In a matrix structure, one employee reports to two managers — for example, a direct manager and a supervisor. 15Five supports one direct manager per person, so the secondary manager gains access by following the employee's Check-ins. Both the direct manager and the follower can view and comment on the employee's Check-ins.
Before You Begin
- You must have Admin access to edit manager assignments.
- 15Five assigns one direct manager per employee. The secondary manager cannot be assigned as a second direct manager.
- The secondary manager must have an active 15Five account before they can request to follow someone.
Steps
- Go to Settings → People → Manage People.
- Locate the employee in the list and open their profile.
- Assign the primary manager in the Manager field.
- Save the employee's profile.
- Instruct the secondary manager to navigate to the employee's profile in 15Five.
- Have the secondary manager select Follow to request access to the employee's Check-ins.
- Confirm the follow request is active before the next Check-in cycle.
If Something Goes Wrong
| Issue | Check | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Secondary manager cannot find the Follow option | Confirm the secondary manager has an active 15Five account | Ask an Admin to verify the account status under Settings → People |
| Secondary manager can see Check-ins but cannot comment | Confirm the follow request was accepted, not still pending | Have the employee or Admin approve the pending follow request |
| Wrong manager assigned as direct manager | Check the employee's profile under Manage People | Edit the Manager field and save the profile |
| Employee has no direct manager assigned | Verify setup before advising the secondary manager to follow | Assign the direct manager first, then repeat from Step 5 |
Not Covered Here
This article does not cover how an employee or manager accepts or manages follow requests — see the follow-a-teammate article for those steps.