[Retention conversations](https://www.teampredict.ai/templates#conversations) # One-on-one meeting agenda template A 30-minute one-on-one agenda in six parts, with the team member's topics first and a table for actions, to fill in, copy or print. Manager Team member Date **Check-in** 5 minutes How are you doing, at work and outside it? **Their topics first** 10 minutes. The team member adds these before the meeting. Topic 1 Topic 2 Topic 3 **Progress and blockers** 5 minutes What moved since we last met? What is stuck, and what do you need from me? **Feedback both ways** 5 minutes One thing that went well, and why One thing to do differently next time Feedback for me as your manager **Growth** 5 minutes One question about where you want to go next **Actions** Agree these before you close. Columns: Action, Owner, By when. 3 rows. Last updated October 14, 2026 ## A one-on-one agenda keeps the meeting about the person. A one-on-one is a recurring private conversation between a manager and a direct report about the work, the obstacles and the person's growth. Without an agenda it drifts into a status update, which is the one thing it should not be, because status can travel in writing. This agenda fits 30 minutes. It gives the first and longest slot to the team member's own topics, keeps a fixed slot for feedback in both directions and one for growth, and ends with actions that carry over to the next meeting. ## Here is how to use the one-on-one meeting agenda template in five steps. _Figure: How to use the one-on-one meeting agenda template in 5 steps. Step 1: Share the agenda the day before. Step 2: Start with their topics. Step 3: Ask about blockers, not status. Step 4: Give and ask for feedback. Step 5: Close with actions._ 1. **Share the agenda the day before.** Keep one running document per person and ask them to add their topics ahead of the meeting. 2. **Start with their topics.** Give the first ten minutes to what they brought. If time runs short, your items are the ones that move. 3. **Ask about blockers, not status.** Skip the project rundown. Ask what is stuck and what they need from you. 4. **Give and ask for feedback.** Offer one thing that went well and one to change, then ask for the same about you. 5. **Close with actions.** Write down who does what by when, and open the next meeting by reading the list. ## Here is a worked example with invented names. Take an invented company, Marlowick Studio, a design studio of 25 people. Greta Olsen manages Caleb Mwangi, a designer, and they meet every week for 30 minutes. Caleb adds two topics the day before: the client review rounds keep growing, and he would like to lead the next pitch. In the blockers slot he says he has waited eight days for copy from the client. His feedback for Greta is that briefs arrive too late on Fridays. _Figure: A filled-in example. Marlowick Studio, an invented company: one weekly one-on-one. Team member: Caleb Mwangi, designer. Manager: Greta Olsen. His topics: Client review rounds keep growing, and he would like to lead the next pitch. What is stuck: Eight days waiting for copy from the client. Feedback for the manager: Briefs arrive too late on Fridays. Agreed actions: Greta chases the copy by Wednesday, Caleb leads the next pitch, briefs go out by Thursday noon._ They close with three actions. Greta will chase the copy by Wednesday, Caleb will lead the next pitch, and briefs will go out by Thursday noon. The next meeting opens with that list. ## These mistakes spoil a one-on-one. - Cancelling when the week gets busy. A cancelled one-on-one is the channel where you would have heard about the problem. - Using the time for project status, which could have been a message. - Doing most of the talking. The manager should speak for less than half the meeting. - Skipping the growth slot every week because nothing is urgent. - Ending without written actions, so the same topics come back unchanged. ## People ask these questions about one-on-one meetings. ### How long should a one-on-one meeting be? Thirty minutes every week or an hour every two weeks both work. Shorter than 30 minutes leaves no room for anything beyond status. Pick one rhythm and keep it, because the regularity matters more than the length. ### How often should managers hold one-on-ones? Weekly for new hires, for people in new roles and during busy periods. Every two weeks is fine for experienced people who are settled. Monthly is too far apart to catch a problem while it is still small. ### Who should set the agenda for a one-on-one? Both, with the team member going first. The meeting exists for them, so their topics lead. The manager adds feedback, context from above and anything about growth that the person has not raised. ### What should you not discuss in a one-on-one? Long project updates, which belong in writing, and anything that needs the whole team in the room. It is also the wrong place to deliver major news with no warning that a serious conversation is coming. ### What is the difference between a one-on-one and a performance review? A one-on-one is frequent, informal and forward-looking. A performance review is a periodic, formal assessment. If one-on-ones are working, nothing in the review should come as a surprise. ## These glossary terms explain the ideas behind it. - [One-on-one](https://www.teampredict.ai/glossary/one-on-one) A one-on-one is a recurring private conversation between a manager and a direct report about the work, the obstacles and the person's growth. - [Skip-level meeting](https://www.teampredict.ai/glossary/skip-level-meeting) A skip-level meeting is a conversation between an employee and their manager's manager, without the direct manager present. - [Employee engagement](https://www.teampredict.ai/glossary/employee-engagement) Employee engagement is how committed and involved people are in their work and their company, beyond simply doing the tasks assigned to them. - [Span of control](https://www.teampredict.ai/glossary#span-of-control) Span of control is the number of direct reports a manager has. - [Stay interview](https://www.teampredict.ai/glossary#stay-interview) A stay interview is a structured conversation with a current employee about what keeps them here and what would make them consider leaving. ## These pages on this site go deeper. - [40 one-on-one meeting questions](https://www.teampredict.ai/blog/one-on-one-meeting-questions) - [Engagement strategies that reduce turnover](https://www.teampredict.ai/blog/employee-engagement-strategies) - [Why good employees leave](https://www.teampredict.ai/blog/why-good-employees-leave) ## These templates pair well with this one. - [Skip-level meeting agenda template](https://www.teampredict.ai/templates/skip-level-meeting-agenda) Five timed parts, an opening script and nine questions for a 30-minute skip-level. - [Stay interview template](https://www.teampredict.ai/templates/stay-interview) Ten questions in four themes, and the actions you agree before the meeting ends. - [Career conversation template](https://www.teampredict.ai/templates/career-conversation) Nine questions in five parts, from what gave energy to the next two or three steps. ## Find out who is showing exit signals. Score one person against ten factors in five areas, in a few minutes, and see which signals are contributing most. [Run a flight risk assessment](https://www.teampredict.ai/tools/employee-flight-risk-assessment) Free, no signup required. About TeamPredict TeamPredict is retention early-warning software that flags resignation risk from public LinkedIn signals, so you have lead time to keep the people you want to keep. [See how TeamPredict works](https://www.teampredict.ai/retention-software) [Back to the HR templates](https://www.teampredict.ai/templates), where all 22 are listed.