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5 Tips for Holding Successful Meetings

If your company meetings haven’t been as productive as you might like, the problem could lie in a number of common mistakes. Consider these tips before, during, and after your meetings to ensure that all participants get out of each meeting what you put into them.

1. Make Sure the Topic Warrants a Formal Meeting

Most of us have seen those blue ribbons floating around social media that read, “I survived a meeting that should have been an email.” Sitting in conference rooms eats up huge chunks of an employee’s day, so make sure the meeting you’re planning actually requires a formal get-together before you schedule it. 

If you only need a short answer to a question, stop by your coworker’s desk and ask in person or send an email. You may also want to incorporate small, casual meeting spaces for impromptu chats between just a few employees. This will provide designated areas for coworkers to meet at a moment’s notice to discuss something that may only require 10 or 15 minutes of talking time.

2. Make Sure All Participants Are Relevant to the Topic

On the same wavelength, only invite relevant participants to your meetings.  Filling a conference room with excess people will hinder productivity. Rather than inviting a whole team to a given meeting, you may want to invite one team member and have them relay action items to others in the group. Who you invite to your meetings will largely depend on the topic and who it affects, but remember that more is not always merrier when it comes to meetings.

3. Stay on Topic

It can be very easy to go off topic in a meeting—especially with many participants. If you are the organizer, you may want to set an agenda and distribute it the day before to prevent off-topic conversations. This will keep everyone on the same page and provide an easy outline for everything that needs to be discussed in the allotted time.

4. Keep an Eye on the Clock

The first step toward good time management during a meeting is scheduling it for the appropriate amount of time. Although you don’t want to waste time by scheduling a meeting for too long of a time slot, you also want to make sure your expectations for how long a meeting will take are realistic—don’t try to do too much in a small amount of time. Stay aware of what time it is throughout the meeting so you can cover everything you want to within the given time.

5. Wrap up Effectively

When you bring your meeting to a close, make action steps for each participant clear, ensuring that everyone understands what to take away when they return to their desks. For larger meetings, you may want to email participants a summary of what was discussed and what action steps are needed. Be sure to give clear directions, not suggestions, and provide deadlines whenever possible.

 

More From NBF

Meeting Culture: What It Is and How to Improve It

Meeting Culture: What It Is and How to Improve It

According to a survey released by Clarizen and Harris Poll, the average American office employee spends more than 9 hours each week prepping for or attending meetings. It’s a huge portion of workers' time; unfortunately, it might not be productively spent. 

While everyone can agree that sometimes meetings aren’t their favorite pastime, they serve a purpose. They provide an environment where employees can gather, share ideas, and collaborate on projects, campaigns, and strategy. 

Many experts feel employee dissatisfaction isn’t about the meetings but the meeting culture. Is your meeting culture lacking? Here are some signs that it might not be as great as you want it to be:

  • Meeting attendees are disengaged. This may take the form of blatant cell phone use.

  • Meeting attendees are uncomfortable. Maybe they are rubbing their neck or constantly adjusting their position, trying to get comfortable in their chair.

  • Workers complain about how long meetings are. If your meetings last more than an hour, it may be time to reevaluate if that time is necessary.

  • Your meetings end without clear action points for each member to perform independently or in smaller teams.

If you think you need to improve your meeting culture, consider meeting time frames and meeting attendants. Ensure the time scheduled is appropriate and every participant is necessary. If meetings are too long and individuals see no benefit to attending, they will likely disengage quickly. An unfocused employee is distracting to others and decreases productivity if the unneeded employee is stuck in a meeting instead of working.

Outfitting any meeting or conference room with comfortable seating is essential, especially if you consistently hold longer meetings. Uncomfortable employees are less likely to be actively engaged in the conversation.

 

Another necessary component of positive meeting culture is to ensure that each meeting is useful for all. Creating informed action items for each attendee from the discussion can help make meetings more valuable for employees and the company.

 

The Pros and Cons of Standing Meetings

The Pros and Cons of Standing Meetings

It’s a fact of life—we sit, and we do a lot of it, especially at work. Unfortunately, our sedentary habits come with a cost—negative health effects. Research has shown us how much we can benefit by merely standing for short periods. In fact, research has shown that balance and moderation of both sitting and standing is the way to go to have healthy and effective working habits.

One way to incorporate more standing into your daily routine is to have standing meetings. These meetings have advantages and disadvantages. While attendees of standing meetings tend to be more focused on the task at hand, they are not always the most efficient. Occasionally, standing does not allow us to work in the ways we need to, such as when it comes to stooping over to take notes. Standing meetings help us get moving and ward off negative health effects, but they simply are not appropriate for all meetings.

It’s best to offer a variety of meeting rooms or perhaps just one that lends itself to many different uses, from holding standing brainstorming sessions to hour-long executive meetings. Of course, furniture is a critical component when it comes to creating these rooms, as it shapes so much of the room’s purpose and potential. Know that everyone works and meets differently, so offering a varied approach to meeting settings is ideal for holding productive meetings—no matter which variety they may be.

How to Hold More Active Meetings

How to Hold More Active Meetings

As business owners and employees become more aware of the negative effects of sitting all day on our bodies, we need new ways of staying active on the job. We all know standing desks are a great solution for keeping moving at our desks, but what about those of us who are stuck in meetings all day? Here are some creative solutions for giving everyone in your conference rooms the option to move freely throughout the day.

Choose an Adjustable-Height Conference Table

That’s right, adjustable-height furniture doesn’t only come in desk form! Adjustable-height conference tables come in a wide range of styles and sizes, allowing meeting members to decide when they’d like to sit or stand. Remember to provide stools rather than standard conference chairs in a meeting room with an adjustable-height table. This way, users can still take a seat if they prefer when the table is set to standing height. Remember, it’s all about offering everyone a choice.

Offer Active Seating in Your Conference Rooms

While stools are ideal for the standing conference room, you may also want to offer active seating options such as ball chairs or leaning stools that promote positive fidgeting. Active seating allows meeting members to move freely while they sit, encouraging movement in a setting that would normally prevent it. Beware of what type of conference room these seating options are provided in, as the fidgeting active seating promotes can be potentially distracting. We suggest offering these seating options in more casual offices or meeting spaces. 

Hold Active Meetings Outside the Office

If possible, try holding meetings outside the office from time to time. Even a short walk to a new location will get employees moving, which gets those creative juices flowing. If you’re feeling extra ambitious, you can even try holding the meeting while walking. This type of meeting is typically only viable with a small number of participants, and you should make sure that everyone is on board with it before the meeting. Not everyone is physically able to walk for even short distances.

 

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