Skip-Level Meeting

A skip-level meeting is a scheduled conversation between an employee and their manager's manager, held without the direct manager in the room. It gives senior leaders a first-hand view of how work, communication and decisions land two levels down.

Some people assume a skip-level is a way to go around a manager or to collect complaints. Done well, it is a planned, open habit that the direct manager knows about and gains from.

How is a skip-level different from a one-on-one or a town hall?

A one-on-one is the regular check-in between an employee and their direct manager. It covers current work, priorities and coaching. A skip-level moves one step up the chain, and the leader's job changes from managing the work to listening for patterns.

A town hall sits at the other end of the scale, with leadership speaking to everyone and questions asked in public. A skip-level is small and private, so it is where people say what they would not say in front of a crowd.

How often should skip-levels happen, and what format works?

A steady rhythm matters more than a long meeting. Many leaders hold each conversation once or twice a year per person, and thirty minutes is usually enough when the agenda is simple.

Meet one to one on small teams. On larger teams, use groups of four to six people and rotate invitations so everyone is reached over the year. Keep the same three prompts each time: what is working, what is getting in the way, and what should leadership know.

How should you prepare for a skip-level meeting?

Leaders should skim recent team results and survey comments, then arrive with questions rather than conclusions. Employees can bring two or three specific examples, one thing that works well and one request. Specific beats general every time.

For prompts, the skip-level section of HR Cloud's guide to questions to ask a CEO groups questions by team health, career and contribution, and how leaders operate. HR Cloud's advice on running meaningful employee meetings recommends sharing an agenda a few days ahead, which works here too.

How do you hold skip-levels without undermining the direct manager?

Tell managers before the program starts what the meetings are for: understanding the team, not auditing the manager. Share the calendar so nobody is surprised by who met whom.

The skip-level leader should not decide anything on the spot, reassign work or promise changes that belong to the manager. Send work issues back to the manager, and offer a three-way conversation if the employee agrees. Afterward, share themes with the manager, not attributed quotes.

Skip-levels also do not replace the continuous feedback loop between an employee and their manager. They check whether that loop is actually working.

What stays confidential, and when must HR step in?

Treat the conversation as discreet, not secret. Say at the start that you will keep what you hear to yourself, with exceptions for harassment, discrimination, retaliation, a safety hazard or a risk of harm. Those go to HR or your designated reporting channel.

Never promise absolute confidentiality, and do not investigate alone. Write a short factual note, pass it on promptly and let HR run the process. Check your handbook, and ask counsel how complaints must be handled where you operate.

How do skip-levels work for frontline and shift-based teams?

Frontline employees rarely have flexible calendars. Hold sessions on the floor, in a break room or by phone at a time that fits the shift, and offer slots for nights and weekends. Count the time as paid hours for hourly staff.

Do not rely on email invitations for people who may not check company email. Post times where shift staff will see them, and ask the shift supervisor to free each person for the conversation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can an employee ask for a skip-level meeting?

A: Yes, if the company allows it. Set a simple route, such as asking the leader's assistant or HR, so the request does not feel risky. Telling their manager is a courtesy, not a requirement.

Q: Is a skip-level the same as going over your manager's head?

A: No. Going over someone's head is an unplanned escalation after a dispute. A skip-level is routine, scheduled for everyone, and open to the manager.

Q: How many levels up can a skip-level go?

A: Two levels is the standard. In larger organizations, executives may meet people several levels below them, which still counts as a skip-level as long as the purpose is listening.

Q: What should a leader do with feedback afterward?

A: Group comments into themes, choose one or two to act on, and report back to participants within a few weeks. People stop speaking up when nothing visibly changes.

Q: Do small companies need skip-levels?

A: They help whenever an owner or director sits a level above a team lead. Keep it informal, such as a monthly coffee with a few team members, rather than building a program.

Q: What should leaders avoid asking?

A: Avoid asking employees to rate or criticize their manager. Questions like "what should I know about your day?" invite honest answers without turning the meeting into gossip.