One-on-one meeting template
Make 1:1s count.
A one on one meeting template gives you a steady place to set an agenda, capture notes, agree on follow-ups and make room for employee questions. Download the free Excel, CSV for Google Sheets, or Word version below, then adapt it to your next check-in.
Download the Excel template, download the Google Sheets CSV, or download the Word template.
What to include in a one-on-one
A useful 1:1 is a recurring conversation, not just a status report. Let the employee raise what matters, then leave time to discuss support, growth and any decisions. This employee check in template keeps a light structure while leaving room for the conversation to go where it needs to.
| Field | What to capture | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Date and participants | Meeting date, employee and manager | Oct. 8 — Jordan and Maya |
| Check-in | How the employee is doing and what is on their mind | Energy is good; launch workload is tight |
| Wins | Progress or work worth recognizing | Customer setup guide approved |
| Prior follow-ups | Last meeting's commitments and status | Maya to confirm design review — done |
| Employee agenda | Topics the employee wants to discuss | Priorities for the next release |
| Manager agenda | Feedback, context or decisions to cover | Confirm which requests can move |
| Notes | Key context and decisions, in brief | Move two low-priority requests to next sprint |
| Action items | Owner, task and due date | Maya — share revised priority list — Oct. 9 |
| Next meeting | Date or scheduling note | Oct. 22 |
Use the notes as a working record, not a word-for-word account. Capture decisions and commitments clearly, and check that the employee agrees with the summary. The linked meeting action items template can help when the follow-ups need their own tracker.
Filled-in one-on-one example
Date: Oct. 8
Participants: Jordan (employee), Maya (manager)
Check-in: Jordan feels good about the launch but says incoming requests are making it hard to protect focus time.
Wins: The customer setup guide passed review. Support used it to answer two common questions.
Employee agenda: Decide what can wait until after the release. Discuss a chance to lead the next customer walkthrough.
Manager agenda: Share feedback on the guide and clarify the next release priorities.
Notes and decisions: Maya thanked Jordan for making the instructions easier to follow. They agreed that urgent launch bugs stay at the top of the list. The lower-priority dashboard polish can wait. Jordan will lead the customer walkthrough with Maya available for support.
Follow-ups: Jordan will draft the walkthrough outline by Oct. 14. Maya will confirm the revised priorities with the project group by Oct. 9. They will review both at their next check-in on Oct. 22.
This example keeps the record concrete: a decision, two owners, and dates. It is a practical 1:1 meeting notes template, whether you prefer a spreadsheet or a document. Keep sensitive employee information in the system your organization approves, and follow your normal record-keeping practices.
How to use the template
- Set a recurring time. Choose a rhythm you can keep, such as weekly or every other week. Protect the time and reschedule when you must.
- Invite the employee's topics first. Ask them to add agenda items before the meeting. You can add your own, but leave space for theirs.
- Start with a human check-in. Ask how things are going and listen before moving into tasks. A simple prompt can reveal where support is needed.
- Discuss a small number of priorities. Review prior commitments, resolve blockers and make room for feedback or development. Avoid turning every 1:1 into a project report.
- Write down decisions and owners. Make each follow-up specific, name one owner and agree on a date. If a task needs more tracking, use the meeting action items template.
- Close by checking the summary. Read back decisions and ask what you missed. Send a brief 1 on 1 follow up when someone else needs the update, and put the next meeting on the calendar.
For a one on one meeting template in Word, use the DOCX when you want room for longer notes or a printable page. The Excel template works well for managers tracking recurring check-ins across a team, while the CSV can be imported into Google Sheets and adjusted to your columns. If your organization uses OneNote, you can copy the same headings into a page; the structure also works as a one on one meeting template OneNote users can reuse.
Questions to ask employees
Good one on one questions for employees are open-ended and tied to what is happening now. Pick a few, listen to the answer and follow up with curiosity; you do not need to run through all 30 in a single meeting.
Check-in and workload: How are you feeling about work this week? What has taken more energy than expected? Is your workload manageable? What is getting in the way of focused work? What would make this week easier?
Progress and priorities: What are you most pleased with since we last talked? Which priority feels clearest? What feels stuck? Has anything changed that should affect our plan? What should we stop, start or continue?
Support and feedback: What do you need from me right now? Where would a decision or introduction help? What feedback would be useful from me? Is there feedback you want to share with me? What is one thing I could do differently to support your work?
Growth and connection: What kind of work would you like more of? What skill are you practicing? What would you like to learn next? Do you feel connected to the team? Is there a recent contribution you wish more people had noticed?
Looking ahead: What is one risk we should plan for? What conversation are you avoiding? What would make the next two weeks successful? Is there anything you want to make sure we discuss next time? What else is on your mind?
These one on one questions for employees are starting points, not a script. Choose questions that fit the relationship and the moment. The manager templates and guidance can help you pair regular check-ins with clear expectations and follow-through. For broader routines, see meeting templates and follow-through and the guide to holding your team accountable without micromanaging.
Variations by role or industry
- New managers: Keep the agenda predictable and ask what support would help. Invite feedback about your management approach, and make small commitments you can reliably close.
- Experienced managers: Use a one on one meeting template for managers as a flexible prompt, not a fixed questionnaire. Adapt the discussion to each employee's responsibilities and current goals.
- Remote teams: Share the agenda in advance and write down decisions in a shared, approved workspace. Make space for context that may be harder to notice over video or chat.
- Fast-moving teams: Focus on changing priorities, blockers and decisions. Move detailed project reporting elsewhere so the check-in still has room for coaching and employee concerns.
- Customer-facing or frontline roles: Ask about workload patterns, customer issues and tools or handoffs that slow the work. Keep private employee topics in an appropriate setting.
- Career or growth check-ins: Give development a dedicated portion of the meeting or its own session. Discuss concrete opportunities and follow up on what you agree to explore.
Make follow-through easier
Or skip the typing: Teriara drafts this from the conversation, in early access. You review, edit and send each follow-up yourself. See meeting follow-through for more ways to keep decisions and next steps moving.
Frequently asked questions
What is 1 on 1?
A 1:1 is a recurring conversation between a manager and an employee. It can cover workload, progress, feedback, support and growth, with the employee's priorities given room alongside the manager's. A short agenda helps, but the meeting should still feel like a conversation.
What are some one on one questions for employees?
Ask what is going well, what feels difficult, what support would help and what they want to focus on next. You can also ask what feedback they have for you or what skill they want to build. Choose a few prompts that fit the employee and follow their answers.
What should a one-on-one meeting template include?
Include the date, participants, employee and manager topics, brief notes, decisions, action owners and due dates. Add a check-in and a place for wins or development if those topics matter to your team. Keep the format short enough that people will use it.
How often should a manager meet with each employee?
Choose a cadence that gives both people enough time to discuss meaningful work and support needs, then keep it consistent. Weekly or every other week can be a starting point, depending on the work and the employee's preference. Revisit the cadence together if it stops being useful.
Get more follow-through help with Teriara, now in early access.