Remote 1:1s are more important than you think

One-on-one meetings with your direct reports or leader are hard to get right in person and even harder online. Experience shows that omitting one-on-one meetings is riskier than you may have thought.

“The 1:1 is the only forum where you can have an honest, private, conversation with each other about what’s really going on—professionally and personally.” (Austin, 2016)

“Failing to use time with direct reports in a meaningful way or, worse, skipping these meetings altogether, can lead to higher attrition and drag down organizational goals.” (Wisdom, 2023)

Why it matters

Employees who feel connected and supported by their leader are more productive and more likely to stay. By focusing on building the relationship you can increase trust, empathy and promote early resolution of issues and roadblocks.

Take action

Acknowledge that online meetings introduce communication difficulties (e.g., reduced non-verbal cues) that must be consciously managed. Listen carefully for opportunities to ask deeper questions, it’s easier for people to paint a superficial picture in an online meeting.

Guidelines for running an effective 1:1 apply regardless of where you meet:

• Make it a priority, schedule it in your diaries on a recurring basis. Reschedule don’t cancel if something comes up.
• Make it a two-way conversation, listen and respond to what comes up. Don’t just dump information. Send a report prior to the meeting to communicate more in-depth information.
• Connect, this is an opportunity to learn what’s going on for them both personally and professionally.
• Focus on outcomes, follow up with a quick email, “it was great to see you, this is what we discussed, this is our next meeting time.”

Unlock the full potential of remote work for you and your team, subscribe to our newsletter to receive insights, resources and tools in your inbox each month.

Learn more

Leaders running remote 1:1s, must overcome communication challenges to be successful. While some additional effort is required, the good news is that the techniques are simple. Prioritising ways to support and connect with your team on an individual basis serves leaders and team members alike.

Go Deeper

• Wisdom, J. (2023). Five Ways to Make Your One-On-One Meetings More Effective. MIT Sloan Management Review, 64(2), 1-4. Link
• Kent, D. (2021). 7 tips to ensure success in 1:1 meetings (for remote managers). Link
• Flinchum, J. R., Kreamer, L. M., Rogelberg, S. G., & Gooty, J. (2023). One-on-one meetings between managers and direct reports: A new opportunity for meeting science. Organizational Psychology Review, 13(4), 478-505. Link
• Employment Hero. How to run effective 1:1s with your team. Link
• Austin, J. B. (2016). Master the One-on-One Meeting. Working Knowledge - Business Research for Business Leaders. Link
• Taheri, M. (2023). You Need to Tell Your Manager This in Every Single 1:1. The Leaders and Operators Network. Link
• Harvard Business Review. (2013). HBR Guide to Managing Up and Across. Link