While nobody actually likes work-related meetings, these are an absolute essential for a business. Around 15 to 20% of time in a day is dedicated to having a meeting but depending on the business and the seniority level, this can increase to as high as 75%! It makes sense for businesses to have meetings, people need to come together, and meetings help people do that. This allows thoughts and ideas to come out onto the table. Plus, this also speeds up the decision making process as well. While meetings are an absolute essential, why do they feel like a waste of time?
Why are some meetings set up to feel like a failure? What can be done about this? While it’s true there are plenty of operational challenges to holding a meeting, there are ways to improve it and it all starts with the conference room. So here are some tips for improving the conference room experience.
Start by looking into a scheduling system for the conference room
Most businesses have at least one conference room, and chances are, this conference room gets a lot of fighting over. To make this experience a lot easier, why not put a software scheduling system into place that can help sort out this issue? This can help with ensuring that the space is scheduled, but this will also keep everyone up to date in case there were any changes to the meeting such as the schedule, location, or even the agenda.
Decorate the space
Have you ever noticed that conference rooms almost always look the same? It’s usually one large table, glass windows all around, bright lighting, and white shades? There is usually limited décor present, and the space feels soulless. Nobody likes going to conference rooms, especially if they’re going to be so bleak.
It just zaps away all the fun atmosphere. So what can be done about this? Décor just may be the thing to help make the space feel more welcoming! You can start by getting a modular table, ergonomic chairs (that are stylish), lighting that’s slightly less bright, and maybe even some plants to hang around.
Ensure that this space can be a collaborative workspace
Conference rooms shouldn’t be about sitting in a circle listening to just one person talk. That’s just essentially a class room. Why not make some changes to this? It’s important to have a collaborative space as this can help with preventing burnout. Meetings were meant to have people talking, people getting engaged, and especially to get people to collaborate. So how can this get done?
What are some ideas? Well, this could include getting a white board, a robust video conferencing software, a TV or some kind of screen for those who are attending the meeting away, coffee maker, beverages, and so much more. You want this to be a very comfortable space where people will know they will be heard, a place where people can come together to work together.
Create etiquette
This can be very small, but etiquette can make a big difference in what people experience. This can include keeping the door closed, not having people waltz in and out when they please, but also making sure that there is a booking system for the room itself.