1:1 Meeting Agenda - Free Templates

The Foundation of Great 1:1 Meetings: A Well-Structured Agenda

One of the biggest mistakes managers make in 1:1 meetings is going in unprepared--or worse, turning the conversation into a status update session. A structured agenda transforms your 1:1s from ad-hoc conversations into powerful tools for growth, alignment, and relationship building.

This guide provides ready-to-use 1:1 meeting agenda templates you can implement immediately. We'll also share best practices for customizing these templates to fit your team's needs.

Why Use a 1:1 Meeting Agenda Template?

A good agenda template ensures you:

• Cover what matters most for both manager and employee
• Balance different types of conversations (work updates, growth, challenges, feedback)
• Track progress over time on recurring topics
• Make meetings more efficient by having structure
• Demonstrate preparation and show you value the employee's time

Standard 1:1 Meeting Agenda Template

This template works well for most regular 1:1 meetings:

1. Check-In (5 minutes)

• How are you doing overall? (Personal and professional check-in)
• What's top of mind for you right now?

2. Work Updates (10 minutes)

• What are you working on this week?
• What progress have you made since our last meeting?
• Any blockers or challenges?

3. Growth and Development (10 minutes)

• What skills are you looking to develop?
• What learning opportunities would you like?
• How can I support your career goals?

4. Feedback and Recognition (5 minutes)

• What's going well that I should know about?
• What feedback would be helpful for you right now?
• Recognition for recent achievements

5. Action Items and Next Steps (5 minutes)

• What are the key action items from today?
• Who owns each action item?
• When will we follow up?

Deep Dive 1:1 Meeting Agenda Template

Use this template monthly or quarterly for more comprehensive conversations:

1. Relationship Check (10 minutes)

• How is our working relationship?
• How can I better support you?
• What would you like me to start, stop, or continue doing?

2. Career Development Deep Dive (15 minutes)

• Where do you see yourself in 1-2 years?
• What experiences do you need to get there?
• What projects or opportunities align with your goals?
• What skills gaps do we need to address?

3. Well-being and Sentiment (10 minutes)

• On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your:
  • Workload balance?
  • Overall well-being?
  • Job satisfaction?
  • Relationship with the team?
• What would make each of these a 10?

4. Strategic Discussion (10 minutes)

• What trends are you seeing in your work?
• What concerns or opportunities should I be aware of?
• How can we improve team processes or culture?

5. Goal Review and Planning (15 minutes)

• Review progress on current goals
• Identify what's working and what's not
• Set or adjust goals for the next period
• Define success metrics

Quick Check-In 1:1 Meeting Agenda Template

For shorter, more frequent meetings (15-20 minutes):

1. Quick Status (5 minutes)

• What's your biggest priority this week?
• Any immediate blockers?

2. How Can I Help? (5 minutes)

• What support do you need from me?
• Any decisions or approvals pending?

3. Quick Wins and Challenges (5 minutes)

• What's going well?
• What's challenging?

4. Action Items (5 minutes)

• What are we committing to before next time?

Onboarding 1:1 Meeting Agenda Template

Special template for new team members:

1. First Week Check-In

• How was your first week?
• What's clear? What's confusing?
• Who have you met? How are relationships forming?
• What questions do you have about the role, team, or company?

2. Expectations Alignment

• Does the role match what you expected?
• Are there any surprises (positive or negative)?
• What would make you feel more successful?

3. Support and Resources

• Do you have everything you need?
• What tools, access, or information is missing?
• Who can help you with specific questions?

4. Goals for First 30 Days

• What should you accomplish in your first month?
• What would success look like?
• How will we measure progress?

Performance Improvement 1:1 Meeting Agenda Template

For addressing performance issues constructively:

1. Set the Context (5 minutes)

• Thank them for their time and openness
• Clarify the purpose: to understand and support, not to criticize
• Establish a collaborative tone

2. Understand the Situation (15 minutes)

• What's your perspective on [specific performance area]?
• What factors are contributing to the current situation?
• What support or resources do you need?
• What obstacles are you facing?

3. Co-create Solutions (15 minutes)

• What ideas do you have for improvement?
• What support can I provide?
• What changes in process, resources, or expectations would help?

4. Set Clear Expectations and Timeline (10 minutes)

• Clearly define what success looks like
• Set measurable goals and milestones
• Agree on check-in frequency
• Schedule follow-up meetings

How to Customize These Templates

While these templates provide a solid foundation, the best agendas are customized to your team and context:

• Add team-specific sections: Include topics relevant to your industry or company
• Adjust time allocations: Spend more time on what matters most to each employee
• Rotate deep-dive topics: Use different templates for variety
• Involve employees: Ask them what they want to discuss
• Track over time: Reference previous meetings to show continuity

Best Practices for Using 1:1 Meeting Agenda Templates

1. Share the Agenda in Advance

Send the agenda 24-48 hours before the meeting so both parties can prepare. This makes meetings more productive and shows respect for each other's time.

2. Allow for Flexibility

While structure is important, don't be so rigid that you can't address urgent topics. Use the agenda as a guide, not a script.

3. Document and Follow Up

Take notes during the meeting and share them afterward. This ensures nothing is forgotten and action items are clear. Tools like Workcom automatically capture and organize these notes.

4. Review Past Agendas

Reference previous meetings to show continuity and track progress on recurring topics. This demonstrates that you're listening and following through.

5. Evolve Over Time

As your relationship and the employee's role evolve, adjust your agenda templates accordingly. What worked in month one might not work in month six.

Digital Tools for Managing 1:1 Meeting Agendas

While you can use these templates with a simple document, dedicated tools make managing 1:1 agendas much easier:

• Workcom: Provides structured agenda templates, note-taking, and follow-up tracking built specifically for 1:1 meetings
• Google Docs: Simple shared documents for agenda collaboration
• Notion or Confluence: More structured knowledge management with templates

Free Download: Ready-to-Use Templates

Want these templates in an editable format? Here's what you can do:

• Copy the templates above into your preferred tool
• Use Workcom's built-in templates - Sign up for a free trial and access these templates plus more
• Customize them to fit your team's specific needs

Conclusion: Structure Leads to Better Conversations

A well-structured 1:1 meeting agenda transforms these conversations from ad-hoc chats into powerful management tools. By using templates like these, you ensure you cover what matters most while maintaining flexibility for urgent topics.

Start with one of these templates, customize it to your needs, and watch how it improves the quality and impact of your 1:1 meetings. Your team will notice the difference, and so will you.

Ready to streamline your 1:1 meetings with built-in agenda templates and note-taking? Workcom provides these templates plus sentiment tracking and follow-up management--all in one simple tool. Start your free trial today.