1:1 meetings offer a valuable opportunity for managers and team members to connect on a personal and professional level. They promote open communication, trust, and collaboration, which ultimately lead to improved individual and team performance, as well as job satisfaction and growth. I recently had a conversation with a pharmacy owner who shared with me "I've been working alongside one of my pharmacists for 3 years and I didn't realise how little I knew about them, and how many assumptions I was making about their level of engagement. Starting weekly 1:1's has been really beneficial".
Here are 3 benefits and a tip for finding time:
Building Relationships: 1:1s provide pharmacy leaders and managers the opportunity to build strong relationships with their team members. This helps in understanding individual strengths, weaknesses, aspirations, and concerns, leading to better collaboration and trust.
Problem Solving: 1:1s provide a private space for team members to discuss challenges they might be facing. Managers can provide guidance and support in problem-solving, which can contribute to increased job satisfaction.
Individualised Attention: Managers can tailor their guidance and coaching to each team member's needs. This personalised approach enhances performance, inspires motivation and supports overall wellbeing at work.
A quick tip for finding time! If you are finding it hard to find the time, schedule 15mins for your team members into your booking tool. Making room for your team members and allocating time, in the same way you schedule consults for your patients, ensures the work rhythms can be co-ordinated around this time, and helps your team feel valued and appreciated because you are prioritising and protecting the time for them.