One on one meetings are the backbone of effective management—and with the right template, they can unlock productivity, trust, and growth for any team. But as work becomes more distributed and time more precious, the traditional approach to the one on one meeting template is evolving. Today, AI-powered tools make it easier than ever for managers to personalize, structure, and follow through on every 1 on 1 meeting, ensuring both sides get real value.
In this guide, you’ll get the latest research, a thoughtfully designed template for one on one with an employee, and practical tips for leveraging AI to make your meetings more impactful than ever.
Why One on One Meetings Matter
One on one meetings aren’t just a formality—they’re a proven way to boost engagement, retention, and performance. Regular 1 on 1 meetings give employees dedicated space to share concerns, align on priorities, and receive coaching tailored to their needs.
But their real power runs deeper: humans are complex beings, and every team member brings unique perspectives, challenges, and aspirations. One on ones are a rare opportunity for managers to make people feel truly seen and heard. These meetings create a safe environment where employees know they will have time set aside to express their needs, voice concerns, or even share valuable information about what’s happening inside their team. This personal attention not only strengthens trust but often surfaces insights that would otherwise be missed in group settings.
In today’s world, the rise of remote and hybrid work has made these conversations more essential than ever. With so many teams working from home, casual hallway chats and spontaneous check-ins have all but disappeared. One on one meetings now serve as a critical bridge—helping managers stay connected to the pulse of their teams, spot emerging issues early, and ensure no one feels isolated or overlooked.
According to HR experts, managers who hold frequent one-on-ones see stronger relationships and higher team morale, and the opposite of this; canceling the one-on-ones in a way tells your team that they don’t matter. Industry data also shows that structured meetings correlate with measurable improvements in employee trust and goal achievement.
Core Elements of an Effective 1:1 Meeting
A great one on one meeting template balances structure with flexibility. Every template for one on one with an employee should include these core sections—with actionable tips inspired by Jeff Su‘s Youtube video: “6 Tips for Productive 1:1 Meetings with Your Manager“:
Watch the full video here:
Here’s a breakdown of what’s most important:
- Check-in & Rapport: Personal and team well-being, recent wins or challenges.
Tip from the video: Lock down a regular time slot on both calendars to show you take professional growth seriously. Start your meeting by highlighting a recent “win” (the “rose”) to kick things off on a positive note. - Priorities & Progress: Review goals, blockers, and project status.
Tip from the video: Before the meeting, maintain a shared document (like a Google Sheet or Notion page) for agendas and notes. Use this doc to track progress on action items and ensure continuity from week to week. - Feedback & Coaching: Share specific feedback and discuss development.
Tip from the video: Structure your update using the “rose, thorn, bud” method:- Rose: A recent achievement.
- Thorn: A challenge you’re facing (bring both the problem and a possible solution).
- Bud: An idea or area you’d like to explore or get feedback on.
This structure keeps feedback sessions focused and constructive.
- Career Development: Explore growth areas and future ambitions.
Tip from the video: Set clear expectations for how often you’ll dedicate time to professional development in your 1:1s (e.g., half the meeting every other week). This ensures growth conversations don’t get sidelined as work gets busy. - Action Items & Next Steps: Summarize commitments and schedule follow-ups.
Tip from the video: After your 1:1, take a few minutes to review notes and list action items in order of priority. Schedule follow-ups or progress updates for outstanding items, and proactively remind your manager if you’re waiting on their input.
See a visual breakdown of more these segments in Mesh.ai’s manager guide.
And while templates offer a starting point, remember to adapt questions and flow to each individual. Why? Because for you, or for most managers, this might be just another meeting in your schedule. But for the invitee, this is the only meeting that is truly about them. As the video emphasizes, being consistent and organized in your 1:1s not only builds trust, but can also lead to greater flexibility and autonomy in your role.
“According to Leapsome’s research, the feedback gap is significant: 71% of managers believe they provide constructive feedback, but only 37% of individual contributors (ICs) agree.”
Which means, even if you felt good during the 1o1, your team might have been feeling differently and you did not notice!
📄 One on One Meeting Template (Copy & Use or Download)
Meeting Date:
Manager:
Employee:
1. Check-in & Rapport (5 min)
- How are you feeling today (work & non-work)?
- Any recent wins, challenges, or events you want to share?
- What’s top of mind for you this week?
2. Priorities & Progress (10 min)
- What are your current top priorities?
- What progress have you made since our last meeting?
- Are there any blockers or challenges slowing you down?
- Is there anything I can do to help remove obstacles?
3. Feedback & Coaching (10 min)
- Feedback for you: (share specific praise or constructive feedback)
- Feedback for me: Is there anything I could do differently to support you?
- Is there a skill or area you’d like to work on?
- Would you like input or coaching on anything specific?
4. Career Development (5 min)
- Are there new skills or projects you’d like to explore?
- What are your long-term career goals, and how can we help you move toward them?
- Any training, stretch assignments, or resources you want to discuss?
5. Action Items & Next Steps (5 min)
- Review commitments from last time: (list here)
- New action items agreed today:
- Action Item 1 — Owner & Due Date
- Action Item 2 — Owner & Due Date
- Schedule next 1:1: [Date/Time]
Notes & Follow-Up:
(Space for additional notes, ideas, or follow-up topics for next time) You can use AI for this part!
Tip:
You can personalize the above template by adding or removing questions, adjusting time spent per section, or integrating it with your team’s favorite meeting tool (Notion, Google Docs, Aurora, etc.). Encourage employees to add their own topics before each meeting!
Download it here: One on One Meeting Template PDF | Free Download from Aurora
AI + One on One Meeting Template
AI isn’t here to replace managers—it’s here to help you show up at your best by enhancing whatever is already working for you. For example it can enhance your 1o1 meeting template that you’ve already tested in the past. You don’t have to start from scratch or test anything your team is not comfortable with.
Scenario:
An agency manager before jumping to her 1 on 1 meetings; instead of scrambling to remember what happened last time, she uses AI to summarize past action items, get suggestions for relevant questions based on recent project data, and even flagged recurring challenges.
” For example, if the user inputs the key meeting participants and their titles, the AI tool can precisely calibrate the context of the agenda regarding the meeting participants. This also applies when generating action items or topics for discussion.” – OnboardMeetings.
Ways AI can upgrade your 1 on 1 meeting:
- Pre-populated prompts: Get smart suggestions for questions and talking points. However, once a topic seems to get traction, let your team lead on the talking points.
- Automated data gathering: AI pulls updates from project management tools, so you always have the latest context not just about their recent projects and goals, but also workload.
- Role-play sensitive conversations: You could ask your AI tool about possible outcomes regarding a sensitive topic and then get a script of how you could handle it, avoiding upset team members and unnecessary drama.
- Predictive Analytics: With the help of the HR department’s feedback you can request survey data about the department you’re about to meet with and with AI predict issues that may arise. Also you could be aware of the team members HR considers are at risk of quitting and structure your 1o1 meeting accordingly.
- Action item tracking: Automatically extract, assign, and remind both parties about follow-ups. Every single meeting without a follow-up is a missed opportunity.
AI Enhancement Template
Want to get more out of your regular 1 on 1s? The table below isn’t just a template—it’s a hands-on guide to enhancing your current one on one meeting template with targeted, AI-powered prompts. Use it to upgrade your standard agenda, spark more meaningful conversations, and personalize every session for each employee. Whether you’re a new manager or a seasoned leader, these prompts plug right into your workflow and help you unlock the real value of every 1 on 1 meeting.
| Segment | Purpose & Example Questions | Example AI Prompt to Enhance This Section |
|---|---|---|
| Check-in & Rapport | “How are you doing today, outside of work?” “What were your work/non-work highlights?” “Is anything stressing you out?” |
Prompt: “Suggest 5 creative check-in questions for a one on one meeting that go beyond ‘How are you?’ and spark honest conversation.” |
| Priorities & Progress | “What’s your top priority right now?” “Any challenges you’re facing?” “What’s your outlook for the next week/month?” |
Prompt: “Given a summary of recent tasks and projects, draft 3 follow-up questions to help an employee reflect on progress and blockers.” |
| Feedback & Coaching | “I’ve noticed [X], can you tell me more?” “Here’s an area for development—how can I support you?” |
Prompt: “Generate 3 constructive feedback prompts for a manager to use in a 1:1, focused on growth and open dialogue.” |
| Career Development | “What progress on your goals?” “What new skills are you interested in?” “Where do you see yourself in 1-3 years?” |
Prompt: “Provide 3 thoughtful questions a manager can ask to help an employee explore career development and long-term goals.” |
| Action Items & Next Steps | “What are the key action items?” “How can I support you before next meeting?” “Anything else we should discuss next time?” |
Prompt: “Summarize the discussion notes and extract clear, actionable next steps with owners and due dates for both parties.” |
Tip:
Download it here or duplicate this template for your next 1 on 1 meeting, or use it as a template for one on one with an employee in your team’s knowledge base. Just copy the AI prompt for each section and paste it into your favorite AI tool with all the necessary knowledge already stored in it—customize as needed to fit your team and style!
How to Personalize Your 1 on 1 Meetings With Aurora’s AI Workspace
While many tools claim to help managers run better 1 on 1 meetings, very few were designed for true team-centric collaboration and context-driven personalization. Aurora stands out as an AI-powered intelligent workspace built specifically to elevate both the structure and the human side of your 1 on 1s.
Here’s how you can use Aurora to personalize every 1 on 1 meeting—and turn insights into impactful slides for your team:
1. Centralize Team Knowledge, Context, & Meeting Content
Aurora’s Workspaces and Knowledge Docs allow you to gather all relevant information—past meeting notes, performance data, project context, and team preferences—in one secure, accessible hub. Before each 1 on 1, you (and your direct report) can quickly review shared docs and previous action items, ensuring no detail gets lost and every conversation builds on real context.
And it doesn’t stop there:
All the knowledge you organize for your 1 on 1s instantly becomes fuel for stunning, context-rich presentations. With Aurora’s AI Deck Builder, you can turn your meeting insights, feedback, or action plans into beautiful slides—making it easy to share key takeaways, visualize growth, or align your whole team during larger meetings.
Aurora Slides is where world-class design meets business intelligence. Instantly transform your raw ideas into presentations that are not just visually stunning, but powered by reliable data, context, and insight from Aurora’s AI ecosystem. Make every story you tell as smart as it is beautiful.
“Aurora elevates work quality by enriching the LLM with business context stored in knowledge, ensuring precise, non-generic responses—and turning those insights directly into designer-level slides, not just text.”
So how does this enrich your one on ones? It makes them extremely personalized in very little time. But that doesn’t mean little effort! As a manager you still have to discern what information should be added as knowledge for both the creation of your 1o1 meeting template, and later on, for the creation of your deck. You need to know which meeting transcripts should be added to the mix, which projects are the latest, which issues has this person shared with you in the recent past, how many personal days off for family issues or health issues have been requested…
It’s imperative to mention it again; humans are complex beings, and their job is a big part of their life but maybe not the only thing they have to “worry about”. Aurora’s knowledge system will help you fusion all these components together into an organized template of what you can expect from the meeting and what you should talk about or avoid mentioning. But when it comes to collecting the data that matters, that’s on you, the manager, to think about.
2. AI-Driven, Adaptive Agendas
With SmartFlows and Chat/Intelligence, Aurora can generate AI-powered meeting templates and real-time suggestions tailored to each employee’s projects, feedback history, and goals. Rather than a one-size-fits-all list of questions, you’ll get prompts that reflect each individual’s journey and current challenges. This will require prep on your end before applying your one on one meeting template; you’ll need to gather information about your team, and save it in a safe folder inside your workspace.
- For example, Aurora can highlight if a team member has flagged a recurring blocker, or suggest check-in questions based on sentiment analysis from previous meetings’ transcripts.
3. Real-Time Co-Creation & Effortless Slide Generation
During your 1 on 1, use Aurora Docs to collaboratively take notes, brainstorm solutions, and track commitments. By tagging knowledge or docs, you ensure that the AI assistant can reference them in future meetings or summaries, creating a continuous improvement loop.
Want to present your follow-ups or goals?
With just a click, your notes and key points can be automatically mapped into a professionally designed slide deck—perfect for sharing updates, celebrating wins, or keeping leadership in the loop.
As highlighted by our own team:
“Every presentation is crafted with layouts and visuals from leading designers, not just templates. AI maps your content into these expert-designed frameworks automatically, so you never start from blank or struggle with formatting.”
Plus, when it’s time for a team review or all-hands, your 1 on 1 discussions can be showcased as beautiful, context-driven slides—raising the standard for communication and accountability.
Why choose Aurora for your 1 on 1 meetings and presentations?
Because it’s not just about automating the process—it’s about enabling truly meaningful, personalized, and productive conversations, every time. Aurora transforms the “template for one on one with an employee” into a living, learning experience that grows alongside your team—and gives you the power to share your story in ways that are both beautiful and intelligent.
“Aurora revolutionizes the way businesses and teams use AI by creating an intelligent workspace that turns scattered information into clear, context-driven outputs… Think of Aurora as an extension of your team’s collective brain—and your go-to for slides that always get the message right.”
— 500 Designs Team Member
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Your 1o1 meeting template should never be used carelessly, and even the best template can fail if misused:
- Over-automation: Relying too much on generic questions or prompts can make meetings feel robotic.
- Lack of context: Failing to adapt the template to new situations or individual personalities.
- Neglecting follow-through: Action items that slip through the cracks erode trust.
- Relying too much on the template: Not being present enough for the sake of following the template can make your team feel dismissed.
Solution: Regularly review your meeting approach, ask employees for feedback, and customize your process as your team evolves…
What Employees Really Think About 1 on 1 Meetings
There’s no better way to gauge the real impact of a 1 on 1 meeting—or any template for one on one with an employee—than by listening to what employees themselves say, unfiltered. Platforms like Reddit are full of raw, honest perspectives that management books rarely capture.
Recently, a programmer with seven years’ experience posted a candid question: Does anybody else hate their 1:1 meetings? His confession was blunt:
Does anybody else hate their 1:1 meetings?
byu/the_whalerus incscareerquestions
What’s striking is how many people related to his frustration. For some, the 1 on 1 meeting feels like a box-checking exercise—awkward, forced, or just another item on a never-ending to-do list. When a meeting lacks a clear purpose or turns into a one-way status report, it’s easy to see why employees tune out or, worse, start to dread these conversations.
But the discussion didn’t end there. The top reply, from a senior engineer, took the opposite view and sparked a nuanced debate. Here’s what they said:
Comment
byu/the_whalerus from discussion
incscareerquestions
What can we learn from this honest exchange?
- The structure matters: When a 1 on 1 meeting is just a status update, people feel robbed of their time. But when the template encourages real conversation—about aspirations, feedback, and roadblocks—it becomes a lifeline.
- Trust and candor are everything: Employees crave a space where they can be honest, ask for help, and share what’s really on their mind. A well-designed template for one on one with an employee (especially if personalized with AI) helps managers create that space.
- Career and connection, not just check-ins: The most valuable 1 on 1 meetings go beyond tasks. They’re where employees get mentorship, hear the “behind-the-scenes” of company strategy, and work out how to grow.
- Not everyone starts out loving 1:1s: For some, it takes time—and the right manager—to see the value. But with intention and the right approach, even skeptics can become advocates.
How AI Can Bridge the Gap
AI can’t fake empathy, but it can remove the friction that makes 1 on 1 meetings feel transactional. For instance, AI-powered tools can:
- Prep managers with employee context so meetings never start cold.
- Suggest open-ended questions that foster real dialogue, not just “What are you working on?”
- Track follow-ups so employees actually see results from what they share.
- Surface patterns (like recurring blockers or missed goals) that might otherwise go unsaid.
By personalizing the 1 on 1 meeting template and keeping the focus on growth, feedback, and support, managers can turn even reluctant employees into believers.
Bottom line:
A one size fits all approach doesn’t work. The best 1 on 1 meetings are rooted in understanding, tailored to the individual, and built on trust. AI helps with the logistics and context, but it’s the human connection that transforms a simple meeting into a career-changing conversation.
Conclusion & Takeaways
A structured, AI-powered one on one meeting template empowers managers to drive engagement, growth, and results—while making the process easier and more rewarding for everyone involved. Whether you’re using this template for one on one with an employee, or looking to upgrade your 1 on 1 meeting culture, remember: the best results come from blending technology with the human touch. The best thing about it? It’s a template! You can repurpose it, edit it, adapt it, evolve with it as you see fit.
Action steps:
- Download AI-Powered One on One Meeting Template for Managers or copy the template above.
- Try it in your next 1 on 1 meeting (or 1 on 1 meeting series).
- Ask your team for feedback and iterate.
- Test Aurora Slides to generate personalized decks for every 1o1 meeting. Learn more about it with our guide here.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I choose the right One on One Meeting Template?
A: Look for a One on One Meeting Template that’s flexible and structured, allowing you to personalize the agenda for each employee. The best templates help you track progress, set clear action items, and encourage open, ongoing dialogue. Try using a template for one on one with an employee that includes sections for feedback, priorities, and career growth.
Can AI really personalize one-on-one meetings?
A: Yes, modern AI tools analyze previous conversations, team sentiment, and project data to suggest tailored questions and topics for your 1 on 1 meeting. This helps ensure that each template for one on one with an employee adapts to individual needs and goals.
What’s the best tool for AI-powered 1 on 1 meetings?
A: There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Look for platforms that integrate with your workflows, allow you to store agenda templates, past meeting transcripts, and real-time insights. Aurora’s Knowledge feature is great to get started by sharing a knowledge doc during the meeting with your teammate. You can turn this Knowledge Doc into a deck in real time to summarize new goals, achievements, and next steps. For example, check out this blog on how to turn a manuscript into a presentation just using AI.
How can I protect privacy when using AI for meetings?
A: Choose tools with robust data security, clear privacy policies, and transparent data usage—especially when using any 1 on 1 meeting template that stores sensitive information.
How do I encourage employees to open up during one-on-one meetings?
A: Create a safe, judgment-free environment by asking open-ended questions, actively listening, and reassuring your team member that their input is valued. Using a template for one on one with an employee regularly also builds trust and consistency over time.
How do I measure the success of my one-on-one meetings?
A: Track progress on agreed action items, solicit feedback from your team, and look for improvements in engagement, performance, and communication. Regularly reviewing meeting notes and outcomes ensures your 1 on 1 meetings stay productive and valuable.