How Often Is Often Enough?

One-on-one meetings (1:1s) are among the most important tools for building trust, solving problems early, and developing your team. But how often should they happen? Do they need to be weekly? Is bi-weekly okay? What about monthly?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer—but there are clear principles to guide the frequency that works best for you and your team.

Why One-on-Ones Matter

Before deciding on frequency, it’s worth remembering what 1:1s are for:

• Building trust and psychological safety

• Giving and receiving feedback

• Discussing growth, goals, or concerns

• Unblocking work and aligning priorities

They’re not just status updates—they’re relationship meetings. And like any relationship, consistency matters.

Weekly 1:1s: The Gold Standard (for Most)

When to choose weekly:

• The person is new to the company or role

• There’s a fast-paced work environment

• You’re building trust or navigating challenges

• There are frequent decisions or shifting priorities

• You’re aiming for rapid feedback loops

Benefits:

• More real-time support

• Fewer surprises

• Easier course correction

• Regular pulse on motivation and morale

Tradeoff:

• Time-intensive if you manage many people

• Can feel repetitive if not intentional with content

Bi-Weekly 1:1s: A Viable Option

When bi-weekly works well:

• The team member is experienced and autonomous

• You’re aligned on expectations and priorities

• You supplement with other forms of regular check-in (e.g., Slack, async docs)

Pros:

• Less time on calendars

• Still provides a regular rhythm for deeper conversations

• Allows time between meetings for follow-through

Cons:

• Can create long gaps during fast-moving periods

• May delay addressing sensitive or urgent issues

Bi-weekly 1:1s can work if the relationship is already strong and there are other touchpoints in place.

Monthly or Ad-Hoc 1:1s: Use With Caution

When this might be acceptable:

• Very senior, independent contributors

• You’re in a temporary low-touch phase (e.g., post-project wind-down)

• Other communication channels are working well

Even then, monthly 1:1s can feel too infrequent. Important things get buried, and small issues can grow. If your 1:1s are purely ad hoc, you risk sending the message that development conversations aren’t a priority.

How to Decide the Right Frequency

Ask yourself:

• How fast are things changing for this person?

• Do I have visibility into their progress and challenges?

• Are they getting regular coaching and feedback from me?

• When was the last time we had a meaningful conversation—not just a status check?

If the answer to any of those is uncertain, consider increasing your 1:1 frequency.

Flexibility Is Key

There’s nothing wrong with adjusting frequency over time. You might start weekly, then move to bi-weekly once trust and rhythm are built. Or you might ramp up during a high-stakes project and scale back afterward.

The goal isn’t rigid scheduling—it’s meaningful connection and support.

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to run weekly 1:1s forever—but you do need to run them regularly and intentionally. Weekly is often the best starting point, especially for newer or growing teams. As trust builds and work stabilizes, bi-weekly can be a healthy rhythm. Just make sure you’re not sacrificing connection for convenience.

Because in the end, one-on-ones aren’t about the calendar. They’re about the people.