"How are you really doing?" Check-in
Anyone who wants to know how their employees are doing has to ask – regularly, with a low threshold, and in a way that makes honest answers possible. The weekly mood check-in is the simplest and most effective early-warning system for mental strain in the workplace.
What a scale from 1 to 5 makes visible One number per person per week sounds simple. But aggregated across a team, it reveals patterns that stay invisible in everyday life: a team averaging 2.1 for three weeks straight sends a signal that managers would never have seen without this instrument. The check-in creates a language for something that would otherwise stay silent – without anyone having to explicitly talk about their state.
How anonymity and openness work together The most important design parameter is safety. Anyone who fears a low check-in score will end up as a talking point in a performance review will report a 4 out of 5 – no matter how they actually feel. Good implementations show managers aggregated team scores, not individual entries. The optional comment allows people to say more – without forcing them to. The result is an honest picture that can serve as a basis for real support.
How to put it in place
- 1Announce it in the next team meeting
- 2Rule: everyone says 1 sentence – honest, no judgment
- 3As team lead, go first and share honestly yourself
- 4No pressure – anyone who doesn't want to can say "pass"
- 5After 4 weeks, reflect: what has changed?
What you need
- Effort
- under 30 min
- Cost
- Free
- Setup
- 5 min
- ✓ Free
- ✓ Culture change
- ✓ Early warning system for overload
- ✓ 2 minutes per meeting
Eligible for funding: up to €600 tax-free
As part of a structured workplace health process, this measure is tax-free under § 3 no. 34 of the German Income Tax Act (EStG) up to €600 per employee per year — BGF-Kompass supplies the process. Certified offers (e.g. from Upfit) are additionally subsidised by statutory health insurers under § 20b SGB V.
Health-insurer funding & tax: how to apply →Adopt it for your company
Register for free — and the measure is ready to go in your cockpit: invitation, feedback survey and appointment are already set up. First cycle, first numbers for the boss.
Start for free nowRather take a look first? To the live demo →
Contributes to
Measure the impact with
Action field
Stress & Mental Health →A fitting occasion
Related best practices
Not sure where to start? 5-minute self-check →