People Manager Toolkit

One-on-ones, feedback, documentation, and knowing when to involve HR are all part of managing people well. The People Manager Toolkit brings them together in a practical playbook, conversation scripts, and a workbook that tracks who is overdue. Read the playbook, set up your team in the workbook, and use the scripts when a difficult conversation comes up.

Four tools for everyday management and difficult conversations

Start Here explains the recommended order. Each of the four tools has a specific purpose and can also be used on its own.

• The Manager’s Playbook. Understand your responsibilities as a manager, how to run one-on-ones and give feedback, what to document, and when to involve HR.
• Manager Scripts and Templates. Word-for-word openings for difficult conversations, plus editable templates for one-on-ones, feedback, and documentation.
• Manager Toolkit Workbook. Your team, one-on-one and documentation logs, goals, and a dashboard that flags who is overdue for a one-on-one or a review.
• Manager Quick Reference. A one-page guide to weekly management habits, useful conversation approaches, and situations that call for HR involvement.

Where to begin

Start with the Playbook, keep the Quick Reference nearby, set up your workbook, and turn to the scripts when you need them.

• Get familiar with the Playbook. Review your responsibilities, how to run one-on-ones and give feedback, what to document, and when a situation should involve HR.
• Print the Quick Reference and set up your workbook. Keep the one-page reminder handy, add your team, and record one-on-ones and notes as they happen. The dashboard identifies who is overdue.
• Use the scripts for difficult conversations. Choose the script that fits the situation, use it almost word for word, and maintain your documentation log throughout the year.

Who this is for and other options

Built for

• A new or first-line manager who wants clear guidance for everyday responsibilities and employee conversations.
• An HR team equipping managers with consistent scripts, habits, and documentation across the company.
• An operator who manages employees directly and handles the everyday HR decisions that come with the role.

If you are looking for

• The formal review cycle, ratings, and calibration. The Performance Review and Calibration Toolkit covers that.
• For decisions and documentation involving a step toward termination, see the Discipline and Termination Decision Kit.

Before you buy

What format is it and can I edit it?

The download is eight files: a Start Here, The Manager’s Playbook and the one page Manager Quick Reference as PDFs, the Manager Scripts and Templates as both an editable Word file and a PDF copy, the Manager Toolkit Workbook in Excel (it also works in Google Sheets), the product license, and a short guide to using the workbook in Google Sheets.

Does it track one-on-ones and reviews?

Yes. The workbook holds your team, one-on-one and documentation logs, and goals, and the dashboard flags who is overdue for a one-on-one or a review.

What is the refund policy?

Digital products are covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee. To request a refund, email support@truestephr.com or reply to your receipt within 30 days of purchase.

What happens after I buy?

Your download link appears immediately after checkout. Your receipt arrives by email with the same link. Open Start Here first for the recommended order. For setup questions, email support@truestephr.com.

How the download works

Your files arrive as a single ZIP download, best opened on a computer. Save it, extract it (right-click and select Extract All on Windows, or double-click on a Mac), then open the Start Here file first. PDFs open in any reader, and editable files work in Microsoft Word and Excel or free equivalents, including LibreOffice, Google Docs, and Google Sheets. No other software is needed. Step-by-step help for every device is at truestephr.com/pages/download-help.

Scope

These working tools and editable templates help you handle performance, conduct, and people decisions clearly, consistently, and defensibly. Performance, pay, and conduct conversations can have legal consequences, and discipline, documentation, and termination rules vary by state. For potential discipline or separation, or complaints involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation, or safety, have qualified counsel review the facts and your next step against applicable law before you act. General HR information, not legal advice.