5 Reasons Monthly Check-Ins Are Not a Waste of Time
Your day is stacked full of meetings. Thinking about canceling or rescheduling that one-on-one check-in? Think again.
When your monthly manager-employee check-ins become productive conversations versus “just another meeting,” they’re beneficial for everyone: employees, managers, teams and the company as a whole.
Here are five reasons why monthly check-ins are not a waste of time, and why they should be a non-negotiable part of your organization’s success plan.
1. They Encourage Engagement, the Key to Retention
Happy employees are engaged employees, and engaged employees are much more likely to stay. Quantum Workplace’s 2021 Employee Turnover Trends report sheds light on what makes employees feel engaged and how engagement drives employee retention:
Employees who receive regular performance feedback from their manager are 2x as likely to be highly engaged
88 percent of highly engaged employees say that they will be at their company in a year, versus 49 percent of disengaged employees
Only 57 percent of employees said their immediate manager regularly gave them constructive feedback about their performance
Monthly check-ins are the perfect forum to engage your employees with recognition for great work, meaningful professional development conversations and tactful feedback. Speaking of feedback…
2. They Improve Your Ability to Give and Receive Feedback
No one innately understands the nuances of giving and receiving feedback. While these skills are crucial for personal and professional growth, developing them is often treated as an afterthought when compared to the technical or hard skills needed to perform on the job.
Managers and employees alike can benefit from practicing the art of dishing and hearing feedback—especially constructive criticism—in a safe, low-stakes environment like a monthly check-in. In her Psychology Today article, “Feedback Is Your Career and Life Hack,” Allison E. McWilliams writes:
“We all need to learn how to deliver feedback effectively and be present in hard conversations. Learning how to sit in these conversations, listen and objectively assess what someone else is telling you, is essential skill development.”
Soft skills matter, too!
3. They Uncover Hidden Gems
Whether you’re in an in-office or remote environment, the day-to-day slog of work can squash creativity and big thinking. One-on-one conversations allow managers and employers the space to bounce ideas off of one another in a focused environment.
Try conversation starters like:
Do you have any consistent pain points at work?
If you had unlimited time, are there any projects you would explore?
Have you seen anything inspiring from our competitors lately?
You might learn that an employee has a brilliant solution to a project management issue, or that your manager has been brewing up a campaign idea that dovetails with your professional development goals.
4. They Foster an Empathetic Environment
They’re called “check-ins” for a reason. Sometimes a seasoned employee is struggling with a particular client. Sometimes a new hire is dealing with unforeseen tech issues. Sometimes people are just plain burned out.
You don’t know what you don’t know, but regular meetings give managers the chance to check in on employees so they can ensure they have the support they need when it comes to everything from job duties and responsibilities to technology to work-life balance.
5. They Help You Deepen Relationships
How much of your life is spent at work? Too many hours to count, most likely.
Being transparent and vulnerable in one-on-one conversations can help you build trust and rapport with your coworkers, which leads to more authentic relationships.
And you don’t necessarily need to divulge information about your hobbies or personal life (though you certainly can if you want to!) to strengthen your workplace connections. Simply being 100% present and truly listening to your coworkers goes a long way.