HR Guide: Understanding the Skip-Level Meeting

Skip-level meetings are a nontraditional way for organizations to garner additional employee and managerial feedback. Meetings between employees and high-level managers provide advantages to business leaders, such as improved communication and greater transparency. But these meetings may also present their own challenges and limitations. 

Continue reading to learn about skip-level meetings, their advantages and limitations, and how to implement them effectively in your organization.

What Is A Skip-Level Meeting?

Skip-level meetings are a type of communication strategy organizations use to bridge the gap between employees and higher-level management. In a traditional organizational structure, employees communicate with their immediate supervisors, who then report to higher-level managers. However, with skip-level meetings, employees have direct access to upper management without going through their immediate supervisors.

These meetings usually involve a manager at least two levels above the employees, hence the term "skip level." They allow employees to express their concerns, share feedback, and ask questions to senior management. Skip-level meetings are not intended to replace regular meetings between employees and their direct supervisors but rather to supplement them.

Benefits of Skip-Level Meetings

Implementing skip-level meetings in your organization can lead to several advantages, including:

1. Strengthening Employee Engagement and Empowerment

Skip-level meetings provide employees with a direct line to senior leadership, making them feel heard and valued. When employees have a voice in company decisions, their motivation, job satisfaction, and loyalty to the organization increase.

2. Enhancing Communication and Collaboration

These meetings help bridge communication gaps between different levels of the organization. By fostering an open dialogue, skip-level meetings promote transparency, alignment, and improved collaboration across departments.

3. Building Trust and Organizational Transparency

When leadership actively listens to employees, it creates a culture of trust. Employees are more likely to stay engaged and contribute proactively when they feel their feedback is genuinely considered.

Kim Scott, author of Just Work and Radical Candor, advocates for skip-level meetings, stating:

"One of the most important things any manager of managers can do to foster a culture of Radical Candor is to have skip-level meetings. These meetings help employees ‘speak truth to power’ and create a more honest communication pattern within an organization."

Challenges and Limitations of Skip-Level Meetings

While skip-level meetings can be an effective tool for promoting employee engagement and communication, HR professionals should also be aware of the potential limitations and challenges associated with this approach.

1. Potential for Managerial Tension

If not communicated effectively, managers may feel bypassed or undermined by these meetings. It’s crucial to clarify that skip-level meetings are meant to supplement—not replace—regular supervisory check-ins.

2. Time and Resource Constraints

Scheduling skip-level meetings requires significant time from senior leadership. To make the most of these interactions, organizations should plan structured discussions and prioritize key insights.

3. Employee Hesitation to Speak Candidly

Some employees may be reluctant to share honest feedback with senior leaders. HR should create a safe, confidential environment where employees feel comfortable expressing their thoughts without fear of repercussions.

Best Practices for Conducting Skip-Level Meetings

Skip-level meetings can be an effective tool for HR professionals to gain insight into the concerns, ideas, and feedback of employees at all levels of the organization. To conduct these meetings effectively, HR professionals should follow the following best practices:

1. HR professionals should clearly communicate the purpose and goals of the skip-level meetings to all parties involved. This can include the senior managers conducting the meetings, the employees participating in them, and the immediate supervisors of those employees. By clearly communicating the purpose and goals, everyone involved can understand what is expected of them.

2. It is important to establish a structured and consistent approach to conducting skip-level meetings. This can include developing a standardized list of questions or topics to cover, setting clear expectations for the length and format of the meetings, and establishing a process for collecting and analyzing the feedback gathered.

3. HR professionals should ensure that skip-level meetings are conducted in a respectful and confidential manner. Employees should feel comfortable speaking openly and honestly about their experiences and concerns without fear of reprisal or negative consequences. HR professionals should also ensure that the information gathered in these meetings is treated with appropriate confidentiality and is only shared with those who have a need to know.

4. It is essential to follow up on the feedback gathered in skip-level meetings. HR professionals should communicate the findings to all parties involved, including senior management, immediate supervisors, and employees. They should also develop and implement action plans to address any issues or concerns that are identified.

By following these best practices, HR professionals can conduct skip-level meetings effectively, gain valuable insights into the organization's strengths and areas for improvement, and create a more engaged and collaborative workplace.

Additional Resources

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