One-on-One Meetings Reduce Employee Quitting

Cathie Leimbach • July 18, 2023

The role of a people manager or supervisor is to achieve organizational goals through the work of other people.  The leaders' success is usually measured by the results achieved by their team. With this in mind, highly successful leaders proactively support each of their team members to be successful. They tend to hold regular one-on-one meetings with each employee, increasing both productivity and retention.


Because team members have differing experiences, responsibilities, strengths, weaknesses, and personalities, the best way to support their unique contributions and needs is to have regular one-on-one meetings.  When employees have quality weekly one-on-ones with their manager, they are more likely to be clear on what is expected of them, share where they are struggling, get answers to their important but not urgent questions, and receive relevant training to enhance their skills.  This increases the individual's and the organization's productivity and morale. 


During one-on-one meetings the manager can learn something about the employee's personal life, give specific praise for areas of employee success, and provide constructive support in areas of uncertainty or underperformance.  This helps the employee feel valued and respected, reducing employee quitting and improving their work quality and quantity.


Ideally, most of the one-on-one meeting is spent on the employee's agenda.  Rapport is built when the first few minutes is used for  personal updates or interests.  Then, the manager can ask, "What would you like to talk about during out time together?" Now, the employee has the floor for whatever is on their mind.  The employee may provide a progress report, clarify expectations, or get help overcoming a stumbling block.  Sometimes, they may share a family challenge that is interfering with their focus at work. Another important question for the manager to ask is, "How can I help you be successful this week?"  This gives an employee permission to ask their leader to remove an obstacle whether it is bureaucracy, information, or time. 


Many organizations find that 30-minute one-on-ones provide the most effective balance of having enough time for meaningful discussion and not taking too much time away from revenue-generating activities.  If that seems far too long for you, even 10-minute employee-focused one-on-ones can yield great results. 


One-on-ones don't waste time.  They are so effective at increasing morale and productivity that they may generate the highest rate of return on your payroll dollars.  


When could you start having weekly one-on-ones with each of your employees to reduce turnover and improve productivity?  Register for - and attend - our free 45-minute webinar “3 Tips to Reduce Employee Quitting”.   

From Performance Problems to Possibilities

By Cathie Leimbach • March 17, 2026
Most leaders can list what’s wrong fast: missed deadlines, uneven effort, or teams that seem capable of more. The bigger shift happens when leaders stop asking, “What’s broken?” and start asking, “What’s possible if we lead differently?” Limits like time, budget, and pressure are common. The resulting overwhelm is reduced when leaders get clear about what really matters. Strong leaders respond to these limits by focusing on priorities, simplifying decisions, and actively guiding their teams. Often, the shift begins with better leadership conversations. The right conversations clarify expectations, surface issues early, and help people take ownership before small problems grow into bigger ones. When leaders create space for clear, honest dialogue, teams stop guessing and start moving forward. Performance improves when leaders: Get clear instead of assuming Address issues early through direct conversations Set priorities people can follow Notice and praise progress, don’t comment only on mistakes These small, steady choices create momentum. We often hear questions like: “How do we stop reacting?” “What if our team is capable but inconsistent?” “How do we improve without burning people out?” Those questions point to opportunities for growth. Don’t think of them as failure. 👉 Where might your team be guessing instead of knowing? Identify one gap—and use your next conversation to close it.

From Firefighting to Predictable Performance

By Cathie Leimbach • March 10, 2026
Most leaders don’t struggle because they don’t care. They struggle because every day feels reactive. One issue gets fixed, and another one pops up right away. What separates high-performing teams from constant firefighting is simple: predictable leadership . When leaders are consistent, teams become consistent. People know what “good” looks like. They know how decisions are made. They know when feedback will happen. That removes stress and guesswork. Teams quickly learn what leaders reinforce and what they let slide. When expectations, follow-up, and accountability happen the same way every time, focus goes up and chaos goes down. This is how leaders move from reacting to leading. Regular check-ins replace urgent interruptions. Clear ownership replaces confusion. Small problems get handled early instead of turning into big ones. Much of this predictability is built through simple leadership conversations that clarify expectations, reinforce priorities, and address small issues before they grow. The result? Fewer surprises. More trust. Better momentum. 👉 If leadership sometimes feels more reactive than predictable, join our Leadership Conversation on March 17 at 3:00 PM to explore a few small shifts that can stabilize performance.