What is One-on-One Meeting?

A one-on-one meeting (often abbreviated as 1:1) is a regularly scheduled, private conversation between a manager and a direct report. Unlike team meetings that focus on project coordination, one-on-ones are designed for individual-level discussion: reviewing progress on goals, removing obstacles, providing and receiving feedback, discussing career aspirations, and strengthening the manager-employee relationship.

Effective one-on-ones follow a flexible structure that balances the employee's needs with the manager's. Best practice suggests the direct report should drive at least 50-70% of the agenda, bringing topics they want to discuss, concerns they want to raise, and updates they want to share. The manager's role is to listen actively, coach rather than direct, provide context and feedback, and follow through on commitments made during the conversation.

The cadence of one-on-ones matters. Weekly 30-minute meetings are the most common and effective frequency for most roles, though biweekly meetings may work for experienced, autonomous employees. Consistency is more important than duration — a canceled one-on-one sends the message that the employee is not a priority. Research from Gallup shows that employees whose managers hold regular one-on-ones are three times more likely to be engaged than those whose managers do not.

The one-on-one meeting is the foundational building block of the manager-employee relationship, and that relationship is the strongest lever organizations have for engagement, performance, and retention. Regular one-on-ones ensure that feedback is timely, problems are caught early, and employees feel supported. For HR leaders, establishing a strong one-on-one culture — and equipping managers with the skills to run effective conversations — is one of the most cost-effective interventions for improving organizational health.