What is a skip-level meeting?

Managers and superiors get the opportunity to communicate and sometimes collaborate with employees whom they normally don't come into contact with daily. Skip-level meetings can sometimes pinpoint organizational communication breakdowns, making solving these issues easier.

Skip-level meetings also benefit from having lower-level employees feel heard and valued. If used effectively, skip-level meetings can boost employee morale and increase employee retention and productivity.

During a skip-level meeting, a manager or supervisor tends to ask the lower-level employees questions related to these four topics:

• The employees' work (tasks and responsibilities)

• The employees' goals

• The employees' difficulties or challenges

• The employees' opinions on various company-related topics

Leaders of these meetings also might use them to share their goals and vision for the company and communicate any upcoming developments or changes within the organization.

Skip-level meetings can come in several different forms. Some common forms include:

• One-on-one meetings

• Small group meetings

• Large group meetings or town hall-style meetings

Organizations that utilize skip-level meetings do so at varying frequencies. However, most companies that use them try to adhere to a strict schedule every few months, or in some cases, weeks.

This also depends on the size of the organization and what industry it is in. Skip-level meetings are important for creating transparency and enhancing communication.