Most employers agree: it’s important to check-in with their employees regularly. For most employers, however, a quarterly review meets this standard. To create an environment where employees are engaged and thriving, however, you should check-in more frequently. In fact, most experts suggest that for maximum results, weekly check-ins (or 1:1s) are critical.
The high cost of employees The
average wage of Canadian employees is approximately $986 a week, or $51,000 per year. If you have multiple employees, or employees who make more than the average, it likely adds up to a large percentage of your corporate expenses.
Your employees are an important investment, and a weekly check-in gives you the opportunity to build the relationship with those employees and add to the quality of your investment. Without a regular check-in, how can you ensure that your employee is feeling welcome, engaged and is on track to promote and further your corporate goals?
Maintaining focus According to research, most employees spend
nearly 30% of their time on email. In addition,
only 45% of the average employee’s workday is spent on their primary job duties. Weekly check-ins provide you with the chance to keep employees focused on their tasks. With regular check-ins, you can quickly correct mistakes or errors, identify bottlenecks and notice progress immediately.
Employee appreciation Employees want to be noticed, both personally and professionally. A weekly check-in gives individual attention to each employee, allowing them to opportunity to share concerns, problems or discuss recent wins.
With nearly
39% of employees saying they don’t feel appreciated at work, allotting several minutes a week to simply stop and recognize an employee’s efforts can go a long way to improving morale.
In addition,
four out of ten employees report that they actively disengage when they receive little feedback. Is your quarterly check-in giving them what they need to feel engaged? Probably not.
Employee satisfaction Millennials thrive on feedback, and so do the rest of us. They seek it out on social media in their personal lives, and they expect it in their personal lives as well.
More than
75% of employees state that feedback is essential to their attitude of their job, and 72% of employees under 30 want more feedback than they’re currently receiving. In many cases, employees want daily feedback on their performance.
Career development Do you know what your employees really want from their jobs? Are they looking for advancement opportunities? Do they currently have skills they could be using in other areas of your business? Weekly check-ins give you the opportunity to have meaningful conversations about the employee’s role in your company. It can help you identify mentors,
discover hidden leadership potentialand keep in the loop about the training needs your employees may have.
Receive feedback In most companies, employers are excellent at pointing out how employees can improve but fall short at asking about the company’s performance. A weekly check-in gives employees a chance to provide feedback on the leadership and culture of the company. Often, employees are reluctant to speak out in a larger group setting but are more likely to share concerns and input during a one-on-one session.
Do you conduct regular check-ins with your employees? How often do you conduct check-ins? Have you noticed a difference in employee engagement?
Michele Bailey is president and CEO of
Blazing Agencyand
My Big Idea™. These two lines of business work congruently to support her clients’ success.
