6 free and effective one-on-one meeting templates for managers in 2025

One-on-one meetings are a key part of open communication and strong working relationships between managers and their direct reports. One-on-ones are an opportunity to develop mutual trust, provide support, and align on key action items that can boost productivity and employee engagement. By using a 1:1 template, managers can streamline their agendas, make sure all important discussion points get addressed, and keep track of progress over time. If you’re looking to build or refine your meeting agenda process, we’ve compiled six free and effective one-on-one meeting templates for managers in 2025.

This article is directed toward HR leaders, team leads, and anyone interested in guiding direct reports through consistent, productive conversations. By preparing and sharing a one-on-one meeting agenda in advance, you’ll set the stage for clarity and structure on your meetings—plus, create an engaging environment for employee growth.

Let’s explore why a one-on-one can be your secret weapon for increased employee engagement, how to use meeting agenda templates, and how to choose the best one-on-one approach for your team members.

What is a one-on-one meeting?

A one-on-one meeting (often shortened to “one-on-one,” “1:1,” or even just “1s”) is a dedicated conversation between a manager and a single employee (often one of their direct reports). 

These meetings are often scheduled on a recurring cadence—for instance, weekly or monthly—to check on progress, uncover opportunities for improvement, and build a strong working relationship. One-on-one meetings are a powerful tool for managers wanting to prioritize employee development (without waiting for performance reviews).

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6 topics to cover in one-on-one meetings

When scheduling one of your one-on-one sessions, it helps to have a clear agenda of topics. Below are some essential topics you might include:

1. Feedback exchange 

A one-on-one is an opportunity for both the manager and the employee to provide open, honest feedback with one another. By discussing recent performance or tasks, you can clarify expectations, recognize accomplishments, and prepare action items to address any concerns. This two-way conversation builds trust and can improve working relationships.

2. Resource needs 

Check if your direct reports have access to the tools, training, or support they need. This discussion uncovers roadblocks early, so managers can prepare the right resources or adjust schedules accordingly.

3. Workload management 

One-on-one meetings are perfect for checking on how direct reports handle their workload. Understanding capacity makes sure no one is overloaded, helps maintain work life balance, and avoids burnout.

4. Professional development 

From goal setting to skill-building, use your one-on-one to identify opportunities for growth. Team members often have personal targets; talking about them fosters employee engagement and clarifies how managers can support professional progress as they advance in their careers.

5. Goal setting 

Dive deeper into goal setting by discussing both short-term tasks and long-term career aspirations. This helps direct reports stay aligned with team and company objectives, while also feeling their personal development is a priority.

6. Personal wellness 

Whether it’s work life balance or stress management, personal wellness is essential for sustained productivity. Managers who check on wellbeing show genuine care, strengthening the working relationship.

3 benefits of one-on-one meeting templates 

Adopting a structured employee one-on-one template or a series of one-on-one agenda templates has multiple advantages—for both managers and employees. Below are some key benefits:

1. Consistency in meeting structure 

A clearly outlined meeting agenda keeps conversations focused. It helps make sure that every one-on-one has a structure—with consistent topics, action items, and follow-ups. This helps managers and direct reports know what to expect, before, during, and after the meeting.

2. Improved efficiency 

When you prepare a meeting agenda in advance, everyone can get on the same page more quickly. This efficiency frees up time for deeper discussion, solves issues faster, and improves overall communication.

3. Enhanced documentation and follow-up

A well-designed meeting template encourages you to take notes during the one-on-one. Documenting key points, action items, and next steps makes sure nothing slips through the cracks. With clear notes, you can easily check on progress at the next one-on-one meeting.

6 one-on-one meeting templates for managers 

Below are six free and effective meeting templates you can use right away. 

Pro-tip: Copy and paste your chosen template into a Google Doc so you can customize it to fit your needs, then share it with your team member (along with a meeting invite) ahead of their next one-on-one meeting.

1. First one-on-one meeting template

2. Weekly one-on-one meeting template

3. Monthly one-on-one meeting template

4. One-on-one meeting agenda template

5. Compensation review one-on-one template

6. 1-on-1 meeting with manager template

How to use a one-on-one meeting template

Each of these one-on-one meeting templates is meant to keep the conversation flowing while making sure nothing important slips through the cracks. Adjust the time allocations or add or remove sections to suit each direct report’s schedule or personal preferences. Above all, remember to consistently take notes and follow up on action items to maintain an effective working relationship and drive meaningful progress.

Here are some other tips to help you get the most value out of your one-on-one meeting agenda templates:

Step 1. Choose and customize the template

Decide on the one-on-one meeting template that best fits the employee and discussion needs. Feel free to tweak the sections in a Google Doc to reflect your leadership style, team dynamics, and structure. 

Step 2. Share the template in advance 

Send a meeting invite (with the attached agenda) ahead of time. This allows direct reports and managers alike to prepare points, take notes on important topics, and gather data or updates. People work better when they know the agenda in advance.

Step 3. Document key takeaways and action items 

During the one-on-one, take notes directly into the template. Highlight any action items that come up, and finalize them before ending the conversation. This makes it easier to check progress at your next scheduled one-on-one.

9 one-on-one meeting questions 

If you’re looking for quick phrases or comments to include in your meeting agendas, here are some reliable ones:

Alignment

• Do you have questions about the strategy?

• What are your priorities for this week?

• Any admin items that we should discuss?

Progress 

• Did you experience any roadblocks?

• Do you need any additional input from me?

• How are you progressing toward your current goals?

Feedback

• What feedback do you have for me?

• Which skills would you like to continue working on?

• How can I support you?

Use these questions in your 1:1 agenda template to guide effective conversations and make sure direct reports have a chance to make their voices heard.

Enhance your one-on-one meetings with Rippling

Connect every step of performance management with Rippling's performance management software. Rippling helps you align your team on goals and OKRs, configure review cycles in minutes, collaborate on ratings and raises, and report on performance trends alongside all your employee data to unlock deeper, more impactful insights.

Rippling is the only performance management software built on employee data, so it syncs seamlessly with every other app in Rippling across HR, IT, finance, and third-party integrations. That means you can easily share performance data across your organization, pull in employee data to make performance decisions more data-driven, and granularly control access and approvals so the right people have the right access based on their role, department, location, and other attributes.

Rippling Performance Management provides templates for one-on-one meetings that you can use to hit the ground running—or you can create your own. Configure questions for all reviewer types—and even add targeted questions using employee attributes, like department or role. Rippling also offers admin visibility into one-on-ones, so they can make sure employees are meeting consistently.

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FAQs of one on one meeting templates 

Below are some frequently asked questions about one-on-one meeting agenda templates:

What is the best format for a 1 on 1 meeting?

The best format is one that fits your team members and your structure. Most managers keep it informal yet purposeful. Have an agenda, take notes, and always recap action items at the end.

How often should one-on-one meeting templates be updated?

It depends on the cadence of your team meetings. A weekly or monthly update often works well. If ongoing changes occur (like new employees onboarding), updating the templates more frequently might help.

Should employees contribute to the one-on-one meeting template?

Absolutely. Encouraging employees (especially direct reports) to contribute fosters a working relationship of collaboration and shared ownership. They can add topics or questions they want to discuss.

How can a one-on-one meeting template improve conversations?

A well-structured one-on-one meeting agenda helps managers and direct reports stay focused, track progress, and make sure no vital discussion is overlooked. This leads to more transparent communication and better employee engagement.