Prioritize People

18 Great Check-In Questions

A cheat sheet for leaders who care about conversations that matter.

By Jason Lauritsen

The check-in conversation is the key to retaining and engaging employees at work. It’s also the key to building better, stronger relationships in all areas of your life. The key to a great check-in conversation is a great question that invites a conversation that matters. A great question creates an opportunity for a follow-up question where you can build understanding and connection.

Below are 18 great check-in questions. To reap the benefits of these questions, you must ask the follow-up question, then really listen to learn how you can provide support and encouragement.

Checking In with the Human

1. How are you (on a scale from 1 to 10 with 10 being “couldn’t be better” and 1 being “couldn’t be worse”)?
2. How is your mental health (scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being great)?
3. How are you feeling about life right now on a scale from 1 to 10?
4. What have you been doing to take care of yourself lately?

Checking In about Work

1. What’s the most important thing we need to talk about today?
2. What is most frustrating for you about work right now?
3. How do you feel things are going for you at work right now (on a scale from 1 to 10)?
4. If you were to consider leaving for another job, what would be the reason you’d leave?
5. How appreciated do you feel for what you contribute (on a scale from 1 to 10)?
6. If there is one thing I could do to better support you as a manager, what would it be?
7. How well do you feel you fit in at work (on a scale from 1 to 10)?

Checking In about Performance at Work

1. What are your three top priorities this week?
2. How confident are you that you will meet your goals for this [insert time period] on a scale from 1 to 10?

Checking In about Career

1. What do you enjoy the most about your job?
2. If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?
3. What is the most important thing you’ve learned recently at work?
4. How would you rate your career growth over the past [insert period of time] on a scale from 1 to 10?
5. How well do you feel your job takes full advantage of your talents and strengths?

Reprinted with permission from Jason Lauritsen. For more information about employee engagement, please go to jasonlauritsen.com/insights.