According to Zippia, 71% of meetings are considered unproductive and 91% of employees find themselves daydreaming and getting distracted during work meetings.
These statistics show that many employees find meetings to be unnecessary and even boring. Meetings are essential in a business, so it is important to make them effective.
Here are some tips to running effective meetings:
Start and end on time
Meetings need to start on time. This will help employees and managers understand the importance of showing up on time. If the person directing the meeting is late, it will leave attendees to wonder why their time is being wasted. In addition, if employees show up late to meetings, they may miss important information. Starting meetings exactly on time will let everyone know that their time is not being wasted and the information they will receive is important enough not to miss.
Ending on time is just as important as starting on time. No one enjoys sitting at a meeting not knowing when it will end. Ending on time will allow employees to get back to work and continue their day.
Be prepared
The key to having an effective meeting is preparation. Being prepared will help meetings run smoothly and will minimize the amount of unnecessary information.
Here are some ways to be prepared for a meeting:
- Send out meeting invites
- Prepare slides
- Have a list of topics that need to be covered
- Know the meeting’s objectives
- Determine start and end time for the meeting
Have a clear purpose
While this may seem obvious, many employees say they attend work meetings that do not seem to have a purpose. Since meetings typically cut into employee working hours, there needs to be a clear reason for why a meeting is being held.
Managers need to come up with a plan ahead of time and address the purpose of the meeting right when it starts. Stating the purpose of a meeting will help employees understand the topic and be more engaged in the information.
Increase engagement
Instead of leaders just reading off PowerPoint slides the entire meeting, try to make the time engaging. Invite participants to answer questions, share their thoughts, and give feedback.
Meetings can also be a time to appreciate your employees and give them recognition for their accomplishments. This will help engage participants and make them feel valued.
Here are some ways to increase engagement in meetings:
- Start with an icebreaker
- Call on individuals to share their thoughts
- Have positive body language
- Reward good ideas
- Find something to celebrate
- Allow time for questions and answers
Change the scenery
When you start to notice low energy from your employees, try to change the scenery of your meetings. It could be as simple as taking the meeting outdoors for some fresh air. This can help motivate employees to move around and enjoy a new location for a meeting. You can also consider holding meetings at a nearby café or park.
Meetings can be very effective if they are presented in an engaging and meaningful way. Leaders should consider these tips for running effective meetings so that their participants can find value in the meetings being held.