One-on-ones that aren't a waste of time
Most one-on-ones are unstructured chats that drift. A simple format makes them the most useful 20 minutes of the month.
Monthly, 20 minutes, off the floor
Off-site or at least off the shop floor. Same time monthly. Predictability beats spontaneity.
Three questions, theirs first
'What's working? What's frustrating? What do you want to learn next?' Their answers first, your feedback second. Most one-on-ones invert this and become lectures.
End with one commitment from each side
One thing you'll do, one thing they'll do, by next month. Written down. Reviewed first thing at the next one-on-one.
Take your version of this question further
This is one operator-tested angle on the question. Your shop, your size, your trade, and your team change the answer. Ask your specific version inside Ask a Shop Owner to get a response grounded in how owners like you actually handled it.