
This is where a little trick or tip for good one-on-one staff meetings comes into play: meeting icebreakers, i.e. check-in questions that break the ice of the conversation and reduce the nervousness of your direct report. Here are some suggestions for good and fun one-on-one staff meeting icebreakers:
To start: one-on-one Icebreaker meeting
- How is your day/week going so far?
- How are you feeling right now, on a scale from 1 (bad) to 10 (good)?
- Have you done or planned anything exciting at the weekend?
- Is there a book, movie or series that you would recommend?
- What's the weather like where you are: sunny, stormy, rainy, foggy, cloudy?
- If you could have one thing done today, what would it be?
- Has there been anything you've been particularly happy about recently?
Good One-on-One Staff Meeting Templates
Let's finally get to the heart of this article – the printable one-on-one staff meeting templates for face-to-face meetings.
First of all: You can of course also adapt the free templates and forms to your language in German, Spanish, Dutch, French or Portuguese, Finnish, Swedish. To do this, simply change the language in the top right-hand corner of our website and the template will appear in your language.
So, let's get started with a standard template for weekly or monthly one-on-one meetings.
1st template: Weekly employee One-on-One
The following form is suitable as a free template for your weekly employee one-on-one staff meeting or discussion. As already mentioned, it can also be printed out. It should be noted that you can and should of course enrich the template with your own ideas, activities and formats, depending on whether you are holding the meeting remotely, virtually or on site. The one-on-one examples and the free agenda will hopefully provide you as a manager or supervisor with a good template for discussions with your employees. It is the most common used, some might call it best one-on-one meeting agenda:
👋 Welcome & Icebreaker
- How are you today, how has your week been so far?
📕 Topics Employee [name]
- ...
👈 Manager topics: Review
- What went well last week?
- What were the challenges?
👈 Manager topics: Priorities & Goals
- What are your main priorities for the coming week?
- Where do you need my support?
🤚 Conclusion
- Is there anything else you would like to discuss?
⁉️ Mood check (survey)
Download template as printable PDF
Preview: PDF template
If you would like to download the above sample or template as a printable PDF, simply click on the image below. You can then edit or print the template as you wish.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Word document
Preview: One-to-One Meeting Microsoft Word Template
If you would like to download the above sample template as a Word document, simply click on the image below. You can then edit or print the template as you wish.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Google Docs
Preview: Google Docs one-to-one meeting template
If you want to edit the above sample template as Google Docs, simply click on the image below. You can then edit the template flexibly by copying it.
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Download template as Google Sheets
Preview: Google Sheets one-to-one meeting template
If you would like a template for weekly check-ins as an editable Google Sheet, simply click on the image below. You can then edit the template flexibly and print it out, for example.
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Download template as Excel or XLXS
Preview: Excel or XLSX template
If you would like to download the above template as a printable or editable XLSX, simply click on the image below. Then you can flexibly edit or print the template.
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Download template as printable PDF
Preview: PDF template
If you would like to download the above sample or template as a printable PDF, simply click on the image below. You can then edit or print the template as you wish.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Word document
Preview: One-to-One Meeting Microsoft Word Template
If you would like to download the above sample template as a Word document, simply click on the image below. You can then edit or print the template as you wish.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Google Docs
Preview: Google Docs one-to-one meeting template
If you want to edit the above sample template as Google Docs, simply click on the image below. You can then edit the template flexibly by copying it.
🚸 Attention: You must be logged in to Google to be able to copy (and thus edit) the template in the menu at the top left.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Google Sheets
Preview: Google Sheets one-to-one meeting template
If you would like a template for weekly check-ins as an editable Google Sheet, simply click on the image below. You can then edit the template flexibly and print it out, for example.
🚸 Attention: You must be logged in to Google to be able to copy (and thus edit) the template in the menu at the top left.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Excel or XLXS
Preview: Excel or XLSX template
If you would like to download the above template as a printable or editable XLSX, simply click on the image below. Then you can flexibly edit or print the template.
Click image to open ⬇️
2nd template: Bi-weekly employee One-on-One
The following form is suitable as a free template for your bi-weekly employee one-to-one staff meeting or discussion. As already mentioned, it can also be printed out. It should be said that you can and should of course enrich the template with your own ideas, activities and formats, depending on whether you are holding the meeting remotely, virtually or on site. The one-on-one examples and the free agenda will hopefully provide you as a manager or supervisor with a good template for discussions with your employees. It is the most common used, some might call it best one-on-one meeting agenda:
👋 Welcome & Icebreaker
- How are you today, how has your week been so far?
📕 Topics Employee [name]
- ...
👈 Manager topics: Review
- What went well in the last 2 weeks?
- What were the challenges?
👈 Manager topics: Priorities & Goals
- What are your main priorities for the coming weeks?
- Where do you need my support?
🤚 Conclusion
- Is there anything else you would like to discuss?
⁉️ Mood check (survey)
Download template as printable PDF
Preview: PDF template
If you would like to download the above sample or template as a printable PDF, simply click on the image below. You can then edit or print the template as you wish.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Word document
Preview: One-to-One Meeting Microsoft Word Template
If you would like to download the above sample template as a Word document, simply click on the image below. You can then edit or print the template as you wish.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Google Docs
Preview: Google Docs one-to-one meeting template
If you want to edit the above sample template as Google Docs, simply click on the image below. You can then edit the template flexibly by copying it.
🚸 Attention: You must be logged in to Google to be able to copy (and thus edit) the template in the menu at the top left.
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Download template as Google Sheets
Preview: Google Sheets one-to-one meeting template
If you would like a template for weekly check-ins as an editable Google Sheet, simply click on the image below. You can then edit the template flexibly and print it out, for example.
🚸 Attention: You must be logged in to Google to be able to copy (and thus edit) the template in the menu at the top left.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Excel or XLXS
Preview: Excel or XLSX template
If you would like to download the above template as a printable or editable XLSX, simply click on the image below. Then you can flexibly edit or print the template.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as printable PDF
Preview: PDF template
If you would like to download the above sample or template as a printable PDF, simply click on the image below. You can then edit or print the template as you wish.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Word document
Preview: One-to-One Meeting Microsoft Word Template
If you would like to download the above sample template as a Word document, simply click on the image below. You can then edit or print the template as you wish.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Google Docs
Preview: Google Docs one-to-one meeting template
If you want to edit the above sample template as Google Docs, simply click on the image below. You can then edit the template flexibly by copying it.
🚸 Attention: You must be logged in to Google to be able to copy (and thus edit) the template in the menu at the top left.
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Download template as Google Sheets
Preview: Google Sheets one-to-one meeting template
If you would like a template for weekly check-ins as an editable Google Sheet, simply click on the image below. You can then edit the template flexibly and print it out, for example.
🚸 Attention: You must be logged in to Google to be able to copy (and thus edit) the template in the menu at the top left.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Excel or XLXS
Preview: Excel or XLSX template
If you would like to download the above template as a printable or editable XLSX, simply click on the image below. Then you can flexibly edit or print the template.
Click image to open ⬇️
In case you haven't seen it: You can also open, edit, download and print this staff meeting template in other formats (such as Excel, PDF or Microsoft Word; also copiable in OneNote or SmartSheet) in the toggles above. The downloadable templates are in English, by the way, as you may have already seen. You can copy the text above or use the Deepl tool as a translator if you want the one-on-one staff meeting template in another language (e.g. Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, French, Finnish, Italian or Swedish).
3rd template: Monthly employee One-on-One
The following form is suitable as a free template for your monthly employee one-to-one staff meeting or discussion. As already mentioned, it can also be printed out. It should be noted that you can and should of course enrich the template with your own ideas, activities and formats, depending on whether you are holding the meeting remotely, virtually or on site. The one-on-one examples and the free agenda will hopefully provide you as a manager or supervisor with a good template for discussions with your employees. It is the most common used, some might call it best one-on-one meeting agenda:
Warm-Up
- How was the last month for you?
🗣️ Topics of the direct employee (name)
- ...
🏆 Manager topics: Successes & Progress
- What were your biggest successes in the last month?
- What have you learned in the last month and what skills have you developed?
⚠️ Manager topics: Challenges & Support
- What obstacles did you have to contend with?
- Are there any resources or support you need?
📈 Manager topics: Development & goals
- Are there any new skills you would like to develop?
- How can I help you take a small step towards your career goals?
Conclusion
- Feedback: What can I do better to lead you and/or the team?
⁉️ Mood check (survey)
Download template as printable PDF
Preview: PDF template
If you would like to download the above sample or template as a printable PDF, simply click on the image below. You can then edit or print the template as you wish.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Word document
Preview: One-to-One Meeting Microsoft Word Template
If you would like to download the above sample template as a Word document, simply click on the image below. You can then edit or print the template as you wish.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Google Docs
Preview: Google Docs one-to-one meeting template
If you want to edit the above sample template as Google Docs, simply click on the image below. You can then edit the template flexibly by copying it.
🚸 Attention: You must be logged in to Google to be able to copy (and thus edit) the template in the menu at the top left.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Google Sheets
Preview: Google Sheets one-to-one meeting template
If you would like a template for weekly check-ins as an editable Google Sheet, simply click on the image below. You can then edit the template flexibly and print it out, for example.
🚸 Attention: You must be logged in to Google to be able to copy (and thus edit) the template in the menu at the top left.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Excel or XLXS
Preview: Excel or XLSX template
If you would like to download the above template as a printable or editable XLSX, simply click on the image below. Then you can flexibly edit or print the template.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as printable PDF
Preview: PDF template
If you would like to download the above sample or template as a printable PDF, simply click on the image below. You can then edit or print the template as you wish.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Word document
Preview: One-to-One Meeting Microsoft Word Template
If you would like to download the above sample template as a Word document, simply click on the image below. You can then edit or print the template as you wish.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Google Docs
Preview: Google Docs one-to-one meeting template
If you want to edit the above sample template as Google Docs, simply click on the image below. You can then edit the template flexibly by copying it.
🚸 Attention: You must be logged in to Google to be able to copy (and thus edit) the template in the menu at the top left.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Google Sheets
Preview: Google Sheets one-to-one meeting template
If you would like a template for weekly check-ins as an editable Google Sheet, simply click on the image below. You can then edit the template flexibly and print it out, for example.
🚸 Attention: You must be logged in to Google to be able to copy (and thus edit) the template in the menu at the top left.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Excel or XLXS
Preview: Excel or XLSX template
If you would like to download the above template as a printable or editable XLSX, simply click on the image below. Then you can flexibly edit or print the template.
Click image to open ⬇️
In case you haven't seen it: You can also open, edit, download and print this staff meeting template in other formats (such as Excel, PDF or Microsoft Word; also copiable in OneNote or SmartSheet) in the toggles above. The downloadable templates are in English, by the way, as you may have already seen. You can copy the text above or use the Deepl tool as a translator if you want the one-on-one staff meeting template in another language (e.g. Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, French, Finnish, Italian or Swedish).
4th template: Quarterly employee One-on-One
The following form is suitable as a free template for your quarterly employee one-to-one staff meeting or discussion. As already mentioned, it can also be printed out. It should be noted that you can and should of course enrich the template with your own ideas, activities and formats, depending on whether you are holding the meeting remotely, virtually or on site. The one-on-one examples and the free agenda will hopefully provide you as a manager or supervisor with a good template for discussions with your employees. It is the most common used, some might call it best one-on-one meeting agenda:
Warm-Up
- How was your last quarter from your perspective, on a scale of 1 (very bad) to 10 (very good)?
🏆 Manager topics: Successes & Progress
- A look at your goals: Where do you currently stand?
- What were your biggest successes in the last quarter?
- What have you learned in the last quarter and what skills have you developed?
- How satisfied are you with your personal development over the last 3 months?
- What did not go as planned, and why?
🗣️ Topics of the direct employee (name)
- ...
⚠️ Manager topics: Challenges & Support
- What obstacles did you have to contend with?
- Are there any resources or support you need?
📈 Manager topics: Development & goals
- Are there any new skills you would like to develop?
- How do your priorities match up with the team's tasks?
- What are your key goals for the next quarter?
- How can I help you get closer to your career goals?
Conclusion
- Let's summarize the tasks we noted down in this meeting.
- Feedback: What can I do better to lead you and/or the team?
- Is there anything else we should discuss?
⁉️ Mood check (survey)
Download template as printable PDF
Preview: PDF template
If you would like to download the above sample or template as a printable PDF, simply click on the image below. You can then edit or print the template as you wish.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Word document
Preview: One-to-One Meeting Microsoft Word Template
If you would like to download the above sample template as a Word document, simply click on the image below. You can then edit or print the template as you wish.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Google Docs
Preview: Google Docs one-to-one meeting template
If you want to edit the above sample template as Google Docs, simply click on the image below. You can then edit the template flexibly by copying it.
🚸 Attention: You must be logged in to Google to be able to copy (and thus edit) the template in the menu at the top left.
Click image to open ⬇️
In case you haven't seen it: You can also open, edit, download and print this staff meeting template in other formats (such as Excel, PDF or Microsoft Word; also copiable in OneNote or SmartSheet) in the toggles above. The downloadable templates are in English, by the way, as you may have already seen. You can copy the text above or use the Deepl tool as a translator if you want the one-on-one staff meeting template in another language (e.g. Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, French, Finnish, Italian or Swedish).
5th template: One-on-One staff meeting with difficult employees
The following form is a free template for your one-to-one staff meeting or discussion with difficult employees. As already mentioned, it can also be printed out. It should be noted that you can and should of course enrich the template with your own ideas, activities and formats, depending on whether you are holding the meeting remotely, virtually or on site. The one-on-one examples and the free agenda will hopefully provide you as a manager or supervisor with a good template for discussions with your employees. It is the most common used, some might call it best one-on-one meeting agenda:
🤝 Getting started with empathy
- How are you doing? Is there anything that is on your mind that you would like to share?
- I want this to be an open and constructive discussion.
🗣️ Discussion of concerns
- I would like to talk about [specific topic]. Can you share your perspective on this?
- What do you think contributes to this situation?
- How do you think [team member X] sees this situation?
🔍 Explore solutions
- I believe in small, iterative improvements. How do you think we can tackle this problem together? What could be a first step towards a better status quo?
- Are there any tools, support or other adjustments that could help to improve the situation?
📜 Set expectations
- How can I best support you in achieving the desired changes?
- That's what I need from you in the future.
- Let's set a plan and a timeline to address these concerns.
- Summary: When will we meet again?
- Summary: Who is responsible for which tasks?
🔚 Conclusion
- I appreciate your willingness to support us with improvements.
- What else should I have asked in this conversation?
- Is there anything else that is on your mind?
Download template as printable PDF
Preview: PDF template
If you would like to download the above sample or template as a printable PDF, simply click on the image below. You can then edit or print the template as you wish.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Word document
Preview: One-to-One Meeting Microsoft Word Template
If you would like to download the above sample template as a Word document, simply click on the image below. You can then edit or print the template as you wish.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Google Docs
Preview: Google Docs one-to-one meeting template
If you want to edit the above sample template as Google Docs, simply click on the image below. You can then edit the template flexibly by copying it.
🚸 Attention: You must be logged in to Google to be able to copy (and thus edit) the template in the menu at the top left.
Click image to open ⬇️
In case you haven't seen it: You can also open, edit, download and print this staff meeting template in other formats (such as Excel, PDF or Microsoft Word; also copiable in OneNote or SmartSheet) in the toggles above. The downloadable templates are in English, by the way, as you may have already seen. You can copy the text above or use the Deepl tool as a translator if you want the one-on-one staff meeting template in another language (e.g. Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, French, Finnish, Italian or Swedish).
6th template: One-on-One meeting with new employee
The following form is a free template for your one-to-one staff meeting or discussion with new employees. As already mentioned, it can also be printed out. It should be noted that you can and should of course enrich the template with your own ideas, activities and formats, depending on whether you are holding the meeting remotely, virtually or on site. The one-on-one examples and the free agenda will hopefully provide you as a manager or supervisor with a good template for discussions with your employees. It is the most common used, some might call it best one-on-one meeting agenda:
Check in
- How do you feel in your new environment so far?
🔍 Topics of the manager: Review
- How was the onboarding process for you? Is there anything you would like to have more clarity about?
- Are there any tools, resources or support you need?
🛠️ Topics of the manager: Role & tasks
- How do you feel about your role and responsibilities?
- Are there any immediate challenges or concerns you would like to discuss?
📅 Executive topics: one-to-one routine & next steps
- How often do you think we should hold one-to-one meetings?
- What do you expect from our regular one-to-one meetings?
- How can I support you better while you continue to familiarize yourself?
Conclusion
- Once again, welcome to [our organization].
- What else should I ask in such initial one-to-one meetings?
- Is there anything else that is on your mind?
⁉️ Mood check (survey)
Download template as printable PDF
Preview: PDF template
If you would like to download the above sample or template as a printable PDF, simply click on the image below. You can then edit or print the template as you wish.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Word document
Preview: One-to-One Meeting Microsoft Word Template
If you would like to download the above sample template as a Word document, simply click on the image below. You can then edit or print the template as you wish.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Google Docs
Preview: Google Docs one-to-one meeting template
If you want to edit the above sample template as Google Docs, simply click on the image below. You can then edit the template flexibly by copying it.
🚸 Attention: You must be logged in to Google to be able to copy (and thus edit) the template in the menu at the top left.
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7th template: One-on-One meeting after 90 days
The following form is a free template for your one-on-one staff meeting or discussion with employees after 90 days on the job. As already mentioned, it can also be printed out. It should be noted that you can and should of course enrich the template with your own ideas, activities and formats, depending on whether you are holding the meeting remotely, virtually or on site. The one-on-one examples and the free agenda will hopefully provide you as a manager or supervisor with a good template for discussions with your employees. It is the most common used, some might call it best one-on-one meeting agenda:
Warm-Up
- How satisfied are you with your job on a scale from 1 (not at all satisfied) to 10 (very satisfied)?
🌟 90-day review: Positive
- How has your start been so far?
- What have you enjoyed most so far?
- What should we definitely continue to do?
🔧 90-day review: Potential for improvement
- How can we improve the first 90-day experience for new employees?
- In which areas are you still unclear?
📊 90-day review: Reflection on the status quo
- How satisfied are you with your own performance so far? Why?
- How confident are you of achieving your current goals? Why?
- How do you feel about your integration into the team?
- What skills or resources could help you move forward?
- What can I do to continue to support you?
Conclusion
- We appreciate your willingness to help us improve our processes.
- What else should we ask in such 90-day meetings?
- Is there anything else that is on your mind?
⁉️ Mood check (survey)
Download template as printable PDF
Preview: PDF template
If you would like to download the above sample or template as a printable PDF, simply click on the image below. You can then edit or print the template as you wish.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Word document
Preview: One-to-One Meeting Microsoft Word Template
If you would like to download the above sample template as a Word document, simply click on the image below. You can then edit or print the template as you wish.
Click image to open ⬇️
Download template as Google Docs
Preview: Google Docs one-to-one meeting template
If you want to edit the above sample template as Google Docs, simply click on the image below. You can then edit the template flexibly by copying it.
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In case you haven't seen it: You can also open, edit, download and print this staff meeting template in other formats (such as Excel, PDF or Microsoft Word; also copiable in OneNote or SmartSheet) in the toggles above. The downloadable templates are in English, by the way, as you may have already seen. You can copy the text above or use the Deepl tool as a translator if you want the one-on-one staff meeting template in another language (e.g. Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, French, Finnish, Italian or Swedish).
8th template: One-on-One meeting in the new year
The following form is a free template for your one-to-one staff meeting or discussion with employees in the new year. As already mentioned, it can also be printed out. It should be noted that you can and should of course enrich the template with your own ideas, activities and formats, depending on whether you are holding the meeting remotely, virtually or on site. The one-on-one examples and the free agenda will hopefully provide you as a manager or supervisor with a good template for discussions with your employees. It is the most common used, some might call it best one-on-one meeting agenda:
Warm-Up
- How were your vacations, Christmas and New Year? Did you do anything special?
🔍 Review of the past year
- Looking back on the past year, what are you most proud of?
- What were some of the biggest challenges and how did you deal with them?
- What are your most important findings from the past year?
- How can we apply these learnings this year?
- Are there any new skills you would like to develop?
- How satisfied are you with your career development?
📈 Next steps for this year
- What are your most important goals for this year in terms of your personal development?
- What are your most important goals for this year in relation to our current project?
- How do your priorities match up with the team's tasks?
- How can I help you to be successful in your career and in your job?
🗣️ Topics of the direct employee (name)
- ...
🔚 Conclusion
- What are you most looking forward to in the coming year?
- Feedback: What can I do better to lead you and/or the team?
- Is there anything else we should discuss?
⁉️ Mood check (survey)
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In case you haven't seen it: You can also open, edit, download and print this staff meeting template in other formats (such as Excel, PDF or Microsoft Word; also copiable in OneNote or SmartSheet) in the toggles above. The downloadable templates are in English, by the way, as you may have already seen. You can copy the text above or use the Deepl tool as a translator if you want the one-on-one staff meeting template in another language (e.g. Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, French, Finnish, Italian or Swedish).
9th template: One-on-One onboarding meeting
The following form is suitable as a free template for your onboarding one-to-one staff meeting or conversation. As already mentioned, it can also be printed out. It should be said that you can and should of course enrich the template with your own ideas, activities and formats, depending on whether you are holding the meeting remotely, virtually or on site. The one-on-one examples and the free agenda will hopefully provide you as a manager or supervisor with a good template for discussions with your employees. It is the most common used, some might call it best one-on-one meeting agenda:
👋 Welcome
- How has your day been so far?
🌟 Onboarding review: Positive things
- How has your start been so far?
- Was there anything you particularly liked?
- What should we definitely continue to do?
🔧 Onboarding review: Potential for improvement
- How welcome have you felt so far and why?
- How can we improve the onboarding process for new employees?
- In which areas have you had the most questions in the last few days? How did you answer these questions?
📈 Onboarding review: Next steps
- What goals would you like to achieve in the coming weeks?
- Are there any areas where you need additional information or resources?
🔚 Conclusion
- Once again, welcome to [our organization].
- We appreciate your willingness to support us in improving our processes.
- What else should we ask in such onboarding interviews?
- Is there anything else that is on your mind?
⁉️ Mood check (survey)
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In case you haven't seen it: You can also open, edit, download and print this staff meeting template in other formats (such as Excel, PDF or Microsoft Word; also copiable in OneNote or SmartSheet) in the toggles above. The downloadable templates are in English, by the way, as you may have already seen. You can copy the text above or use the Deepl tool as a translator if you want the one-on-one staff meeting template in another language (e.g. Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, French, Finnish, Italian or Swedish).
10th template: One-on-One meeting on salary
The following form is suitable as a free template for your one-to-one staff meeting or discussion on the subject of salary. As already mentioned, it can also be printed out. It should be said that you can and should of course enrich the template with your own ideas, activities and formats, depending on whether you are holding the meeting remotely, virtually or on site. The one-on-one examples and the free agenda will hopefully provide you as a manager or supervisor with a good template for discussions with your employees. It is the most common used, some might call it best one-on-one meeting agenda:
Access
- Thank you for taking the time for this interview. I understand that you would like to discuss your salary.
- Let's make sure this is a productive conversation.
🧠 Understanding for the employee
- Can you share your thoughts on your current remuneration?
- Were there specific reasons or comparisons that led to this conversation?
🏢 Perspective of the company
- This is how we currently evaluate and structure our remuneration.
- This is your position compared to our benchmarks.
- This is the current financial situation of our company.
🚀 Next steps
- If a salary adjustment is not possible at this time, here are the points we can focus on to revisit this in the future.
- Let's set clear steps and expectations for salary development.
Conclusion
- Do you have any other questions or concerns?
- Thank you for bringing up this topic – let's stay in dialog.
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11th template: One-on-One meeting on OKR target setting
The following form is suitable as a free template for your one-on-one staff meeting or conversation on OKR goal setting. As already mentioned, it can also be printed out. It should be noted that you can and should of course enrich the template with your own ideas, activities and formats, depending on whether you are holding the meeting remotely, virtually or on site. The one-on-one examples and the free agenda will hopefully provide you as a manager or supervisor with a good template for discussions with your employees. It is the most common used, some might call it best one-on-one meeting agenda:
👋 Getting started
- How has your day been so far?
- Let's talk about your priorities and goals for this period.
💡 Brainstorm goals
- How do you see your role with regard to the team's goals?
- What key results do you want to achieve?
- How can we align these with the goals of the team and the company?
🎯 Define key results
- What measurable milestones can we use to track progress?
- Are they realistic, but still challenging enough to move us forward?
🛠️ Support & resources
- What do you need to successfully achieve these OKRs?
- Are there any potential obstacles that we should address in advance?
- Let's go through the goals and key results we have outlined again. Are they really clear and achievable for you?
🔚 Conclusion
- What are you most looking forward to in the next quarter?
- Do you have any further questions or concerns?
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In case you haven't seen it: You can also open, edit, download and print this staff meeting template in other formats (such as Excel, PDF or Microsoft Word; also copiable in OneNote or SmartSheet) in the toggles above. The downloadable templates are in English, by the way, as you may have already seen. You can copy the text above or use the Deepl tool as a translator if you want the one-on-one staff meeting template in another language (e.g. Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, French, Finnish, Italian or Swedish).
12th template: One-on-One meeting with software developer
The following form is a free template for your one-on-one staff meeting or discussion with software developers. As already mentioned, it can also be printed out. It should be said that you can and should of course enrich the template with your own ideas, activities and formats, depending on whether you are holding the meeting remotely, virtually or on site. The one-on-one examples and the free agenda will hopefully provide you as a manager or supervisor with a good template for discussions with your employees. It is the most common used, some might call it best one-on-one meeting agenda:
Access
- How has your week been so far?
📊 Project updates
- How are your current projects going? Are there any major successes or obstacles?
- Are there any technical challenges that you would like to discuss or think through together?
💻 Code quality & development
- How do you feel about the quality of your work lately?
- Are there any areas in which you would like to improve or learn new skills?
🤝 Team, collaboration & next steps
- How is the team working together? Are there any communication gaps?
- Do the tools and processes we use support your work effectively?
- How do you envision your career in the next one to two years?
- How can I help you to be successful?
Conclusion
- What are you most looking forward to in the coming months?
- Do you have any further questions or concerns?
⁉️ Mood check (survey)
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In case you haven't seen it: You can also open, edit, download and print this staff meeting template in other formats (such as Excel, PDF or Microsoft Word; also copiable in OneNote or SmartSheet) in the toggles above. The downloadable templates are in English, by the way, as you may have already seen. You can copy the text above or use the Deepl tool as a translator if you want the one-on-one staff meeting template in another language (e.g. Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, French, Finnish, Italian or Swedish).
13. 1-to-1 meeting survey form: "Satisfaction"
The following form is suitable as a free template for your one-on-one staff meeting or conversation with a survey form on the topic of satisfaction. As already mentioned, it can also be printed out. It should be said that you can and should of course enrich the template with your own ideas, activities and formats, depending on whether you are holding the meeting remotely, virtually or on site. The one-on-one examples and the free agenda will hopefully provide you as a manager or supervisor with a good template for discussions with your employees. It is the most common used, some might call it best one-on-one meeting agenda:
⁉️ Mood check (agreement from 1-7): Satisfaction
- "Looking back on the last few weeks, I'm satisfied with my job." #JobSatisfaction
- "The results of my work are of great importance for our overarching Team goals.”
- "Most days, I feel like I've achieved something at work." #JobSatisfaction
- "I am proud of my current work results." #JobSatisfaction
- "I feel very comfortable taking risks in our team." #PsychologicalSafety
- "I receive recognition or praise for good work." #Feedback
- "I feel comfortable in our team." #TeamPlay
This is what this survey looks like in Echometer:
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In case you haven't seen it: You can also open, edit, download and print this staff meeting template in other formats (such as Excel, PDF or Microsoft Word; also copiable in OneNote or SmartSheet) in the toggles above. The downloadable templates are in English, by the way, as you may have already seen. You can copy the text above or use the Deepl tool as a translator if you want the one-on-one staff meeting template in another language (e.g. Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, French, Finnish, Italian or Swedish).
14. 1-to-1 meeting survey form: "Leadership quality"
The following form is suitable as a free template for your one-on-one staff meeting or conversation with a survey form on your leadership quality. As already mentioned, it can also be printed out. It should be said that you can and should of course enrich the template with your own ideas, activities and formats, depending on whether you are holding the meeting remotely, virtually or on site. The one-on-one examples and the free agenda will hopefully provide you as a manager or supervisor with a good template for discussions with your employees. It is the most common used, some might call it best one-on-one meeting agenda:
⁉️ Mood check (agreement from 1-7): Leadership quality
- "I'm really happy with my team leader." #JobSatisfaction
- "My team leader regularly zooms out to see the higher-level Team goalsexplain the strategy and the vision."
- "My team leader questions things in a constructive way." #Feedback #Leadership
- "My team leader sets an example of what he expects from us as a team." #Leadership
This is what this survey looks like in Echometer:
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In case you haven't seen it: You can also open, edit, download and print this staff meeting template in other formats (such as Excel, PDF or Microsoft Word; also copiable in OneNote or SmartSheet) in the toggles above. The downloadable templates are in English, by the way, as you may have already seen. You can copy the text above or use the Deepl tool as a translator if you want the one-on-one staff meeting template in another language (e.g. Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, French, Finnish, Italian or Swedish).
15. 1-to-1 meeting survey form: "Personal development"
The following form is suitable as a free template for your one-on-one staff meeting or conversation with a survey form on the topic of "personal development". As already mentioned, it can also be printed out. It should be said that you can and should of course enrich the template with your own ideas, activities and formats, depending on whether you are holding the meeting remotely, virtually or on site. The one-on-one examples and the free agenda will hopefully provide you as a manager or supervisor with a good template for discussions with your employees. It is the most common used, some might call it best one-on-one meeting agenda:
⁉️ Mood check (agreement from 1-7): Personal development
- "My work tasks usually progress very quickly, even if external feedback is necessary."
- "If I observe suboptimal behavior, I know how I can constructively draw my colleagues' attention to it."
- "I receive constructive Feedback both to my work and to my personal development."
- "I see an attractive career path ahead of me in the company." #Growth
- "In the last few weeks, I have often been able to use my Strengths at work."
This is what this survey looks like in Echometer:
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One-on-One Staff Meeting Questions
If you are interested in further one-to-one staff meeting questions (whether for remote or virtual 1-to-1 meetings or in the office), I can recommend the following blog post: 129 Smart one-on-one meeting questions (for managers). Sometimes a list of questions can help you to create your own templates that are as individually tailored to the employee as possible.
To give you a taste of the exciting free questions in our article, here are 10 questions that may already inspire you:
✅ General 1-1 Staff meeting questions
- How are you (really) doing right now?
- On a scale of one (very bad) to ten (very good), how are you feeling right now?
- How focused are you at the moment on a scale of 1 to 10? And why?
- What's going through your head right now?
- What is slowing you down in your work at the moment?
- What's going well for you right now?
- What's not going so well at the moment?
🧑🎨 Creative 1-1 Staff meeting questions
- If you had to characterize your mood as a weather report with regard to the project, your job in general and your tasks, what would it look like?
- How often do you feel overwhelmed or stressed at work? In which situations?
- What does a good break look like for you (fresh air, screens...)?
- What are you doing right now that isn't actually getting you anywhere?
- You get a magic wand and have one wish related to work: What would you wish for (excluding a higher salary)?
- What do you currently need to improve?
- What was your biggest challenge yesterday (or last week etc.)?
Typical topics in one-on-one staff meetings
Based on the free professional templates and forms above, you can of course also predict what the typical topics in one-to-one employee appraisals are. You can use this to prepare yourself mentally for any difficult questions.
So here are some examples of typical one-to-one staff meeting topics and questions that could come from your employees. These are, of course, theoretical scenarios – you're lucky if your team members would all bring these topics so actively onto the agenda. It should be helpful in any case:
A good invitation should be clear and friendly. State the purpose of the meeting and show that it is about support and cooperation. The following template can serve as an example or sample:
Example topics and questions from employees in 1-to-1 meetings
- Reflect on priorities
- Possible topic: "I'm not sure whether I should focus on task A or B – Which priority do you think takes precedence?"
- Alignment: What makes good work
- Possible topic: "How can we ensure that my work meets the expectations of the stakeholders? Are there specific examples of how you recognize 'good work'?"
- Give feedback
- Possible topic: "I would like to know what you thought of my presentation in the last product demo to the customer – is there anything I could improve?"
- Challenges and blockages
- Possible topic: "I'm having trouble getting support from the marketing team, which is delaying my project. Can you help sort this out?"
- Personal development and career goals
- Possible topic: "I'm interested in the new project in the Backend Software Team – do you think I have the right skills for it, or is there something I should learn first?"
- Workload and well-being
- Possible topic: "I have the feeling that the current workload is not feasible without compromising quality – can we talk about how we could adapt this?"
- Ideas and innovations
- Possible topic: "I have an idea on how we could make process Z more efficient – can we discuss this briefly to see if it makes sense?"
- Relationships in the team
- Possible topic: "I notice that communication with my colleague Max is sometimes difficult – do you have any ideas on how I could tackle this better?"
- Need for support
- Possible topic: "I need more context on the goals of project – could you tell me what the end purpose is, or who I could talk to about it?"
- A look into the future
- Possible topic: "What important projects or changes are coming up that I should prepare for?"
So, do you feel better prepared for your next one-to-one performance review? If not, I have attached a FAQ below if necessary. But for now, let's draw an interim conclusion.
Conclusion - Good One-on-One meeting templates
One-on-one staff meetings are an indispensable tool for any boss who values effective and appreciative collaboration. This article has not only shown how important such meetings are for team development and company success, but also offers practical free templates, sample agendas, questions and icebreakers to increase the quality of these meetings.
The key to successful one-on-one staff meetings lies in adapting them to the needs of each individual team member. Instead of relying on rigid, printable templates, you should make meetings flexible in order to discuss operational challenges as well as strengthen the relationship level.
Whether it's about priorities, feedback or personal development – the approaches presented here will help you to have energetic and productive conversations. Use the tips to remove blockages, build trust and unleash the full potential of your employees. This will not only make your team more efficient, but also more motivated and satisfied.
FAQ - Frequently asked questions
Various questions regularly arise in the context of one-to-one meetings and their templates. That's why I've put together some typical questions and answers for you here.
How often should one-on-one meetings be scheduled or held?
The frequency depends heavily on the dynamics of the team and the individual needs of the employees. Weekly meetings are ideal for new employees or team members with little experience, as they often need more guidance and feedback. For experienced employees who work independently, a two- to six-weekly rhythm is appropriate. In other words, monthly one-to-one meetings are also quite common.
Example: A supervisor or manager might decide to hold weekly one-to-one meetings with a new colleague for the first three months to ensure that she settles in well. After that, the rhythm is adjusted depending on her progress.
How do you write an email invitation to one-on-one meetings?
A good invitation should be clear and friendly. State the purpose of the meeting and show that it is about support and cooperation. The following template can serve as an example or sample:
Email template: "Hi [name], I'd like to set up regular check-ins with you to make sure we can talk about your current issues, priorities and development opportunities. Would you be available on [date/time]? If the date doesn't work for you, please make 3 alternative suggestions."
Tip: You can find out more in our blog article: 5 One-on-One Meeting Email Invite Templates & Examples.
How do you conduct one-on-one meetings with new colleagues?
In the initial discussions with new employees, the focus should be on building a trusting relationship. Ask open questions such as:
- "How is your onboarding going so far?"
- "Is there anything you could use more support with?"
- "What goals would you like to achieve in the next few months?"
At the same time, you can provide insights into the corporate culture and team dynamics. The aim is to reduce uncertainty and make new employees feel welcome.
Tip: You can find even more ideas in our blog article: New Employee? 5 Tips for the First One-on-One Meeting.
In a nutshell, how do you give constructive feedback?
Constructive feedback should be specific, fair and action-oriented. A proven, simple method is the SBI method (Situation, Behavior, Impact):
- Situation: Describe the specific situation.
- Behavior: Explain what behavior you noticed.
- Impact: Show what effect this behavior had.
- Request (Optional): Name one request that goes along with this.
Example: "In the presentation last week (Situation), you explained the complex data very simply and clearly for the first time in the form of a table (Behavior). I was pleased because it helped the customer to better understand our solution and built trust (Impact). Please do the same next time."
Tip: If you need more examples and role models or samples, take a look at these resources: Software Developer Performance Review: 6 Feedback Examples and 50 Performance Review Phrases & Examples on Communication.
How do managers structure one-on-one conversations?
A clear structure helps to keep the employee appraisal on track. This is a typical structure:
- Check-in: Start with a casual question to lighten the mood, e.g: "How is your day going so far?"
- Main topics: Discuss current priorities, challenges or feedback.
- Future: Discuss development opportunities, long-term goals or changes in the team.
- Conclusion: Summarize the most important points and clarify the next steps.
What is the best way to prepare for 1-to-1 meetings?
Good preparation shows appreciation and ensures a productive discussion. Create a short agenda with the most important topics you want to address and ask your employee to bring topics with them. Note down examples of feedback or questions about ongoing projects in advance.
Example: Verbally or in writing via email: "Hey Max, for our meeting tomorrow I would like to talk about the status of your project and your training. If you have any topics, please bring them along."
What is the best way to conduct a one-on-one conversation?
Create a pleasant atmosphere in which your employee feels comfortable. Listen actively, ask open questions and avoid multitasking. Use the performance review to solve challenges together and ensure that clear next steps are defined at the end. The printable templates above can of course be useful here.
Example: A manager could introduce the conversation like this: "Let's talk briefly about your week. Were there any moments that went particularly well or where you needed support?"
End the conversation with: "Thank you for the open conversation! I'll make a note to share with the marketing team. Let's look at it again next week."
Most Agile Coaches and Scrum Masters run in circles...
...fixing superficial symptoms. Time to use psychology to foster sustainable mindset change.
