Whether in-house, or your meetings stretch further afield, catering to your team’s needs and wants goes a long way to ensuring they feel at home in their meeting environment.
These five steps are essential to creating the best possible meeting environment.
You should make sure that the meeting is essential and not have too many participants.
Companies have historically loved to hold meetings, whether that’s to brief high-paid managers on the latest and greatest or to share progress and ideas among a team. Meetings can be daunting for many people who prefer to work hard and keep their heads low. An hour out of somebody’s day could be the difference between them completing a task and not.
It’s crucial, then, to make sure that the right people are at a meeting. Only invite people who can benefit from the discussion. If somebody doesn’t need to attend a meeting, letting them continue with their work is likely to prove far more practical.
Also, ensure that meetings are strictly necessary. If it’s something that can be shared in an email, why bother pulling together teams from across the building to sit in the same room for something so simple?
No matter how long the meeting is, it should be short and sweet. Also, don’t forget to stay on topic. Going off on a tangent may seem like a good idea when you’re in the same room as somebody else, but it may not be beneficial to everybody.
Plan!
You’ve set aside an hour of everybody’s time, so have a plan. A well-planned agenda allows for the discussion of key points with input from all participants. This is a hallmark of a good meeting. This agenda should be prepared in advance. You will have a smooth meeting if you stick to it.
It is a good idea to share the agenda with participants before it begins. This lets them know what to expect and what they should do. This can help participants know when to talk and when to stay quiet; a disorganized meeting can put workers under a lot of stress which certainly doesn’t create a healthy meeting environment.
It is crucial to plan well and make the most of your time. However, there are other things that you can plan. Consider what equipment you might need to support your meeting. If you plan to rely on technology, make sure that all necessary connections are available and have them set up in advance.
Your meeting should be timed optimally
People who are present make up a part of the experience. Therefore, careful consideration should be given to the time. While workers’ productivity levels drop off towards the end of the week, they’re at an all-time high during the first few days. It’s best to avoid end-of-week meetings whether they’re to report good news, bad news or to introduce a new project because a lack of enthusiasm could dampen the overall mood.
The same goes for the optimal times of the day. People are more likely to be distracted by their personal lives at the end, while hungry workers may be less open to new ideas and information around lunchtime. A mid-morning slot is a good option. You can also bring snacks to satisfy any cravings or boost morale.
Pick the right place
There are many factors to consider when creating a great work environment. It can be easy to forget to take into account the physical environment. Sometimes there’s not a lot that can be done about this as you may be restricted to certain office spaces, but there are some things that you can do to improve a team’s experience.
Choosing a well-lit room is top priority: without realizing, you could be confusing your workers’ internal body clocks and as a result they could prove less receptive and productive. The best environment will be well-lit with natural sources like large windows to the exterior, but if this just isn’t possible, it may be worth considering the warmth of the lights in the office. Warmer lights are more conducive to productivity.
Next, you need to decide how private the spaces are. It can be distracting to hear other noises in a room, so it is important to choose a space that is far from the main office.
If your meeting relies on a presentation, or maybe it involves talking to other people using videoconferencing software, it’s worth paying attention to the setup you use. Your staff can find it tiring to focus on a screen. A large, clear display may help reduce this strain. A good set if speakers and, where needed, a high definition microphone will provide the best experience in an online meeting. In this instance, a good video bar might help soften an otherwise harsh environment.
You can make your virtual space and office more comfortable by paying as much attention as you do to your physical space. Just like you wouldn’t want a cluttered desk, try to keep presentation slides to a minimum and keep video tiles as large as possible when making video calls.
Make sure everyone is seated comfortably
It has been difficult for many years to balance comfort and productivity. We think that talking with your team about their preferences could lead to the best possible meeting environment. It is well-known that workers who feel more involved in the work environment are more likely to contribute.
You can create an inviting environment by changing the seating plan. U-shape tables and squares that look like islands are some of the best. This allows everyone to face each other. Mix seniors with juniors and leave out managers. This helps to eliminate the fear of hierarchy and encourages more participation.
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