· ShiftFlow Editorial Team · Glossary · 6 min read
What Is a Catch-Up Meeting? Definition, Examples & Guide
Learn what catch-up meetings are, how regular one-on-one check-ins improve communication and performance, typical agendas and frequency, best practices for managers and team members, and how to make catch-up meetings productive.
What Is a Catch-Up Meeting?
A catch-up meeting is a recurring one-on-one conversation between a manager and team member to discuss progress, challenges, goals, and feedback. These regular touchpoints provide communication and support separate from formal performance reviews, focused on current work and development needs.
Research from Gallup’s State of the American Manager shows that employees who have regular one-on-one meetings with managers are 67% more engaged and 3 times more likely to feel connected to their organization.
Quick Answer
A catch-up meeting is a regular one-on-one between a manager and team member to discuss progress, address challenges, provide feedback, and support development. Typically 30–60 minutes weekly to monthly, these meetings improve engagement by 67% and build stronger working relationships.
What Are the Benefits of Regular Catch-Up Meetings?
Regular one-on-ones improve engagement and performance for everyone involved:
For Team Members: Consistent access to manager guidance and problem-solving help. Clear understanding of priorities and how work connects to organizational goals. Dedicated time for career progression discussions and skill development. Regular recognition and reduced stress from addressing issues early.
For Managers: Early detection of challenges before they escalate. Better decisions through understanding team member perspectives and capacity. Stronger relationships that improve communication. Reduced turnover by addressing dissatisfaction and providing support. More effective delegation based on individual strengths and interests.
For Organizations: Better information flow reducing silos and misalignment. Higher productivity from supported, aligned teams. Stronger culture through regular reinforcement of values. Lower recruitment costs from improved retention according to SHRM employee engagement research.
What Is a Typical Catch-Up Meeting Structure?
Frequency and Duration
| Frequency | Best For | Typical Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | New hires, complex roles, rapid changes | 30–45 minutes |
| Bi-weekly | Most individual contributors | 30–60 minutes |
| Monthly | Experienced, autonomous workers | 45–60 minutes |
Consistency matters more than frequency—weekly 30-minute meetings build stronger habits than monthly 2-hour sessions.
Standard Agenda Template
Team Member Updates (15–20 min): Current project status, progress on goals, and wins worth celebrating.
Challenges and Support (10–15 min): Obstacles requiring help, questions needing clarification, and requested resources.
Feedback and Discussion (10–15 min): Manager feedback on recent work, team member feedback for manager or processes, and specific topics or concerns.
Development and Goals (10–15 min): Career progression conversations, skill development opportunities, and goal alignment.
Action Items (5 min): Summarize commitments and confirm next meeting date.
Agendas should be flexible templates, not rigid scripts. Let the team member’s needs drive the conversation—some meetings may focus entirely on one urgent issue.
How Should You Prepare for Catch-Up Meetings?
For Team Members
Review previous notes to provide updates on action items. Prepare specific examples of completed work and progress made. Identify current obstacles or areas needing support. Bring questions about priorities, expectations, or decisions. Consider skills you want to develop and career progression interests. Update shared agendas with topics to discuss.
For Managers
Review previous notes and be prepared to report on your commitments. Gather specific examples of good work and areas for improvement. Consider upcoming work and opportunities affecting the team member. Prepare to share relevant organizational updates. Block calendar time, silence notifications, and commit to being fully present. Come prepared but let the team member set much of the agenda.
What Are Best Practices for Effective Catch-Up Meetings?
Consistency and Psychological Safety
Protect the time by rarely canceling meetings—consistent touchpoints build trust. Reschedule conflicts immediately rather than letting meetings lapse. Start and end on time while maintaining the same frequency whether things are going well or poorly.
Listen more than talk (aim for 70% listening, 30% talking). Create space for honest discussion without judgment. Separate development conversations from formal discipline. Maintain confidentiality except for legally required reporting. Ask open questions like “How are things going?” rather than yes/no questions.
Make It Productive
Document key points, feedback, and action items for continuity. Follow through on commitments and track promises. End meetings with clear next steps and responsibilities. Balance task status with development, wellbeing, and relationship building. Tailor your approach to individual team member needs and preferences.
For Shift-Based Teams
Schedule catch-ups during regular shifts when possible, or ensure overtime compensation if meeting outside scheduled hours. Use video calls, phone, or messaging check-ins when in-person meetings are challenging. Understand challenges unique to 1st shift, 2nd shift, or 3rd shift when discussing workload. Share information from other shifts that might not be captured in shift handoffs.
What Common Mistakes Should You Avoid?
Manager Pitfalls
Canceling frequently signals team members aren’t priorities, damaging trust. Dominating conversation turns one-on-ones into monologues instead of dialogue. Focusing only on tasks ignores development and wellbeing. Multitasking during meetings signals disrespect. Using catch-ups to deliver unexpected negative feedback without prior communication damages psychological safety.
Team Member Pitfalls
Coming unprepared wastes valuable time. Passive participation—only answering questions without bringing own topics—limits value. Withholding concerns until they escalate prevents early support. Avoiding difficult topics about performance, conflict, or workload prevents resolution.
Catch-Up Meetings vs Other Meeting Types
| Meeting Type | Purpose | Frequency | Formality | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catch-Up Meeting | Ongoing support and communication | Weekly–Monthly | Informal | Current work, development |
| Performance Review | Formal evaluation and compensation | Annual | Very formal | Overall performance |
| Team Meeting | Group coordination and updates | Weekly | Semi-formal | Collective work |
| Project Meeting | Specific initiative planning | As needed | Formal | Deliverables, milestones |
| Job Orientation Session | Onboard new hires | One-time | Formal | Initial training |
Are Catch-Up Meetings Right for Your Team?
✅ Great for:
- New hires who need frequent guidance and feedback
- Complex roles requiring regular alignment and problem-solving
- Teams with remote or shift-based workers needing consistent touchpoints
- Managers wanting to build stronger relationships and catch issues early
⚠️ Less critical for:
- Highly autonomous workers who communicate proactively
- Teams with daily in-person collaboration and informal touchpoints
- Organizations with well-established communication channels
- Situations where meetings become check-the-box formalities rather than meaningful conversations
The Bottom Line
A catch-up meeting is a recurring one-on-one conversation between a manager and team member to discuss progress, challenges, feedback, and development. Regular catch-ups (weekly to monthly) improve engagement by 67%, build trust, identify problems early, and reduce turnover.
Effective catch-up meetings are consistent, team-member-led, focused on listening and support, documented for continuity, and balanced between task updates and development conversations.
Try ShiftFlow’s collaboration tools to improve team communication and tracking with scheduling, messaging, and performance management features.
Sources
- Gallup – State of the American Manager Report – Research on manager effectiveness and one-on-one meetings
- Harvard Business Review – Manager Effectiveness – Leadership and management best practices
- Society for Human Resource Management – Employee Engagement – Employee engagement and retention research
Further Reading
- Career Progression Planning – Supporting long-term development
- Full-Time Job Benefits – Understanding employment status
- Moonlighting Policies – Managing multiple roles
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a catch-up meeting?
A recurring one-on-one conversation between a manager and team member to discuss progress, challenges, goals, and feedback. These meetings typically last 30–60 minutes and occur weekly to monthly, improving engagement by 67%.
How often should catch-up meetings happen?
Frequency depends on role and experience. Weekly meetings work well for new hires or complex roles. Bi-weekly meetings suit most individual contributors. Monthly meetings may be sufficient for experienced, autonomous workers. Consistency matters more than specific frequency.
How are catch-up meetings different from performance reviews?
Catch-up meetings are informal, frequent, and focused on current work and immediate support. Performance reviews are formal, annual or semi-annual, evaluate overall performance against goals, and are often tied to compensation decisions.
