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A recent Tech Republic survey showed that 83% of employees spend between four and 12 hours weekly in meetings. That’s a lot! And while it’s essential to connect and align teams around shared organizational goals, much of the time we spend in meetings is wasted—either discussing unrelated topics or tangents or (especially in the case of video conferences and Zoom meetings) simply tuning out because of poor connections or disengagement.
The truth is that meetings are costly. In a large corporation, weekly middle-management meetings can cost upwards of $15 million yearly! With that in mind, if you allocate resources to meetings, you better make them productive.
Make Your Meetings Matter
These days, most companies are doing more with fewer staff and need strategies to optimize the working hours. Fortunately, we’ve got a few meeting-specific tips to keep everybody on track. Try putting these ideas into play for your next meeting!
1. Optimize the Scheduling Workflow
One of the biggest time sucks is scheduling, especially when you have a lot of remote employees. An online tool like Calendly helps organizers connect with stakeholders without much back and forth. Calendly is free, has many cool features, and integrates with most productivity apps, including Office 365, Google, and iCloud.
2. Create an Agenda Ahead of Time
Having an established agenda is a great way to make meetings more productive. You can send the meeting rundown to attendees beforehand, so they know what to expect and prepare for. Be sure to stick to the agenda as much as possible. If you veer off into a side discussion, note the idea and table it for future consideration.
3. Take Notes Without Taking Notes
If meeting attendees are constantly taking notes, it’s easy to miss details here and there. Check out Otter, an online app that records your meetings, transcribes what’s said, then automatically sends the transcription to everyone in the group when the meeting is done. The free version of Otter gives you 600 monthly minutes, which is usually plenty for small companies. The time and effort your team will save add up quickly!
4. Don’t Invite People Who Don’t Need to be There
There’s nothing worse than sitting in a meeting that’s totally irrelevant to you. For example, you probably don’t need to invite your finance people to a sales meeting unless it’s relevant to the discussion. Keep the invite list concise to minimize wasted time. Doing so shows respect for the individual and ensures they will be present when it counts.
5. Ensure All Attendees Have a Chance to Weigh In
In hybrid meeting environments, there is a tendency to give more speaking time to physically present people. Don’t overlook your remote employees, as they are at the most risk of disengaging. Allow everyone in the meeting time to speak. Assign a timekeeper if you need to, and don’t allow outspoken people to dominate the conversation.
Bonus Tip: Productivity Needs Great Connections!
When meeting with remote and in-office employees, connection quality is critical. Fast internet, crystal clear audio, and high-resolution video ensure you never miss an opportunity to engage in meetings. The on-demand meeting rooms at Fusion Workplaces are fully equipped with the latest technology, and our staff is always on hand to help. Book your next meeting today, and let’s get to work!
