If your meetings end up being unproductive, open-ended discussions with no real agenda in your hourly office rental, you should consider whether you need those meetings at all. The key to running a productive meeting is knowing when meetings are actually necessary.
When Are Meetings Necessary?
Regular meetings are necessary when the nature of work involves changes that require quick decisions and a level of communication that can’t be achieved over a group chat or quick phone call. More than a few managers have fallen into the trap of conducting meetings because they’re on a schedule, not because there are important updates. If you find yourself spending most of the meeting “checking in” on your team, then the meeting may not be necessary at all, especially if you have capable and well-motivated employees.
Time is a key consideration when trying to decide whether or not you should have a meeting. You are, after all, using work hours (and perhaps conference room rental hours) to organize and lead the meeting. You’re also using the work hours of everyone in attendance, so make sure the time counts. Focus on concerns that require a timely response instead of trying to keep yourself abreast of everyone’s projects. The hours could add up especially if you’re presiding over a multi-department meeting.
When Not to Call for Meetings
Updates and catching everyone up can be done in many ways, using resources that do not require a meeting. For instance, project updates can be posted using virtual bulletin boards, task management apps or even shared spreadsheets. Regularly updating project statuses take far less time to do than organizing and actually attending a meeting.
If you absolutely must have a meeting, try to keep it short, and use other means, such as video conferencing, if getting everyone in the same room on time is a problem. A change in environment may also help, so consider having a lunch meeting, or holding the meeting in a rented space.
To learn more about meeting room rentals for your next team meeting, call 191 Works today at (203) 405-0005. You can also fill out our contact form and one of our team members will get in touch with you.
