Episode 26: How to do Quarterly Check-ins with Your Team

 

In this episode of The Friday Habit, Mark and Ben share why and how to effectively conduct quarterly check-in meetings with each of your team members, including the benefits this can bring to your business. Essentially, check-ins are pre-arranged, lasting approximately an hour. Check-in meetings offer opportunities to discuss how things are going, provide feedback, and meet with each employee individually.

So why do you need to implement this practice into your business?

1. These meetings provide a space for intentionally staying connected with your team by building this communication time into your structures and culture.

2. When employees know you are setting aside this time and ask them how things are going, they are more likely to provide honest feedback than they would have without this structured time.

3. It is a great opportunity to review job descriptions with each team member. This will ensure their actual job functions align with what is written in their job description, and you can discuss any adjustments that need to be made.

4. Most businesses conduct annual performance reviews (if they conduct them at all), but quarterly meetings are much more effective for true performance evaluations in a less intense environment.

How should you implement this structure for the first time?

1. Give your employees a heads-up that this will be coming before scheduling a meeting on their calendar.

2. Set expectations for honest and clear communication.

3. Establish a performance review chart (download our employee review template) and communicate the criteria ahead of time. Perhaps send a blank chart to each employee a week prior to their quarterly check-in. This will allow them to do some self-evaluation and then compare notes during your meeting.

4. Recognize each team member’s strong and weak areas verbally during the check-in.

5. Prepare a list of general questions to lead the discussion.

6. Discuss any necessary pay raises, responsibility shifts, and job title changes as well as their career plans and how those align (or don’t align) with those of the company long-term.

7. Be humble and receptive to their feedback, and then do what you say you are going to do.

Your action item after this episode is to implement these quarterly check-ins by communicating the purpose to your team and then schedule them.

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