Our day-to-day work lives come with many what ifs. What if I’m not on track for my goals? What if my direct report has unspoken needs? What if there are opportunities I just haven’t discovered yet? 

Now is a great time to answer these questions and more with a mid-year check-in! Let’s look at some things you can do to get ready for a conversation that is curious, honest and productive. 

The Importance of Mid-Year Check-Ins

For many of us, the term “performance evaluation” is synonymous with anxiety and anticipation. Mid-year check-ins can be used to diffuse this stress and build trust between a leader and employee. 

Effective mid-year check-ins are open, two-way discussions. They are a leader’s opportunity to dig deeper into how employees are feeling and what they need to succeed in their role. The check-in should include both a look back and a look ahead, with clear, actionable next steps. According to Forbes, mid-year check-ins can also improve team culture and reduce team turnover. 

Make your check-in matter by taking strategic steps before, during and after the conversation. 

Before: Prepare Both Parties

Though mid-year check-ins can be seen as less formal than annual reviews, it’s still important to prepare for these conversations. Put a meeting on both your calendars well before the check-in date. Add an outline and any pre-planned questions to the meeting notes. 

Providing questions ahead of the check-in gives both members time to think through their answers and consider their objectives for the check-in. With clearly defined meeting objectives in place, you can ensure you are both getting what you need for a successful path forward. 

During: Offer Constructive Feedback

An essential part of the check-in is that you offer constructive feedback. This is the time for you to harness your emotional intelligence and active listening skills. It’s best to approach the conversation willing to listen; respond to what you hear rather than read off a pre-determined script. Take notes of what your employee is sharing to show that their perspective matters. 

When feedback takes an employee’s needs and strengths into consideration, it is more likely to lead to positive change. You should also encourage honest feedback from your employees. Leaders who deliberately grow their own skills can in turn better support their team’s talents. 

After: Provide Actionable Next Steps

After the check-in, an employee should feel empowered with a clear sense of direction towards their personal and professional goals. Take concrete next steps based on what was shared in the conversation. And don’t wait! These next steps can start as soon as the check-in is done. Immediate guidance and support from a leader help to build trust and accountability within the relationship. 

The right discussion tool can help a leader and their report reflect on progress made after the check-in through measurable outcomes. 

Dig Deep With a Career Investment Discussion

A development tool that our own leaders love is the Career Investment Discussion (CID). The CID provides questions and frameworks to help you prepare for and guide a discovery conversation. The insights our teams have gained through the CID in turn help leaders formulate a plan for how to best coach and support an employee throughout their development journey. 

We asked members of our leadership team about the CID and how it has led to better discussions—as well as measurable growth in their team. 

What We Love: Personalized Questions

“I enjoy the structured nature of Career Investment Discussions and the fact that they are not performance-based. It’s great to have a large library from which to choose questions. I can easily select around ten questions that are most relevant to my team member’s role and level of experience. The questions help to identify what is important to each team member and allow us to have a meaningful discussion about their growth and development.” 

Quincy Krenzien, Director of Application Development 

What We Love: Open-Ended Dialogue

“One thing I love about the CID questions is that they are all open-ended, which allows the colleagues to do most of the talking. By letting them steer the conversation, it can go in many directions, allowing them the freedom to discuss what’s important to them versus what I think is important to them.” 

Christine McGuire, Director of Consulting 

What We Love: Stronger Relationships

“Conducting check-ins using a set of thought-provoking questions shows your genuine interest in your employee’s success and growth. Remember, the best leaders are actionable ones. By investing in your team members, you’ll see increased performance, engagement and retention. Having a member of your team advance to a new role within the organization is the greatest compliment you can receive as a leader. Your success in developing and coaching your team will not go unnoticed.” 

Fran Westfall, Director of Client Success 

Get Ready With An Employee Check-In Template

Talent is best nurtured through consistent check-ins and tailored development. The secret ingredient? Trust. You can build this trust with your employees by harnessing the potential of personalized, open-ended questions with our employee check-in template. You—and your employee—may be pleasantly surprised by the learnings and opportunities uncovered through this conversation.