It’s not easy to conduct effective virtual and in-person meetings, particularly when you have a team that works from anywhere. Meetings consume employees their time and force them to focus without being physically close to one others. They can also cause anxiety if they don’t result in productive outcomes. Fortunately, by following the technology for efficient meetings a few best practices for conducting meetings–meeting only when necessary, creating clear and concise agendas, encouraging active participation, and using effective collaboration tools that facilitate discussion and decision-making–managers can make meetings a powerful tool for employee productivity.
After the event, it’s easy for attendees to become overwhelmed by the sheer amount of work that still needs to be completed. To counter this, managers should set clear objectives regarding the next steps to follow from the meeting. They can break down these goals into smaller actions that are easier to complete. Additionally, managers should ensure that every participant leaves with a clear understanding of their part in the next phase of the project and specific follow-up tasks.
To prevent distractions It is important to create a relaxing and clean environment for all attendees. The ideal meeting place should be private, quiet and well-lit. A sound system that is well-designed in the room is also essential to ensure clear communication when online meetings. A conference call that includes a dishwasher or dog barking in the background could cause confusion and prevent meeting attendees from engaging in productive discussions. It’s also important for managers to ensure that teams remain focused on their work by implementing technology that stops distracting websites and apps during meetings. For instance O3 World, a digital agency O3 World uses an app called Roombot that reads the meeting attendees’ Google Calendars to alert them when it’s time to wrap up. The app also regulates the lighting in the conference room, dimming the light bulbs at the end of the meeting in order to discourage attendees from checking their phones.