How to have Effective Quarterly Check-ins with your Reports

If your company follows a process for annual appraisals, the chances are you are also encouraged to hold Quarterly Check-ins with your reports. As a new People Manager, you may not have been involved in these before (conversely if your business doesn’t already align with this process they are definitely worth introducing as a tool to help you get to know your reports better). Whilst this guide references ‘quarterly’ conversations, they can also be valuable every 6-months or at a cadence that suits you and your company’s business-model. But how can they really add value to your role as a Manager?

Having a more formal ‘conversation’ on a quarterly cadence allows both Manager and report to align on performance, progress, wins or challenges over the past 3 months. Although you will probably have regular 1-to-1s (at least we hope you do — it’s our Top Tip for new People Managers!), a quarterly chat is a great way to check-in with your line reports. It can be used to summarise achievements and discuss progress towards personal development goals. Maybe it’s an opportunity to spot things that have gone off-track, course-correct or re-write goals completely. As a new Manager, how might you engage your reports to make the most of this meeting with you, and how can you help them prepare? If you have already undertaken previous quarterly conversations, do you sometimes feel as though your reports roll their eyes at the mention of it? Here are some tips on how to maximise on this opportunity.

As People Managers, regular check-ins with our reports are an important part of our role. Having responsibility for the careers, well-being and productivity of our reports is something we should take seriously. We enjoy this role, we are interested in how they are doing and we are keen to inspire and coach them to be the best they can be. We aren’t all about creating unnecessary meetings for the sake of talking about empty goals that are never looked at or carry no value.

Before you send your reports their invitation for a quarterly conversation, spend some time framing the ‘ask’. Preparation is important to enable both parties to get the most out of the conversation. Can you encourage your team members to think of it as a more in-depth 1-to-1? Invite them to take time out of their day-to-day activities to pause and chat about what’s gone well for them over the past few months. Suggest some example ‘headline’ questions they can prepare such as:-

• What have you been happy with in your work?
• Can you highlight and discuss any problems or challenges you’ve had that you need help to move past?

Talking about both the good and the bad can help you shape a plan for the next quarter…defining mini actions that can be taken or smaller goals to feel like they are constantly being the best version of themselves. This new plan then gives a framework to use for future 1-to-1s. Reports have your help and support to get the most out of their role, to ensure they are happy at work, and are motivated by what they do.

To help a little further, perhaps suggest your team members take 15 mins to think about an upcoming quarterly conversation in the following way, with The 3Ps. Here is an easy-to-use Quarterly Check-in Guide to pass on to your line reports so that they can prep for their meetings with you.

P is for…Progress

Everyone makes progress, but it’s often hard to remember what! Think back over the past 3 months…use JIRA or Outlook Email and Calendars to jog your memory to see what work you’ve completed:-

• What have you achieved?
• Were you pleased with your output? i.e. did you produce some good results?
• Is there something you did that you were proud of or did differently?
• Did a team you work on have a good quarter and why? (What was great about it that you can share and feel good about?)
• What will your Manager like to hear? Don’t be modest — this is your time to talk about the good stuff you’ve done. It’s easy to forget things in our busy work lives so capturing your wins help you achieve your goals.

…and Problems

Perfection rarely exists, and at the moment the workplace and the world is a challenging place. Share your challenges with your Manager — be honest and open:-

• What are you struggling with?
• Are you worried about anything?
• Did something not go according to plan that you feel you can share?
• Do you need advice about something, or tips on how to improve or do things differently?
• How can your manager help you?

Don’t be reticent — this is the opportunity to clear the air or raise a flag. Your Manager is there for you and able to do their best to provide help and support if you tell them what you need or are worried about.

but also…Plan

No-one likes a plan (or do they?). This quarterly conversation could provide the springboard you need to make a note of things you haven’t got round to. Project work you’d like to do, or opportunities you want help to follow-up:-

• What would make your work life better, easier, happier or more fulfilling?
• Can you re-write, change or even throw away the goals you set that don’t make sense and replace them with 1 or 2 that really matter to you?
• Is there something you want to do or achieve that is new or different and what help do you need to make it possible?

Hopefully this gives you a different slant on the quarterly conversation — something for you and your reports to lean into — to take something from it to encourage, motivate and inspire them to be the best version of themselves going forward.

Go for it — lean in and make use of this opportunity to thrive in your role and help others do the same.