The success of any organization largely depends on the quality of the employees. Due to this fact, employers have always devised and will continue to look for ways to make their employees feel valued and appreciated. When they are happy, they will be at their best. When you make them feel included in the company’s plans, they will work as if the company is theirs. One of the ways employers show that they care is by holding regular one-on-one meetings with their employees. As an employer, you should consider this if you are not already doing so. Here are some tips.
Let it be a regular exercise
The needs and workflow of your team are what determine how regularly you should hold one-on-one meetings. Most organizations hold one-on-one meetings every three months, but it should depend on what works for you and your team. One challenge here could be different time zones, especially when some of your team members live on a different continent. So, it’s important to select a time that is beneficial to all parties.
The meeting is supposed to go beyond the employee’s on-the-job performance. It is an opportunity to connect with all of your employees individually. You get to know what is working for each of them, celebrate their successes, and find out ways you can be of assistance to them. Whatever format you want to adopt, meetings should be consistent.
Prepare to listen actively
The mistake most managers make during meetings with their employees is that they make it a one-person show where they talk the whole time and leave no room for the employees to say anything. The employees do most of the office work and as such should be allowed to give their own view about things in the organization. The one-on-one meeting should be a chance to hear them out and understand their concerns, plans, and aspirations for the job.
It is possible that there is a difference in first languages, especially if you are meeting your foreign employees online. You can use remote interpreting platforms to help bridge that language barrier. Whatever your employees are concerned about or dissatisfied with should be handled immediately. This will make the employee always look forward to another meeting since the experience is always rewarding.
Choose your words carefully
There are various ways of conveying the same message. It could be friendly and it could be done callously. As a manager, you need to be careful with your words–as words badly spoken can cause great harm to the psyche of the employee. Instead of using words like “failed” you can use “unsuccessful.” Instead of phrases like, “You are not performing well,” you can use words like, “You are doing a great job, but there is room for improvement.”
At the end of the meeting, the employee gets the message without a negative psychological effect. If you are giving your employee some additional tips on how to improve their work practice, then be specific and clear. The employee shouldn’t feel confused. For example, if you are talking about the development of a chatbot and you want to let them know about a specific aspect of the project process that you want to change, be direct and don’t beat around the bush.
Discuss growth opportunities
When employees don’t see opportunities for personal growth at work, they become unhappy and the effect is seen in the output of their work. This is why discussing growth opportunities with your employees is very important. Managers are in the most suitable position to empower their employees and create opportunities for them to grow. So, when you meet with your employees, don’t just talk about the past or present, talk about the future also. Ask them where they see themselves in the next few years and what bigger roles they are interested in.
End the meeting on a positive note
During your meeting with your employees, you will probably discuss work most of the time. To mix things up and keep things more casual, ask your employee about his family and what the employee does for fun. Make this part of the meeting as pleasant as possible and let it be what lingers on in the employee’s mind at the end of the meeting.
Final Word
It may be difficult for you to monitor your employees’ everyday activities or know how they are faring outside of work. One-on-one meetings help you as a manager to bridge this gap and get to meet everyone individually. See this activity as part of your core duties as an employer. Do not replace it with other activities you presume are more important. If you start finding reasons not to have these meetings, they may stop altogether–and this could have a negative effect on your team’s productivity.
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