Effective communication is essential in any organization, regardless of its size. As a people manager, you are responsible for creating an environment that encourages open communication and fosters stronger relationships between you and your team. One effective way to achieve this is by conducting weekly check-ins with your employees. A check-in is an opportunity for both parties to discuss progress, concerns, and possibilities. In this blog post, we will give you a template you can use as inspiration for your weekly employee check-ins.

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Check-In Example Agenda

Check-ins should be concise and focused. Even if you're only gathering for 15 minutes, make sure you know what you want to get out of the meeting. A very simple example agenda may include the following:

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1. Opening Question

The opening question in a check-in may be the most important consideration, for both an employee and a manager. It likely drives the progression of the conversation. Good managers have a default question that is evocative and sets the tone and purpose of the conversation. If the opening question is thought provoking, that may be the whole agenda.

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Manager Example Check-in Questions:

• "What's top of mind to discuss?"
• "Is there anything standing in your way today?"
• "How has your week been so far?"
• "How can I be helpful this week?"
  

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2. Review of Week

Review what happened in the last week. Ask your employee how they did over the past week, what issues they faced, what they accomplished, and what they could have done better.

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Manager Example Check-in Questions:

• "What have you accomplished since our last check-in?"
• "How are your projects tracking this week?"
• "What are the highlights and lowlights since our last chat?"

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3. Recognize Accomplishments, Deliver Feedback

The most important thing you can provide and the thing that is most often skipped is feedback. Employee feedback tools are often underutilized or non-existent. Feedback includes both positive affirmation and constructive criticism; both elements are generally underserved.

What opportunities are there to provide feedback about their work, and give them constructive criticism? Employees are often hungry for growth, but have no idea how they can improve and provide additional value. Weekly check-ins provide an opportunity for high-frequency, specific feedback.

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Remember that solid feedback generally includes the following elements:

• Appreciation - Reminding an employee of your appreciation for them and their work is an important element in delivering feedback appropriately, either positive or negative.
• Example Behavior - Try not to speak in generalities. Be as specific to a circumstance or representative behavior as possible. Again, this applies to both areas in which the employee continue to excel and areas in which they can improve.
• Suggested Improvement - Don't deliver a critique without a suggestion for improvement. It can be a specific action item or soft agreement, but ensure to conclude constructive feedback with a general agreement on 'the path up'.

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If you're having trouble coming up with feedback, ask yourself these questions as a mental exercise. Is there anything you've been holding back that you could mention?:

• If you mentally stack rank your team, where does this employee land? Why?
• Where do you think this employee might rank themselves against their teammates? Are they accurate?
• What is the most significant, recent accomplishment for this employee?
• What is the most significant, recent hiccup for this employee?
• If this employee were getting a promotion today, what highlights would your recognize as justification?
• If this employee were turned down for a promotion today, what feedback would you provide as justification?

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4. Goal Setting

Ask them to set goals for the following week and align their goals with the team's objectives. Encourage them to think about what they want to achieve and what support they need. As a people manager, it's your responsibility to ensure that employees have the necessary tools, talents, and resources to accomplish their work.

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Manager Example Check-in Questions:

• "What are you going to accomplish in the next week?"
• "What are your stretch goals? What are you hoping to achieve beyond the daily tasks?"
• "What are you going to stop doing, start doing, and/or keep doing in the next week?"

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5. Wrap Up

End the meeting on a positive note. Summarize what was discussed, the goals set for the following week, and reiterate your appreciation for their hard work. Note any specific action items and ownership of those items. Again, agenda can be a squishy thing in a weekly check-in. These are example categories. Use at your own discretion.

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In Conclusion

This weekly employee check-in template is a great way for people managers to encourage open communication with their employees. Communication is essential in any organization, and by having consistent check-ins with your employees, you are building a stronger relationship with them. By using an icebreaker, reviewing the previous week, providing feedback, setting goals, and wrapping up, employees will feel supported, recognized, and valued. You can use this template as an inspiration, customize it, and make it your own. Remember, a happy employee equals a productive employee.

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Employee Check-In Template

Below, we have an example template that you can copy and paste to create a shared document between you and your employee, or simply just as a structure for capturing your own agenda and notes.

Evernote Weekly Check-In Template

Google Doc Weekly Check-In Template

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Check-In Date:

Employee:

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Opening Question:

• What is top of mind this week?

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Weekly Review:

• What have you accomplished since our last check-in?

• How are your projects tracking this week?

• What are the highlights and lowlights since our last chat?

Recognize Accomplishments and Give Feedback:

• What opportunities are there to provide feedback about your work?

• What areas of your work can you improve on?

• What specific action items do I need to take away from this meeting?

Goal Setting:

• What goals do you have for the following week?

• How can I help you achieve those goals?

• What resources do you need to accomplish your goals?

Wrap Up:

Summarize what was discussed, the goals set for the following week, and reiterate your appreciation for their hard work. Note any specific action items and ownership of those items.

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• Is there anything else you want to discuss?

• Is there any other support I can provide?

Action Items:

• Item 1:
• Item 2:
• Item 3: