How to Use the Barista One-to-One Template

Why structured barista one-to-ones matter

Your baristas are the face of your coffee operation. They create the product, build the relationships with regulars, and set the atmosphere every morning. When they're thriving, customers get consistent, quality drinks with genuine warmth. When they're struggling, you see inconsistent espresso, disengaged service, and a queue that feels like a production line rather than a coffee experience.

The challenge is that baristas work intensely during rush periods with little time for reflection. They pull hundreds of shots, steam dozens of milk jugs, and serve customers who need their morning fix immediately. Without intentional one-to-ones, you'll only hear about problems when quality drops, customers complain, or your best barista hands in their notice because they felt stuck.

This template structures your weekly conversations around the areas that matter most for barista performance and retention. Each section builds on the last: preparation gives you context, their agenda shows you what's on their mind, the discussion sections cover role performance, team dynamics, growth, and wellbeing, and the engagement indicators give you an early-warning system for disengagement.

Preparation

Complete these steps before each meeting to ensure a focused and productive conversation. Arriving prepared shows your barista that you take this time seriously.

Review notes from previous one-to-one — Pull up the notes from your last session. What actions did you commit to? What did they commit to? If you promised to book a grinder calibration training or agreed to adjust their shift pattern, check whether you followed through. Walking in without knowing what was agreed last time tells them the conversation didn't matter.

Check recent performance data or feedback — Review what you know about their recent shifts: customer feedback, drink consistency observations, speed during peak, any complaints or notable interactions. If you use mystery shopper reports or customer surveys, check for mentions. This gives you specific talking points rather than general impressions.

Note any observations from the past week — Think about what you've noticed on the floor. Were they dialling in the grinder with care or rushing it? Did they engage warmly with the morning regulars? Were they helping colleagues during a rush or retreating to solo work? Write down two or three specific observations before the meeting.

Send agenda prompt to employee ahead of time — Text them mid-morning: "Catching up at 2 between rushes. Anything on your mind?" Baristas spend their shifts reacting to orders — giving them time to think means you'll get a more honest conversation. If they reply "all good," try: "How did the morning rush feel today? Talk me through the busiest 20 minutes."

Customisation tips:

• Weekly meetings work well for baristas — schedule them between rushes (2pm is often ideal for coffee shops)
• 15 minutes is enough for a focused check-in. Don't let it drag unless something significant comes up
• Sit at a table, not behind the bar. The change of setting signals this is a different kind of conversation
• For baristas in their first 90 days, keep these weekly without exception. After that, ask if they'd prefer to continue weekly or move to fortnightly

Their Agenda

Start every one-to-one by asking: "What's been on your mind?" Record whatever they raise before covering your own items.

If they say "nothing really," don't fill the silence immediately. Count to five. Baristas often process their shifts alone — they might need a moment to shift from doing to reflecting. If they still don't, offer a specific opener: "How did this morning feel? Talk me through your busiest 20 minutes." The specific framing works because "How was your week?" is too vague for someone who made 300 drinks.

Once they're talking, ask "What else?" until they run out. Don't jump to solutions or share your perspective yet. This section is about understanding their world, not managing it.

If you have items to cover — menu changes, new beans arriving, equipment changes — mention them at the start so they know it's coming, then let them go first: "I want to talk about the new blend before we finish, but first — what's been on your mind since last week?"

What to record: Their exact concerns in their own words. Don't paraphrase into management language — "the grinder is drifting by 11am and I can't keep up" captures reality better than "discussed equipment calibration."

Role Performance

These four questions are designed to uncover how service actually feels from your barista's position. Work through each one during the conversation and tick it off as you cover it.

"Walk me through your first 30 minutes after opening. What's your routine before the first customer?"

This reveals whether they have a solid opening routine or whether they're winging it. A strong barista will describe a consistent process — machine warm-up, grinder calibration, milk checks, till float, display setup, cleaning station prep. The order matters because it determines whether the first customer gets a perfect drink or a lukewarm, under-extracted one.

What good answers sound like:

• Describes a specific, consistent routine with clear logic
• Knows why each step matters, not just what to do
• Has adapted the routine based on experience (e.g., "I dial in before turning the sign, not after")

What to do with the answer: If their routine is solid, acknowledge it. If it's inconsistent or missing key steps, build a better one together. A morning routine that produces a perfect first shot sets the tone for the entire day.

"How's the equipment treating you? Any grinders, machines, or taps that are frustrating?"

Equipment is a barista's most intimate working relationship. A grinder that drifts, a group head that leaks, or a steam wand with no power directly affects their ability to do their job well. This question surfaces frustrations they might not report through formal channels because they assume "that's just how it is."

What good answers sound like:

• Names specific equipment issues with clear impact on their work
• Describes workarounds they've developed for known problems
• Distinguishes between minor inconveniences and things that genuinely affect drink quality

What to do with the answer: If there's an equipment issue affecting drink quality, fix it immediately. If it's a minor inconvenience, explain the timeline for addressing it. Baristas who care about their craft find equipment problems deeply frustrating — responding quickly shows you share their standards.

"Which drinks are you most proud of making? Which do you avoid if you can?"

This reveals their technical confidence and where their skills need development. A barista who's proud of their flat whites but avoids pour-overs is telling you exactly where they feel strong and where they feel exposed. The drinks they avoid aren't laziness — they're honest about where quality might drop.

What good answers sound like:

• Names specific drinks with genuine enthusiasm or honest discomfort
• Explains what makes a drink challenging for them
• Shows they care about quality enough to notice the difference

What to do with the answer: For drinks they're proud of, acknowledge the skill. For drinks they avoid, schedule practice time — not during a rush, but during a quiet period where they can focus without pressure. Confidence comes from practice, not instruction.

"When we're five deep in the queue and tickets are stacking, what's the first thing that slips — speed, quality, or customer chat?"

Under pressure, every barista makes trade-offs. This question reveals which trade-off they make and whether they're aware of it. A barista who sacrifices quality is creating problems for your brand. One who sacrifices speed creates queues. One who drops customer engagement loses the personal touch. Understanding their instinct helps you coach them on maintaining balance.

What good answers sound like:

• Honest about what slips and self-aware about why
• Identifies the specific point where things start to break down
• Shows they've thought about how to maintain balance under pressure

What to do with the answer: Don't judge the trade-off — discuss how to manage it. If quality slips, talk about techniques for maintaining consistency at speed. If customer chat drops, discuss which moments matter most (greeting and handover, not mid-queue). If speed drops, look at workflow efficiency.

Record the key points from your discussion, focusing on routines, equipment issues, and pressure management. Note specific drinks or situations they mentioned — these are valuable evidence for performance reviews. If they raised equipment concerns, capture those for immediate follow-up.

Team and Relationships

These questions surface the dynamics that affect service quality — colleague partnerships, shift transitions, team support, and difficult customers.

"Who do you work best with on shift? Who do you find harder to sync with?"

Some barista pairs flow naturally — they split the workflow seamlessly, cover each other's weak spots, and make service feel effortless. Others create friction. Understanding these dynamics helps you schedule more effectively and identify relationships that need attention.

What good answers sound like:

• Names specific colleagues and explains what makes the partnership work or struggle
• Focuses on work style differences rather than personal complaints
• Shows awareness of their own contribution to team dynamics

What to do with the answer: Use scheduling insight where possible. Also probe: "What makes working with [person] easier or harder?" If there's genuine friction, address it directly rather than just avoiding the pairing.

"How's the handover between shifts working? Do you know what you're walking into when you arrive?"

Shift handovers in coffee shops are often informal or non-existent. This question surfaces whether the incoming barista knows what's happened — machine issues, stock levels, grinder settings, anything unusual. A poor handover means the first 15 minutes of every shift is spent figuring out what's going on instead of serving.

What good answers sound like:

• Describes what information they receive (or don't) when arriving
• Identifies specific gaps — grinder settings, milk stock, machine quirks
• Suggests what would make handovers better

What to do with the answer: If handovers are poor, implement a simple system — a whiteboard, a quick verbal check, or a short checklist. The incoming barista should know: grinder setting, any equipment issues, stock levels, and anything unusual from the previous shift.

"When you need help mid-rush, do you feel comfortable asking? Does the team support each other?"

This reveals whether there's genuine team support or a "my station" culture. A cafe where baristas help each other during rushes creates better service and better morale. One where people only focus on their own queue creates gaps and resentment.

What good answers sound like:

• Specific examples of asking for or offering help
• Honest about whether the team culture supports mutual aid
• Acknowledges their own contribution to team dynamics

What to do with the answer: If support is lacking, address it at team level. Make clear that helping during rushes isn't optional — it's how you operate. If it's strong, acknowledge it and reinforce the culture.

"Any regular customers who've been difficult lately? Anyone you dread seeing walk in?"

Difficult regulars wear baristas down. A customer who's rude about their flat white every morning or makes inappropriate comments becomes a burden that affects mood and performance. This question gives permission to raise something they might otherwise absorb.

What good answers sound like:

• Names specific situations rather than general complaints about customers
• Describes behaviour that's genuinely problematic
• Has tried to handle it themselves before raising it

What to do with the answer: If a regular is genuinely problematic, discuss handling strategies. You might need to intervene directly. Your barista shouldn't dread coming to work because of a specific customer.

Capture the team dynamics discussed, any scheduling insights, and customer concerns that need follow-up. Note handover issues — these often have simple fixes that make a big difference.

Growth and Development

These questions explore career aspirations and development needs. The answers shape how you invest in this barista's growth.

"Do you see this as a career path or a stepping stone to something else? There's no wrong answer — I just want to know how to support you."

There's no wrong answer, but the answer changes everything about how you develop them. A career barista needs mastery goals — latte art progression, brewing certifications, roasting exposure, competition preparation. Someone using barista work as a stepping stone still deserves investment — you'll get better performance from an engaged short-term employee than a bored long-term one.

What good answers sound like:

• Honest about their trajectory without feeling they need to perform loyalty
• Specific about what interests them, even if it's outside coffee
• Shows they've thought about it rather than just shrugging

What to do with the answer: Match your investment to their direction. If they're passionate about coffee, invest in their craft. If they're heading elsewhere, make their time valuable and learn what motivates them.

"What would you need to learn to feel like you've really mastered this job?"

This surfaces their honest self-assessment. If they name something specific — latte art consistency, pour-over technique, speed under pressure, customer handling — you've found a concrete development opportunity. If they say "nothing" or "I don't know," they may be disengaged or lack self-awareness, both worth exploring.

What good answers sound like:

• Names specific skills or knowledge gaps
• Shows ambition to improve rather than defensiveness about weaknesses
• Connects learning to drink quality or customer experience

What to do with the answer: Create a plan to build the skill they name. If it's latte art, schedule practice time. If it's speed, work on workflow. If it's coffee knowledge, share resources or arrange a visit to a roaster.

"If you could change one thing about our coffee or menu, what would it be?"

This reveals whether they're thinking about the product beyond just making it. A barista who has opinions about the menu — the blend, the milk options, the food pairing, the seasonal specials — is intellectually engaged with the business. One who shrugs hasn't connected their craft to the customer's experience.

What good answers sound like:

• Names something specific with clear reasoning
• Balances personal taste with customer demand
• Shows they've observed what customers actually order versus what's on offer

What to do with the answer: If they have good ideas, explore them. Baristas interact with customers more than anyone — they know what people ask for. Letting them influence the menu keeps them engaged and often improves the offering.

"Where do you see yourself in a year? Still here, somewhere else, doing something different?"

The honest answer to this question is the most valuable piece of information in the entire one-to-one. If they're planning to leave, you can make their remaining time positive and plan for replacement. If they want to grow, you can build a path. If they're uncertain, you have an opportunity to influence their decision.

What good answers sound like:

• Genuine honesty rather than what they think you want to hear
• Specific enough to be actionable
• Willing to have the conversation rather than deflecting

What to do with the answer: Don't react emotionally to any answer. If they want to leave, ask what would make them stay. If they want to progress, show them the path. If they don't know, help them think through it.

Record their career direction, development interests, and any specific skills they want to build. This feeds directly into performance review objectives and helps you plan training investment.

Wellbeing and Support

These questions catch frustration, energy depletion, and unmet needs before they cause resignations. Ask them genuinely, not as a box-ticking exercise.

"What's the single most annoying thing about your job right now? If you could fix one thing by next week, what would it be?"

This cuts through politeness to their top priority. Whatever they name is the thing most likely to make them disengage if it's not addressed. The "single most" framing forces them to prioritise rather than list everything.

What good answers sound like:

• Names something specific and fixable rather than vague dissatisfaction
• Trusts you enough to be honest about genuine frustrations
• Differentiates between temporary annoyances and persistent problems

What to do with the answer: Fix it if you can. If you can't, explain why and offer alternatives. Either way, respond within a few days — speed of response matters more than the outcome.

"How's the pace of shifts treating you? Are you exhausted at the end or do you have energy left?"

Burnout is real for baristas. Early starts, constant standing, repetitive motions, and relentless customer interaction take a cumulative toll. A barista who drags through the last hour of every shift is giving worse service and looking for the exit.

What good answers sound like:

• Honest about energy levels rather than performing toughness
• Identifies specific shifts or patterns that drain them
• Distinguishes between "good tired" (busy but satisfying) and "bad tired" (exhausted and resentful)

What to do with the answer: If they're exhausted, look at their schedule. Review shift length, start times, and rest days. Small adjustments — a later start once a week, a shorter shift on their heaviest day — can prevent burnout.

"Do you feel like you have the right amount of decision-making power? Too little, about right, or too much?"

Baristas who can't make decisions feel micromanaged. If they need to ask permission to adjust the grinder, remake a drink, or offer a replacement when they get an order wrong, their confidence erodes and service slows. This question reveals whether you've given them enough autonomy.

What good answers sound like:

• Clear about where they feel empowered and where they feel restricted
• Gives examples of situations where they wished they could act independently
• Shows good judgement about when to act and when to check

What to do with the answer: Clarify their authority explicitly. "If a drink isn't right, remake it without asking. If someone's unhappy, offer a replacement. If the grinder needs adjusting, adjust it." Clear boundaries are better than vague expectations.

"Is there anything you need from me that you're not getting?"

This is the most important question in the section. It directly asks whether you're doing your job as their manager. Whatever they say, write it down. Then do it or explain why you can't — within days, not at the next one-to-one.

What good answers sound like:

• Specific and actionable
• Trusts you enough to ask for something
• Acknowledges what you're already doing well alongside the gap

What to do with the answer: Deliver on it. Fast. If you make commitments and don't follow through, trust disappears and future one-to-ones become surface-level exercises.

Record energy levels, frustrations, and support requests. Flag anything that suggests burnout or flight risk — these notes are critical early-warning signs that need action, not just documentation.

Engagement Indicators

These are observational indicators you assess based on what you've seen during the week, not questions you ask directly. Tick each indicator that's genuinely present. Anything you can't tick is worth exploring — either in this meeting or through closer observation before the next one.

Experimenting with latte art or drink variations — Are they still practising new patterns, trying different milk texturing techniques, or exploring drink variations? A barista who experiments with their craft is engaged and growing. One who's stopped trying new things has either plateaued comfortably or lost interest.

Maintaining customer chat and engagement — Are they still greeting regulars by name, making small talk, and creating genuine connections? Or has service become transactional — take the order, make the drink, move on? Customer engagement is one of the earliest disengagement signals and it directly affects your cafe's atmosphere.

Attending shifts regularly without increased absences — Are they showing up reliably, or has attendance started to slip? Increasing absences are the clearest warning sign of disengagement. A single uncharacteristic absence is nothing; a pattern demands conversation.

Staying focused without clock-watching — Do they stay engaged through quieter periods, finding useful work or practising skills? Or do they start checking the time, leaning against the counter, or reaching for their phone? Sustained focus indicates someone who values being present.

Engaging positively about this cafe rather than others — Do they talk about your cafe with some pride, or are they constantly comparing it unfavourably to other places? A barista who mentions wanting to work at a specific competitor isn't necessarily leaving — but they're telling you what they value.

Maintaining quality focus and drink consistency — Are they still tasting their shots, adjusting the grinder, and caring about every drink? Or have they started letting substandard drinks pass? Quality focus is the purest measure of professional engagement.

Note which indicators you couldn't tick and what you've observed. If multiple indicators are absent, this barista needs urgent attention — increase frequency to twice-weekly and focus on understanding what's changed.

Actions and Follow-Up

At the end of every one-to-one, summarise what you've both agreed to do. Say it out loud before you finish:

"So by next week I'm going to: [your actions]. And you're going to: [their actions]. Is that right?"

Then send a brief text confirming: "From today: I'm sorting [X] + [Y]. You're trying [Z]. Chat next [day] at [time]."

What to record:

• Your commitments with deadlines (e.g., "Get the grinder serviced by Friday")
• Their commitments with deadlines (e.g., "Practise latte art rosetta for 10 minutes each quiet period")
• Any items to escalate to your manager
• Topics to revisit next time

Follow-through matters more than anything else in this template. If you promise something, tell them when you've done it — don't wait for the next meeting. Text: "Grinder is booked for service on Thursday." Baristas are used to working in environments where small things get forgotten. Being reliable sets you apart.

Session Notes

Record your overall impressions from the conversation: patterns you're noticing, changes in their engagement or quality focus, anything you want to revisit in future sessions.

This is also where you note how your approach should adapt:

• First 90 days: 80% listening, 20% guiding. Focus on understanding their craft background and learning style.
• Established relationship: Push into development territory. Brewing certifications, latte art progression, menu involvement.
• When things are going well: Share business context, ask for their input on menu decisions, acknowledge specific contributions.
• When things are struggling: Increase frequency, ask diagnostic questions, focus on support rather than criticism. Fix equipment and environment first.

Over time, these session notes create a narrative of your working relationship — invaluable for performance reviews and progression decisions.

What's next

Once you've established regular one-to-ones, the conversations you have will feed directly into formal performance reviews. See our guide on Barista performance reviews for how to use the evidence you gather in these sessions to write a thorough, fair assessment.

• Read our Barista job description for the full scope of responsibilities
• Check out our Barista onboarding guide if you're supporting someone in their first 90 days
• See our Barista interview questions if you're hiring for this role