Note: Some options, such as calendar sync, video conferencing, and AI-generated transcripts, depend on your company’s settings and connected integrations.
Create a 1-on-1 meeting
Open 1-on-1 from the main navigation.
Select the plus icon beside the 1-on-1 heading.
Search for and select the person you want to meet with. Your direct reports are listed separately for quick access.
The new meeting opens in Aboard, ready for you to schedule and prepare.
Schedule the meeting
Open the meeting and select the date and time under the meeting details. You can also:
Choose the meeting duration.
Add or edit the meeting description.
Reschedule the meeting from the meeting menu.
The employee is notified when a future meeting is scheduled or rescheduled.
If calendar sync is enabled, the meeting is also added to your selected calendar. A video-conferencing link can be included automatically when this is enabled in your meeting preferences.
Prepare the agenda
Open the Agenda tab and choose how you want to get started:
Pick a template — Add a prepared agenda structure.
Copy previous agenda — Reuse the agenda from an earlier meeting with the same person.
Start from scratch — Create a new agenda directly in the editor.
Both the manager and employee can contribute to the agenda before the meeting is completed. Changes are saved automatically.
Use the meeting tools
The toolbar provides quick access to information connected to the meeting:
Private notes
Create notes that are visible only to you as the manager. Private notes are not shown to the employee.
Tasks
Create follow-up tasks, assign an owner, and add a due date. Tasks remain connected to the meeting so both participants can keep track of agreed actions.
Comments
Use comments to discuss the meeting with the employee before or after it takes place.
Goals
Open the employee’s goals alongside the meeting to discuss progress, priorities, and development.
Add a meeting summary
The Summary tab becomes available after the meeting starts. Use it to document important discussion points, decisions, and outcomes.
You can write and edit the summary manually. If meeting transcripts and Aboard’s AI features are enabled for your company, Aboard can also generate a transcript, meeting summary, and suggested follow-up tasks.
Review AI-generated content before completing or sharing the meeting.
Complete the meeting
Once the scheduled meeting has started:
Select Mark as complete.
Choose whether to Share summary with employee.
Select Complete.
When you share the summary:
The employee receives it by email.
It is added to the meeting in the employee portal.
Completed meetings are locked for editing. The agenda, summary, and meeting details remain available as a record of the conversation.
A summary can only be shared if the meeting contains summary content.
What the employee can see
Employees can access their 1-on-1 meetings from the employee portal. Before completion, they can:
View the meeting details.
Add to or edit the shared agenda.
Access meeting tasks, comments, and goals.
After completion, the agenda becomes read-only. The employee can also view the summary if the manager chose to share it.
Private manager notes are never displayed in the employee portal.
Create agenda templates
Templates help managers run consistent, structured 1-on-1s.
Open 1-on-1.
Select Templates from the sidebar.
Select New template.
Add a name and, optionally, a description, icon, colour, and department.
Enable Private template if the template should only be available to you.
Create the agenda content in the template editor. Changes are saved automatically.
You can edit, copy, or delete a template from its menu.
Configure meeting preferences
Select the settings icon beside the 1-on-1 heading to open Meeting preferences. Depending on your company’s configuration, you can manage:
Default meeting duration.
The attention threshold used to highlight employees who have gone too long without a 1-on-1.
Availability, booking lead time, and gaps between meetings.
Calendar sync and the calendar where meetings should be added.
Automatic video-conferencing links.
AI-generated transcripts for video meetings.
Select Save preferences when finished.
Archive, restore, or delete a meeting
Open a meeting’s menu to:
Archive it and lock it against further edits.
Restore an archived meeting.
Delete it permanently.
Use archiving when you want to keep the meeting record without displaying it among your active meetings.
Tips for effective 1-on-1s
Prepare the agenda in advance and encourage the employee to contribute.
Use templates for recurring topics while leaving room for employee-led discussion.
Create tasks for clear next steps instead of leaving actions only in the summary.
Use private notes for personal manager reminders—not information the employee needs to act on.
Complete the meeting promptly so your 1-on-1 overview stays up to date.