A Study on the Present Status and Issues of 1-on-1 Meetings:A Case Study of a Major Japanese Manufacturing Company

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to focus on 1-on-1 meetings in the workplace, which have been increasingly adopted by companies in recent years. The number of companies that have introduced 1-on-1 meetings has been increasing, because they are viewed as an effective way to supplement the decrease in time and opportunities for human resource development that accompanies the reform of work styles. However, problems have arisen, such as 1-on-1s not continuing to be conducted in the workplace after their introduction. For this reason, we conducted an interview with nine managers at a major Japanese manufacturer, to determine the status of implementation and retention of 1-on-1 meetings. The results showed that the status of implementation and retention of 1-on-1 meetings varied among the mangers. Some of the managers surveyed implemented the meetings successfully while others implemented the 1-on-1s but not in line with the company's objectives and guidelines. And, in some cases the meetings weren’t implemented. The results of the analysis also revealed certain factors that have prevented 1-on-1 meetings from being implemented successfully, as well as the present status of 1-on-1 retention, and possible future challenges.