How are you?

I can guarantee you have had a conversation like this…

“Hi, how are you?”

“I’m good thanks, how are you?

“Yeah, good thanks”

End of conversation.

Have you ever heard the advice that you should say, “How are you, no really how are you?”. By saying this you are much more likely to get an honest response.

This is something we should be advising managers to do in their 1:1’s as standard.

But we should go beyond that to really start a conversation. We never know how someone’s mental health is and by having a conversation we may just have the conversation that they needed on that day.

There are managers how there who find it uncomfortable asking people deeper questions and really trying to uncover how they’re doing.

They may feel comfortable with some of the questions below. Comfortable enough to weave them into their conversations with their teams.

Questions for conversations

1. How's your day been so far?

2. What have you been up to lately?

3. How's everything going in your world?

4. Tell me about your day.

5. What's new and exciting in your life?

6. How's life treating you these days?

7. How's your week shaping up?

8. What's on your mind today?

9. Any interesting news to share?

10. Is there anything you'd like to talk about?

11. How's your [specific project or task] coming along?

12. What's the latest in your world?

13. What's making you smile today?

14. Any plans for the weekend?

15. Tell me something good that's happened recently.

16. How's your family doing?

17. How's your health these days?

18. What's been on your plate lately?

19. How's your work-life balance these days?

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

21. How's your day been treating you?

22. Have you learned anything new lately?

23. Any travel plans on the horizon?

24. What's your go-to stress-relief strategy?

25. How's your motivation level?

26. What's been bringing you joy recently?

27. Any goals or aspirations you're working toward?

28. What's the most interesting thing you've read or seen lately?

29. How's your productivity today?

30. What's the best piece of advice you've received recently?

31. How's your sleep been?

32. How's your commute treating you?

33. Is there anything you need right now?

34. Has anything been on your mind that you’d like to talk about?

35. What can I do to help?