200 Check-In Questions to Engage Your Team

Elevate your team meetings in 2024 with this curated collection of 200 weekly check-in questions, designed to enhance engagement, foster open communication, and drive actionable outcomes. Combine the power of these thoughtful prompts with jamie, the AI meeting summarizer, to unlock new levels of productivity and collaboration.

Have you ever walked out of a team meeting feeling that something was missing – perhaps a deeper connection with your team members or crucial information that just wasn't discussed?

To turn these encounters around, you should start incorporating the right check-in questions for meetings and get-to-know-your-team questions.

These questions aren't mere formalities; they are powerful tools that can revitalize team interactions. From daily stand-ups to in-depth project discussions, check-in questions transform meeting dynamics, making them more dynamic, interactive, and productive.

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What Are Check-ins?

Check-in questions are purposeful prompts used at the beginning of team meetings.

They go beyond surface-level greetings to encourage open and honest dialogue.

Check-ins allow team members to share their current state of mind, discuss challenges they're facing, celebrate recent wins, and vocalize any needs for additional support.

When done effectively, check-in questions create an environment of psychological safety where everyone feels comfortable being vulnerable with their colleagues. This promotes stronger team dynamics and trust.

The Benefits of Using Check-In Questions For Meetings

• Check-in questions are vital for improving communication, strengthening collaboration, and building trust among team members
• A well-crafted check-in question can set the tone for a productive team meeting
• Check-in questions assist in identifying individual stressors, encouraging healthy work habits, and facilitating work-life balance, which are all essential for employee satisfaction and productivity

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Crafting Impactful Check-In Questions For Meetings

Creating effective check-in questions involves understanding your team's needs and the meeting's objectives. These can range from daily questions to more specific check-in questions for conflict resolution. Here are the key characteristics of great check in questions:

• Relevance: Tailor questions to the meeting's purpose.
• Brevity: Aim for concise questions that prompt insightful answers.
• Engagement: Choose questions that encourage participation from all attendees.
• Variety: Mix different types of questions to keep the check-in process fresh and engaging.

Daily Stand-Up Meeting Questions

Daily stand-ups are brief check in meetings focused on progress and immediate tasks. Here are 40 questions to keep these daily meetings productive:

1. What's your main focus today?

2. Any roadblocks since the last meeting?

3. How did you progress on yesterday's goals?

4. What's one challenge you're facing today?

5. Can the team help with any specific tasks?

6. What success did you achieve recently?

7. Is there anything unclear about today's tasks?

8. How are you feeling about everyone's current workload?

9. What's one thing you need to prioritize today?

10. Are there any changes to your schedule today?

11. What's the most important task you'll tackle today?

12. How confident are you in meeting today's goals?

13. What's a small win you had recently?

14. Any updates on our meeting's action items?

15. What's a new challenge you've encountered?

16. How's your energy level today?

17. What can be done to make your day more productive?

18. Any collaboration needed from the team?

19. Are there any dependencies affecting your work recently?

20. What's one thing you learned yesterday?

21. How close are we to hitting this week's targets?

22. What's your biggest concern for today?

23. How can we streamline our efforts today?

24. Any feedback on our current workflow?

25. What's one positive aspect of your work right now?

26. What's a task you're looking forward to today?

27. Any obstacles in achieving today's objectives?

28. How can the team contribute to your success?

29. What's one thing that could improve your day?

30. Are you facing any unexpected challenges?

31. What's a skill you're utilizing today?

32. How can we make you feel supported today?

33. Any key learnings to share from the last sprint?

34. What's the most urgent task for today?

35. How's your current project pacing?

36. Any additional guidance or support needed before our next meeting?

37. What's an area you're focusing on improving?

38. How do you plan to tackle today's challenges?

39. What's an achievement from yesterday?

40. How do you plan to end the day on a high note?

Having looked at Daily Stand-Up meetings, we now are going to proceed to the next category. 

Emotional Well-Being & Mental Health Check-In Questions

Emotional well-being and mental health are crucial for a productive work environment. These questions help understand the team's morale and individual emotional states:

41. How are you feeling today, on a scale of 1-10?

42. What's something that's been weighing on your mind?

43. What has motivated you recently at work?

44. Are there any personal accomplishments you'd like to share?

45. What's one thing that could improve your current mindset?

46. How are you managing work-life balance this week?

47. Is there anything causing you stress that we can help with?

48. What brings you joy in your current position?

49. How do you feel about your recent work?

50. What's one thing you are grateful for at work?

51. What has been a source of pride for you recently?

52. Are there any aspects of the job affecting your professional development?

53. What's a recent challenge you've overcome?

54. How supported do you feel by the team?

55. What's something that excited you at work lately?

56. How do you recharge after a busy day?

57. What's been the highlight of your week?

58. Are there any personal milestones you're looking forward to?

59. What's something you're looking forward to in your role?

60. How do you feel about your current work life balance?

Pro Tip: Please keep in mind that maybe not everyone will be open to sharing transparently how they are feeling. It’s your task to create an environment that your colleagues feel comfortable sharing. This can take some time, so be patient. 

Icebreaker & Fun Check In Questions for Team Meetings

Team building is very important when working closely together in a team. Fun check in questions for team meetings and icebreakers can be a great tool for building relationships, sparking conversation, and lightening the mood:

61. If you could have any superpower at work, what would it be?

62. What's a fun fact about you that the team might not know?

63. If you could switch roles with anyone on the team for a day, who would it be?

64. What's your go-to activity for unwinding after work?

65. If you could take a team building trip anywhere, where would you go?

66. If we could use a time machine to bring back one historical figure to mentor our team, who would you choose and why?

67. What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?

68. If you could invite any famous person to our next team meeting, who would it be?

69. How much bandwidth do you currently have for your hobbies?

70. What's a book or movie that recently inspired you?

71. What are some of your favorite team-building activities?

72. If you could start a new project of your choice, what would it be?

73. What's a song that gets you through a busy workday?

74. What's your favorite way to start the morning?

75. If you could learn a new skill, what would it be?

76. What's one thing you wish you knew more about?

77. If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be?

78. What's the best vacation you've ever taken?

79. What's a skill you have that most team members don’t know about?

80. What's the most adventurous thing you've ever done?

Project Management Check In Questions for Meetings

Once the team already knows each other or if you want to focus specifically on a project, these questions are tailored to keep project meetings focused and productive:

81. What's the current status of your project tasks?

82. Have you encountered any roadblocks in your project recently?

83. What necessary tools could help advance your project work?

84. Are there any upcoming milestones we should be aware of?

85. How do you feel about the project's current direction?

86. What's a recent success in your project work?

87. Are there any areas of the project needing more attention?

88. What's been the greatest challenge in this project so far?

89. How can the team support your project efforts?

90. What are the potential risks you foresee in the project?

91. How are we aligning with the project objectives?

92. What feedback do you have on recent project developments?

93. How do you plan to tackle upcoming project tasks?

94. Is there anything missing in our current project plan?

95. What's a learning from this project you can share?

96. How do you see your role evolving in this project?

97. Are there any changes to the project timeline?

98. How confident are you in meeting the project deadlines?

99. What's an unexpected insight you've gained from this project?

100. How can we improve our project communication?

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One-on-One & Manager-Employee Check In Questions

One-on-one meetings check in questions can be of great benefit and are opportunities for deeper, more personalized discussions. In essence, one-on-one check in meetings are your chance to strengthen your rapport with specific team members. These manager-employee check in questions can help make these interactions more purposeful:

101. What's been a significant accomplishment for you recently?

102. Are there any areas where you don't feel supported enough?

103. What professional goals are you currently working towards?

104. How do you feel about your career progression here?

105. What's a challenge you're currently facing?

106. Is there any tips that you found particularly useful?

107. What skills would you like to develop or improve?

108. How do you feel about the feedback you receive?

109. What's a project you'd love to work on?

110. In what ways are your strengths being leveraged?

111. Are there any concerns or issues you'd like to discuss?

112. What's something you've recently learned that's been helpful?

113. How do you prefer to receive recognition for your work?

114. What's an area of your work you're particularly proud of?

115. What kind of resources or tools would enhance your work?

116. What motivates you the most about your work?

117. How do you manage stress and maintain focus?

118. What's your vision for your work in the next few years?

119. Is there a missed opportunity you'd like to discuss?

120. What's one valuable insight you've gained from your direct report?

Check-In Questions for Remote & Virtual Teams

Remote work often brings unique challenges and opportunities. These check-in questions for remote teams are designed to support and engage virtual team members:

121. How have you adapted to collaborating remotely?

122. What's your biggest challenge working from home?

123. How can we improve our virtual collaboration?

124. What tools do you find most useful for a remote setting?

125. How do you structure your day when working remotely?

126. What kind of support do you need most when working from home?

127. How do you stay motivated and focused in a remote setting?

128. What's a successful strategy you've used to overcome common remote job challenges?

129. Are there any aspects of remote work you particularly enjoy?

130. How do you ensure effective communication with the team remotely?

131. How can I help you successfully execute your tasks remotely?

132. How do you maintain a healthy lifestyle while working remotely?

133. What are your biggest learnings after having worked remotely for some time?

134. How do you stay connected with the team virtually?

135. What virtual team activities would you be interested in?

136. How do you manage distractions when working from home?

137. What's your ideal remote office set up?

138. How do you handle feelings of isolation or disconnection?

139. What's a challenge you've overcome while working remotely?

140. How do you celebrate achievements and milestones in a remote setting?

Check In Questions for Conflict Resolution

In any team, addressing conflicts constructively is crucial. These questions can help facilitate open discussions and find resolutions:

141. What's your perspective on the issue we're facing?

142. How do you feel this conflict has impacted the team?

143. What are your key concerns regarding this situation?

144. How can we work together to resolve this conflict?

145. What's something you feel has been misunderstood?

146. How do you think we can prevent similar issues in the future?

147. What's a constructive outcome you'd like to see from this discussion?

148. How can we ensure all voices are heard in resolving this matter?

149. What steps can we take to rebuild trust?

150. What's an important factor you think we should consider in this situation?

Strategic Planning and Goal-Setting Check In Questions for Meetings

For meetings focused on strategic planning and setting goals, these questions can guide the discussion towards constructive outcomes:

151. What are our key objectives for this quarter?

152. How do we align our current tasks with our long-term goals?

153. What are the biggest challenges in achieving our strategic goals?

154. How can we measure success effectively?

155. What resources do we need to meet our strategic objectives?

156. What potential roadblocks should we anticipate?

157. How can our new team member contribute to our overall strategy?

158. What's a new opportunity we should explore?

159. How do we stay adaptable in our planning?

160. How does our team compare to the other teams in terms of strategy?

Check-In Questions for New Hires & Interns

Starting a new job can be overwhelming. These new hire check in questions help to welcome new teammates and understand their expectations and concerns better:

161. How has your onboarding experience been so far?

162. What are you most excited about in your new role?

163. Are there any areas where you feel you need more clarity or support?

164. What are your initial impressions of the company's culture?

165. How do you prefer to receive feedback as you learn your new role?

166. What are your personal goals for your first month here?

167. Are there any skills you're particularly eager to develop?

168. What has been the most helpful part of your training so far?

169. How can we make your transition into the team smoother?

170. What are you looking forward to contributing to the team?

171. Are there any concerns or questions you have about your role or the company?

172. What's one thing you'd like your team to know about you?

173. How do you like to be recognized for your achievements?

174. What's your preferred communication style with your project manager now?

175. Are there any resources you need to perform your best?

176. What are your future expectations for this role?

177. How can we support you in maintaining a healthy mindset?

178. What's a strength you bring to the team that others may not know about?

179. Are there any aspects of your role or the company culture that you'd like to learn more about?

180. What are you most looking forward to accomplishing in your first year here?

Other Weekly Team Check In Questions

Effective weekly team check-ins help to align team efforts, assess progress, and address any emerging challenges. Here are some questions that facilitate meaningful and productive check-ins:

181. What were your key achievements this week?

182. What challenges did you face this week, and how did you overcome them?
183. How are you progressing on your weekly goals?
184. What are your priorities for the upcoming week?
185. Are there any roadblocks or support you need for the coming week?
186. What insights from this week would you like to share with the whole team?
187. How can we improve our team's efficiency and collaboration?
188. Are there any updates or changes to our timeline?
189. What's one thing you're looking forward to next week?
190. How can we better support each other in the coming week?
191. What's a success story from this week) that you'd like to celebrate?
192. Are there any new ideas or suggestions you have for our team?
193. What's a challenge you foresee for next week, and how can we proactively address it?
194. How are you feeling about your workload and bandwidth for the upcoming week)?
195. What's a skill or strength you utilized this week that you'd like to continue leveraging?
196. Are there any areas where our team could improve communication?
197. What feedback did you receive this week that you found helpful?
198. How can we ensure we're staying aligned with our team's goals next week?
199. What's something you'd like to focus on improving personally in the coming week?
200. How can we make our weekly team check-ins even more effective and valuable?

Maximizing the Impact of Check In Question for Meetings

To make the most out of these check-in questions, consider applying these advanced techniques:

• Follow-Up: After asking a question, follow up with related queries to delve deeper and spark conversation
• Customization: Tailor questions for meetings based on the individual's role, current projects, career goals, and recent experiences
• Active Listening: Show genuine interest and give undivided attention to responses to encourage communication
• Feedback Incorporation: Use the insights gained from check in meetings to make tangible improvements in team processes and support

How To Leverage Check-In Questions for Team Building

Check-in questions can also be powerful bonding activities. Here are some ways to use them for team bonding:

• Ice-breaker Questions: Start meetings with light-hearted, fun questions to help team members get to know each other better and build rapport
• Sharing Successes: Encourage everyone to share their recent wins, no matter how small, to boost morale and recognize achievements
• Learning Opportunities: Use check ins to identify areas where teammates can learn from each other
• Collaborative Problem-Solving: When challenges arise, use questions to involve the whole team in brainstorming solutions, leveraging diverse perspectives and skills
• Virtual Team Building: Adapt questions for remote teams to create a sense of connection and belonging, even when collaborating remotely

Introducing jamie: The AI Meeting Summarizer

jamie is an AI meeting summarizer that can automatically capture key discussion points, action items, and decisions, ensuring you never miss a critical detail. By combining jamie's meeting summaries with engaging check-in questions, your team can achieve unprecedented levels of productivity and collaboration. Here's how to do it:

1. Kick off the meeting with an icebreaker or team-building check-in question to set the tone
2. Use project status, goal-setting, or strategic questions to guide productive discussions
3. Allow jamie to capture highlights, conclusions, and next steps automatically
4. Review jamie's summary for a comprehensive meeting record
5. Close the session with a reflective check-in about key takeaways or areas for improvement

This powerful combination ensures you maximize engagement during meetings while still documenting every single detail.

Conclusion

Effective check-in questions for meetings are invaluable tools for fostering a positive and productive work environment. By incorporating a variety of your check-in meeting questions, you can create a company culture that values open communication, psychological safety, and continuous improvement.

After all, when employees feel heard, supported, and valued, they are more likely to bring their best selves to work, collaborate effectively with other teams, and contribute to a thriving workplace culture.

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FAQs

Q: How frequently should check in questions be used in team meetings?

A: The ideal frequency of team check in questions and ins depends on your team's size, needs, and meeting cadence. Aim to incorporate check in questions in most of your regular meetings, such as daily stand ups, weekly check-ins, project meetings, and one-on-ones. This helps maintain a consistent rhythm of open communication without overwhelming the team or detracting from other important discussions.

Q: What are some best practices for using check in questions in virtual meetings?

A: When using check in questions in virtual meetings, keep the following tips in mind:

• Choose questions that are inclusive and relevant to remote workers and their experiences
• Try not to use always the same questions
• Use icebreaker questions to create a sense of connection and boost team morale
• Encourage active participation by giving each team member a chance to share, but be mindful of time constraints. Most questions should be answered quickly and effectively.
• Follow up on key points or concerns after the meeting to ensure remote employees feel heard and supported

Q: How can managers ensure check ins are effective?

A: To ensure the questions are effective, managers and leaders should:

• Tailor questions to the team's needs, current projects, and goals, ensuring relevance and value
• Model active listening, empathy, and openness to create a psychologically safe space for sharing
• Encourage balanced participation from every person, drawing out insights from quieter individuals

Q: How can check in questions support career growth?

A: These questions can be a powerful tool for supporting your career aspirations. By incorporating questions related to skill-building, learning interests, and long-term goals, managers and leaders can identify opportunities for mentoring, training, and career advancement. This contributes to a positive workplace culture that values continuous learning and development.

Q: How can check in questions be adapted for different teams and work contexts?

A: The versatility of these questions allows them to be tailored to various work environments. Consider the following ways to adapt them:

• For creative teams, emphasize questions that spark innovation, encourage experimentation, and recognize unique contributions
• In customer-facing roles, focus on questions related to client satisfaction, empathy, and service excellence
• For teams working under pressure, prioritize questions about progress, obstacles, and resource needs to ensure timely support
• When integrating new hires, use check ins to facilitate introductions, clarify expectations, and provide guidance and support
• During times of change or uncertainty, focus on questions that address concerns, build resilience, and foster a sense of stability and purpose

Q: What if some team members are resistant to participating in check ins?

A: If you encounter resistance from team members, approach the situation with empathy and understanding. Some individuals may feel uncomfortable sharing in a group setting or may not see the value in check ins. To address this:

• Lead by example, demonstrating vulnerability and openness in your own responses to questions
• Offer alternative ways to participate, such as written reflections or one-on-one conversations, to accommodate different preferences
• Respect individual boundaries and allow team members to opt out of specific questions if they feel uncomfortable, while still encouraging overall participation

Q: How can check in questions help address conflicts or tensions within the team?

A: Check in questions can serve as a proactive tool for identifying and addressing conflicts or tensions before they escalate. By creating a regular space for open and honest communication, you enable concerns to surface at the right time. To leverage check ins for conflict resolution:

• Include questions that encourage the team to share their perspectives, feelings, and needs related to any challenges or tensions they are experiencing
• Model active listening, empathy, and a non-judgmental attitude to create a safe space for dialogue
• Use insights gathered during check ins to facilitate deeper conversations and problem-solving sessions to address underlying issues

Q: How often should check in questions be reviewed and updated?

A: Regularly reviewing and updating your questions is essential to ensure they remain relevant, engaging, and impactful over time. The frequency of review may vary depending on your team's needs and the rate of change in your work environment, but consider the following guidelines:

• Review the questions at least quarterly to assess their effectiveness and alignment with current team goals and challenges
• Update the questions to reflect changes in team composition, project focus, organizational priorities, or external factors impacting your work