5 reasons to have a meeting
Meetings need a purpose to be productive; we outline some good reasons to get the whole team together.
To offer support
Meetings can be a way of providing much-needed support to employees, helping them cope with the stresses of the workplace and issues at home. As with any problem, getting it out in the open is the first step to finding a solution.
Research shows an increasing number of health workers are taking part in monthly support meetings to discuss the emotional impacts and dilemmas of their jobs – and it’s working.
Thousands of healthcare professionals in the UK now participate in something called the Schwartz Rounds initiative.
It’s designed to create a culture of compassionate patient care by supporting staff and letting them express their opinions. There has been a fourfold rise in the number of groups taking part since 2013 – proof that it’s having a positive impact, according to the Nursing Times.
To make a big decision
When it comes to making big calls, meetings can help evaluate options and reach a definitive decision.
Business is all about results – and time is usually of the essence – so the thoughts of your workforce matter. Gathering a group your trusted employees and letting them have their say can be extremely beneficial.
The immediacy and interaction of the situation gets results. But don’t let meetings overrun. Google, for instance, always has a clear decision maker in its meetings to make sure a decision is reached on time.
To give praise
Employees thrive on praise, especially when given face-to-face. Meetings are therefore the perfect way to laud the good work of your staff, rather than simply sending an email or handing out the employee-of-the-month award.
You could do this one-on-one, or single them out in front of a group. Both are extremely effective when it comes to motivation.
Try starting each meeting by highlighting the outstanding work of your employees. This can help create a recognition culture. Peer pressure and natural competitiveness cause staff to go above and beyond.
To share news
News can usually be shared via email or a note on the noticeboard. But when it comes to emotionally charged news, things that will likely cause an emotional reaction from your employees, meetings work best.
Providing everyone with the information at the same time ensures you don’t accidentally leave anyone out, plus it helps prevent an unwanted wave of Chinese whispers circulating around the office.
Emotive news will undoubtedly lead to lots of questions, so it’s a sensible move to lift the lid on it in one go. What’s more, holding a meeting lets all of the participants hear the answers to the questions that others ask.
To generate ideas
The dynamics of group interaction can stimulate thinking. Ideas bounce off participants during meetings, triggering inspiration and providing you with a number of new ideas to move forward with.
To stay one step ahead of the game, inform participants beforehand that the meeting will be about idea generation. This will give them time to prepare and bring a host of ideas to the table at the beginning.
Tech giant Apple constantly holds meetings to question employees about their ideas. It believes that everyone should be willing to defend their ideas and work from honest criticism. Steve Jobs was notorious for his aggressive questioning.
Posted by Julie Tucker
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