Ways of making meetings more attractive for employees

One of the problems about holding business meetings is the moans and groans that we all know some workers will react with when they are asked to attend.

&Meetings Business people in a meeting

There are a host of reasons why this may be the case, but one thing is for sure, if you aren’t getting what you want out of business meetings then something needs to be done.

Many employees feel incredible amounts of pressure because of their workload and the revelation that they must take further time out of their everyday schedule to attend a meeting is often not what they want to hear.

Make a connection

Perhaps the most important consideration is to make sure that all meeting content is made clearly relevant to those involved. If an individual goes into a meeting feeling like it will be based on a department that has nothing to do with them, then their attention will be limited from the outset.

Even if the connection is tenuous, providing all attendees with a short brief that will help them establish why a particular session could be beneficial. Similarly, using everyday anecdotes, interactive discussions and humour should help get everyone involved and feel like they are part of something.

Sociability

Although it might not their be their primary function, business meetings can be a fantastic opportunity to bring employees together who might not normally socialise with each other.

This is especially true in IT-based office jobs, where employees spend most of their day sitting at a computer. In fact, in instances where a company neglects the social needs of its workers, some may never have even met colleagues who work just across the room from them.

With this in mind, starting meetings earlier than scheduled – even if it is just ten minutes – and putting this time aside for everyone involved to have a chance to get to know each other before things kick off will always get proceedings off to a good start.

Developments such as ‘beers and ideas’ sessions are also an extension of this, cultivating a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere that could be key to a successful meeting.

Pick the right venue

The setting of a meeting is equally important in ensuring everything runs smoothly. If the free-flowing, relaxed approach is the one you wish to take, it might be worth thinking about holding your business meetings outside the office.

Renting an event space on a one-off or repeated basis gives employees an opportunity to experience a change of scenery during their working day, much like a professional version of a school field trip.

While this might seem like a juvenile analogy, the variety that it adds to the working day could mean that your workforce even begins to look forward to taking part in meetings, as opposed to writing them off as an unnecessary distraction.

The practicalities of meeting rooms

There are also other benefits to hired event spaces that could help keep employees happy. The feeling of being herded into the most spacious (but ultimately impractical) room in an office block could be quite a gripe for some.

However, hiring a venue means that the company can do the required research and pick a room tailored to its individual preferences, as well as those of its workers.
This will ensure that everyone has the personal space to give their whole attention to the information covered.

What’s more, it might even give employees the chance to visit somewhere they have never been before and make an evening of it after work. With remote working more popular than ever, a neutral venue in a transport hub might also make it easier for everyone to attend, especially if your offices are located out of town, on an industrial estate for example.

Meeting rooms in London have seen their popularity rocket in recent years, with companies from all over the south of England keen to give their workers a taste of working life in the capital.

Posted by Andrew Issott

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