50 One-on-One Meeting Questions for Managers

50 one-on-one meeting questions grouped by goal, a simple agenda template, and tips for 1:1s that work for people who communicate differently.

The best one-on-one meeting questions are open, specific and asked consistently, so the other person knows what to expect and can prepare. Below are 50 questions grouped by goal, from quick check-ins to feedback and career growth. There are also tips for running one-on-ones that work for people who communicate differently, including sharing questions in advance and offering written answers.

How should you use one-on-one questions?

You do not need to ask all of them. Pick three to five per meeting, and keep a few regulars so the meeting has a predictable shape.

A few habits make any question work better:

Share the questions before the meeting. Some people answer best on the spot. Many give more thoughtful answers when they have had time to think, and some find surprise questions stressful. Sending them a day ahead helps everyone.
Offer more than one way to answer. Out loud in the meeting, written in a shared document beforehand, or as a follow-up message afterward. All are valid.
Ask one question at a time. "How's the project going and is anything blocking you and how's the team?" is three questions. Ask them separately.
Allow silence. A pause after a question is often someone thinking, not someone stuck.
Write down next steps. End with a short written list of who is doing what by when.

Check-in questions

What's on your mind this week?
What would make this meeting most useful for you today?
How are you feeling about your workload, on a scale from "too light" to "too much"?
What's going well right now?
What's been harder than you expected?
Is there anything you'd like to talk about that isn't work?

Priorities and workload

What are your top three priorities this week?
Is anything competing for your time that shouldn't be?
Which task is taking more effort than it should?
Is there anything I asked for that wasn't clear?
Are any deadlines unrealistic? Which ones?
What could you stop doing, if we agreed it wasn't needed?

Blockers and support

Is anything blocking you right now?
What do you need from me this week?
Is there a decision you're waiting on from me or someone else?
Who else could help with what you're working on?
Are you getting the information you need, in a format that works for you?
Is there a tool, resource or change that would make your work easier?

Communication preferences

These are some of the most useful questions you can ask, and they help every kind of communicator.

How do you prefer to get information: written, spoken, or both?
When I need something from you, how should I ask? Chat, email or a quick call?
How much notice do you like before a meeting or deadline?
Do you prefer to get feedback in writing, in person, or both?
Is there anything about how our team communicates that doesn't work well for you?
How do you like to signal that you need focus time or a break?
When I'm not clear, what's the best way for you to tell me?

Feedback for the employee

What's one thing you're proud of from the last few weeks?
Is there any feedback you'd like from me on something specific?
How do you think the last project went? What would you do differently?
Is there a skill you'd like more feedback on?
Was anything I said recently unclear or harder to hear than I meant?

Feedback for the manager

What's one thing I could do differently to support you better?
Is there anything I do that gets in your way?
Are my messages and requests clear enough? Can you give me an example?
Do you get enough context from me about why we're doing things?
How could our one-on-ones be more useful?

Growth and career

What kind of work gives you the most energy?
What would you like to be doing more of a year from now?
Is there a skill you'd like to build? How can I help?
Is there a project you'd like to be involved in?
Who would you like to learn from, inside or outside the team?
What does success look like for you in this role?

Team and culture

How are things working with the rest of the team?
Is there anyone you'd like to collaborate with more?
Are our meetings useful? Which ones could change or go?
Is there anything in how we work that feels unfair or unclear?
Do you feel comfortable raising concerns in team meetings? If not, what would help?

Wellbeing

How are you doing, really? (You don't have to answer in detail.)
Is your current pace sustainable?
Is there anything about your work setup, such as noise, hours or location, that we could adjust?
Is there anything you'd like me to know that would help me support you?

What does a good one-on-one agenda look like?

Share this in a document you both can edit, a day before the meeting.

One-on-one: [Name] and [Manager], [Date]

Your topics (add anything you want to discuss)

Regular questions

What's going well?

Is anything blocking you?

What do you need from me this week?

This week's extra question

How do you prefer to get feedback?

Next steps (filled in at the end)

[Who] will [do what] by [when]

Putting their topics first shows the meeting is for them, not just for status updates.

How do you make one-on-ones work across neurotypes?

People communicate in different ways, and a format that is easy for one person can be hard for another. Neurodivergent people are not a monolith, so the best approach is to ask, not assume. Some ideas many teams find useful:

Keep the format predictable. Same time, same structure, same regular questions. Surprises take energy.
Send the agenda in advance. It helps people who prefer to prepare, and it costs nothing for those who do not.
Say what each part is for. "This part is just a check-in, nothing is wrong" removes guesswork.
Be specific with feedback. "The report was clear, and next time could you add a one-line summary at the top?" is easier to act on than "nice work, maybe tighten it up."
Check in about the meeting itself. "Is this format working for you?" is a good question to ask every few months.

Try it: one question, two readings

The question as asked:
"Can we have a quick chat about the project tomorrow?"

How it could be misread:
One person may assume it is routine. Another may spend the evening worrying that something has gone wrong, because the purpose is not stated.

A version that works for both people:
"Can we use 15 minutes of our one-on-one tomorrow to plan next steps for the project? Nothing is wrong. I'd just like your view on the timeline."

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I ask in a one-on-one meeting?

Start with a check-in ("What's on your mind this week?"), then ask about blockers ("Is anything getting in your way?"), support ("What do you need from me?") and one deeper question about feedback, growth or wellbeing.

How often should one-on-ones happen?

Many teams meet weekly or every two weeks. What matters most is consistency, so the meeting becomes a reliable space rather than something that only happens when there is a problem.

How long should a one-on-one meeting be?

Often 30 minutes is enough, with a longer session now and then for career conversations. Agree on a length that works for both of you.

Should I send one-on-one questions in advance?

Yes. Sharing questions ahead of time helps people who like to prepare, and gives everyone a chance to bring better answers. It also makes the meeting feel less like a test.

What is a good first one-on-one question to ask a new employee?

"How do you prefer to communicate and get feedback?" It shows you want to work in a way that suits them, and it helps you avoid misunderstandings from the start.

BRYGE AI helps managers write clear agendas, feedback and follow-ups that work for every reader. Try it free.