Five occasions when a face-to-face meeting is best
Thanks to advances in technology, you could actually communicate solely with your colleagues and clients via video-conferencing, email, telephone and social media.
However, there are some occasions when meeting with someone in person is simply more effective. We take a look at five occasions when getting together face-to-face can really pay off.
If you are hiring someone…
While a growing number of recruiters use telephone interviews to weed out candidates in the early stages, it’s important to meet a prospective employee face-to-face before offering them a job. Meeting in person gives you a chance to get to know the applicant better and take note of their body language and the way they present themselves, as well as what they say. Inviting candidates to meet you in person also helps give them a better idea of what your company is about, which could make them more keen to work with you and avoid incidents of staff leaving after a short period.
If you have a big announcement…
Lots of companies now share all information via email or on the company intranet, but for a big announcement, whether it’s good or bad news, it’s always best to deliver it in person. By gathering staff together for an announcement, you give them the opportunity to ask questions and express their opinions and it’s also possible for you to gauge how they have reacted to the news and assess whether you need to take any further action. Communicating with staff face-to-face can also help prevent gossip and rumours spreading through the workplace.
If you need to create a good first impression…
If you’ve started working with a new client or partner, it can really strengthen the relationship if you have some face-to-face meetings to start off with, after all, it’s much easier to bond with someone if you’ve actually met them rather than simply exchanged emails.
If you need to boost staff morale…
If you are struggling with staff morale, it can be a good idea to sit down with anyone affected and have a catch-up, whether it’s as a group or one-on-one. Not only does this give people a chance to tell you how they are really feeling, it shows your employees that you are interested in them and their wellbeing. You may also find that workers are more candid in a face-to-face meeting than they would be if they had to write their issues down or discuss them over the phone.
If you need to resolve an issue…
Conflict is often unavoidable in the workplace and the best way to deal with it is head-on and face-to-face. Meeting in person allows you to observe the other person’s reactions and clarify your own intentions, while having an opportunity to discuss any problems which have arisen will hopefully result in a more positive outcome.
If you are disciplining an employee, this is also better done in person as there’s less room for misunderstanding and it enables you to read the situation and take steps to manage it effectively.
Posted by Julie Tucker
