Does Every Meeting Need an Agenda?

However, employees’ biggest pet hates include not having a meeting agenda, or having one so vague that they don’t know in advance what’s going on, according to a poll by Zippa.

Attendees like to know how relevant the topics are to them and how they need to prepare, with a clear objective being vital to their attendance and engagement.

A report by Fellow has revealed an agenda is a determining factor in boosting interest in the meeting. Knowing that their opinion counts, a chance for active collaboration and actionable takeaways are also very important.

What is the purpose of a meeting agenda?

A meeting agenda sets clear expectations so everyone can properly prepare and maintain their focus during the gathering. A meeting where the debate wanders off topic seems irrelevant to most.

An agenda can guide the event to ensure everyone has a chance to fully participate. Setting clear expectations leaves employees more confident in the usefulness of the meeting and this avoids a situation where some are left thinking it has been a waste of their time.

A study by Slido, The Online Meeting Revolution, revealed 54% of employees believe their managers’ facilitation skills are inadequate. Clearly-defined expectations also means organisers can evaluate the success of their meeting and whether it has met its purpose.

Formal vs informal meetings

While the value of planning and setting expectations is recognised, this still leaves the more complex question of whether an agenda is needed for every meeting.

There are different types of meetings that fall into the categories of formal and informal, so is an agenda always necessary?

Some formal meetings need more planning than others and will take much longer to organise. For example, a three-day conference for all departments will need vastly more organisation than your weekly team meeting – and an agenda is crucial to ensure its smooth running!

When it comes to team meetings, agendas are important to ensure everyone’s on the same page and individuals know their role in the whole project. The agenda will include the topics and tasks that the team needs to cover. It will ideally include an estimated timescale to finalise each section effectively, with an appointed timekeeper ensuring it remains on track.

Each team member will lead the meeting through the particular section that’s part of their remit. The delegates should have viable and deliverable takeaways afterwards, so they have a clear idea of how to proceed.

At the other end of the scale, an informal meeting at work may take little or no organisation. If you’re just meeting one or two members of staff on a daily basis for a quick catch-up, most team leaders will agree an agenda isn’t necessary, as this isn’t a formal get-together.

An alternative can include an email advising the time and venue of the meeting, with a brief description of the topic. A group chat on a collaborative platform can also pave the way for an informal meeting.

Providing an agenda is simply courtesy if you are entering into a formal meeting. The chair, key speakers and delegates should know in advance the purpose of the gathering so they can make a meaningful contribution.

Research by Highfive suggests the amount of time we spend in meetings has increased by 10% in the past year, with the average being between 30 and 60 minutes. In a formal meeting, an agenda is vital, as the length of the gathering can increase by as much as 80% if attendees veer off-topic in debates.

Preparing an agenda

When drawing up an agenda, make a list of proposed attendees so the right people are in the room to answer questions and make decisions if required.

Determine the desired outcome for each item, such as whether a decision is needed, or whether this is simply an update to enable team members to go away and do more work on the project.

A commonly used practice is defining which agenda items are the highest priority, rating from “urgent” to “low”. This works if the meeting sticks to its timescale, but if it overruns, you may find the items marked low priority won’t be discussed and will be held over until next time.

If you have a clearly defined picture of how many agenda items there are and how long it should take to debate them, it will make life easier for everyone. If there’s any doubt, some organisers increase their projected meeting length by between 25% and 33% to allow for the unexpected.

Colleagues would rather anticipate a longer meeting and then have an earlier finish, than expecting a shorter meeting and finding they have to stay late.

Managing discussions

There are several ways to manage the discussion of agenda topics. One of the most common is simply going round the table or room, taking it in turns to comment. Another is asking attendees to give feedback by responding to a specific question about a project or idea.

Sharing the information is important: for example, one person who has knowledge of the project can describe it, share their needs for how to handle it and ask the relevant colleagues for help. A discussion can then follow on who’s doing what and when.

Another popular function of the meeting is brainstorming several items on an agenda and asking attendees to rank their priorities. This will gauge how everyone feels about the suggestions and enables the team leader to refine their input into an action plan.

Best place to hold a meeting

A formal meeting is likely to benefit from a purpose-built venue, where there won’t be the usual workplace interruptions of your regular office.

Research has found only 53% of conference rooms at the average workplace can comfortably hold more than seven people, so it can be an advantage to rent a venue.

Many businesses are using meeting room hire because it offers an ideal setting with the best tech equipment, bespoke seating arrangements, fast internet and refreshments. This takes some of the hassle out of organising a large meeting, as you can concentrate on preparing the agenda and ensuring the right people are there.

Businesses seeking professional meeting room hire in Birmingham are finding the city an ideal location. In fact, it’s fast becoming the ultimate corporate event location outside London, with a host of unique amenities where delegates can relax post-meeting.