We all know that meetings can be an essential aspect of managing a business. Among other things, meetings can be an avenue for management to communicate vital information to staff, for team members to brainstorm, and for colleagues to collaborate on ongoing projects.
But, if not managed well, meetings can be time-consuming, leading to employees becoming less productive. Meetings can also be taken over by extroverts, leaving important ideas missing from quiet members of the team.
What’s more, many organizations increased the number of daily meetings after the COVID-19 pandemic led to a dramatic increase in remote work. The intention, in many instances, was to maintain or increase collaboration and communication with employees no longer working face-to-face in the office. Instead, it led to the phenomenon of “Zoom fatigue.”
A 2022 survey by Otter.ai, which makes a meeting transcription and collaboration tool, found that nearly one-third of meetings are unnecessary, leading to millions of wasted dollars for organizations. Research published in a 2022 Harvard Business Review article shows that more than 90% of employees consider meetings “costly and unproductive.”
So, what’s an employer to do in response to the growing meeting backlash? What can you do to meet less frequently? How can you make the meetings you have more productive and efficient? The following are some options to consider:
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Make one day a week off-limits. Some organizations have introduced a culture of offering one day of no meetings in a week, mainly on Fridays. The no-meeting Friday practice is intended to reduce burnout, encourage collaboration, offer work-life balance, and allow employees time to plan for the following week.