Get The Most From Employee Check-In Meetings

Brandon Hall Group research shows most employers understand that managers and employees need to connect more frequently and effectively to improve performance. Regularly scheduled check-ins have the potential to be a great vehicle for coaching, feedback and career conversations. But that’s not the current case. Four in 10 organizations say managers and their team members have check-ins quarterly or less. Fewer than one-quarter meet at least weekly, which should be closer to the norm.

When check-ins do occur, employee development sits toward the bottom of discussion frequency.

High Frequency of Discussion During Manager-Employee Check-ins*

Check-ins should an important part of employee development. They are a great way for managers and employees to collaborate and improve employee performance for the benefit of the employee and the organization. But competing priorities get in the way. Check-ins generally focus on short-term work priorities. Coaching, learning and goal-setting get scant attention compared with status reports of ongoing work.

An overreliance on performance to assess potential means organizations identify many people without high potential as high-potentials.

Top Priorities to Improve Performance Development

• How can we change manager behaviors at scale to develop a culture of coaching and continuous feedback?

• How can we enable managers and employees to collaborate better and more often on performance goals?

• How can technology help change the quality of check-ins?

Check-ins should be focused on employee development and held frequently enough so that there is an ongoing process of setting and revising goals, coaching, feedback and discussion of employees’ career aspirations. (We recommend at least biweekly.)

Technology can be a great enabler. Most goodHCM suites and performance-management point solutions include tools to help managers and employees connect virtually to address short-term work priorities, provide status updates and set workflows for the next several days or weeks.

If you can handle day-to-day work issues through technology, that clears time during check-in meetings for employee development. That does not mean current work priorities can’t be discussed, but they should not dominate.

Right now, according to Brandon Hall Group research:

  • 95% of organizations use check-ins to review current work
  • 72% use them to discuss upcoming priorities.
  • But only 40% use them to coach and provide learning opportunities or discuss performance goals
  • Only 9% of organizations report discussing career advancement even periodically during check-in meetings

Technology also can ensure managers and employees are on the same page before the check-in meetings. The best tools enable either manager or employee to suggest agenda items, pose questions or provide background information so valuable check-in time can be used for meaningful discussion.

Since this type of check-in culture is not the norm in most organizations, employers who are serious about employee development should provide managers and coaches with training and resources to optimize check-ins.

For example:

  • Provide coaching and feedback tips and checklists for managers.
  • Provide tips and checklists for employees on interacting effectively with managers when they provide feedback or ask questions to help employees learn.

To make check-ins work better to develop employees, managers must understand that their role goes far beyond getting work done. It should be focused as much as possible on developing employees’ potential so they can acquire the capabilities to do their jobs better and prepare for future roles to help the organization and advance their careers.


About

Brandon Hall Group Strategy Briefs answer the critical questions learning, talent, HR and business leaders must address to manage their human capital. To tackle these critical questions in more detail, we built tools, frameworks, research summaries and business builders based on up-to-date research and case studies for you to implement best and next Human Capital Management (HCM) practices. To gain access to these valuable resources, contact [email protected].

Leading minds in HCM choose Brandon Hall Group to help them build future-proof employee-development plans for the new era. For more than 27 years, we have empowered, recognized and certified excellence in organizations around the world, influencing the development of over 10,000,000 associates and executives.

Like what you see? Share with a friend.

Mike Cooke

Search

Categories

Stay connected

Get notified for upcoming news subscribing

Related Content

Mike Cooke

Chief Executive Officer of Brandon Hall Group Mike Cooke Prior to joining Brandon Hall Group, Mike Cooke was the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of AC Growth. Mike held leadership and executive positions for the majority of his career, at which he was responsible for steering sales and marketing teams to drive results and profitability. His background includes more than 15 years of experience in sales, marketing, management, and operations in the research, consulting, software and technology industries. Mike has extensive experience in sales, marketing and management having worked for several early high-growth emerging businesses and has implemented technology systems to support various critical sales, finance, marketing and client service functions. He is especially skilled in organizing the sales and service strategy to fully support a company’s growth strategy. The concept of growth was an absolute to Mike and a motivator in starting AC Growth, in order to help organizations achieve research driven results. Most recently, Mike was the VP and General Manager of Field Operations at Bersin & Associates, a global analyst and consulting services firm focused on all areas of enterprise learning, talent management and talent acquisition. Tasked with leading the company’s global expansion, Mike led all sales operations worldwide. During Mike’s tenure, the company has grown into a multi-national firm, conducting business in over 45 countries with over 4,500 multi-national organizations. Mike started his career at MicroVideo Learning Systems in 1992, eventually holding a senior management position and leading all corporate sales before founding Dynamic Minds. Mike was CEO and Co-Founder of Dynamic Minds, a custom developer of software programs, working with clients like Goldman Sachs, Prentice Hall, McGraw Hill and Merrill Lynch. Also, Mike worked for Oddcast, a leading provider of customer experience and marketing solutions, where he held a senior management position leading the company into new markets across various industries. Mike also serves on the Advisory Board for Carbon Solutions America, an independent sustainability consulting and carbon management firm that specializes in the design and implementation of greenhouse reduction and sustainability plans as well as managing the generation of carbon and renewal energy and energy efficiency credits. Mike attended University of Phoenix, studying Business Administration and Finance. He has also completed executive training at the Chicago Graduate School of Business in Chicago, IL.