ADVANCING WORK:

5 WAYS TO ELIMINATE INEFFECTIVEMEETINGS & BOOST PRODUCTIVITY

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O�ce meetings, while a necessity, can top the list of biggest time wasters in the workplace. The sad reality is that these are the activities of the average meeting goer.

SOURCE

39% Sleep during meetings

91% Daydream during meetings

73% Do other work during meetings

That’s a huge waste of time in an employee’s day. Furthermore, time is money. Thirty-seven billion dollars in salary costs are spent each year in the U.S. for unnecessary and useless meetings.

SOURCE

Learn to cut useless meetings and boost productivity in the workplace by following these five tips:

1. Have a goal in mind.

2. Come prepared.

3. Gather key players.

4. Create an agenda and stick to it.

5. Assign action items.

1. HAVE A GOAL IN MIND

Too often meetings take place without a desired outcome. A good rule of thumb when you’re planning a meeting is to ask yourself the following: WHAT DO I SEEK TO ACCOMPLISH?

Whether you are alerting your coworkers to a shift in strategy, seeking input from others or making a decision about a particular matter, there should always be a desired outcome met at the end of every meeting or an action plan put in place to meet that outcome.

Having trouble deciding whether a meeting is necessary or not? Here’s a quick look at six good reasons to have a meeting:

• Brainstorming session• Pitch an idea or project• Debate

If your topic does not include any of these, reconsider having your discussion via email.

• Coordinate actions • Problem solve• Decide something significant

2. COME PREPARED

Would visuals aid your proposed idea, problem or brainstorming session? If so, come prepared beforehand. Your attendees will appreciate the extra e�ort that you put forth to having the most e�ective meeting possible.

Did you know GoToMeeting enables you to share your screen with attendees during your online meeting? This allows you to present visuals such as documents and slides that your attendees from other locations would otherwise be unable to see. Plus, you can switch up presenters to have di�erent employees share their expertise.

LEARN MORE AT: HTTP://WWW.GOTOMEETING.COM/

1. GATHER KEY PLAYERS

Are the people you’ve invited essential to the success and execution of your proposal? If not, then it’s time to rethink your guest list. Get this started by eliminating those whose presence o�ers no beneficial outcome to the meeting. This saves their time and yours.

Next, take the time to identify the strengths of each of your coworkers. Invite the ones whose passion and skillset will deliver the most results to the desired outcome of your meeting.

If any of your coworkers feel that the information being discussed in a particular meeting is irrelevant to them and not beneficial in any way, encourage them to leave. In reality, if they have decided that what is being discussed is unimportant to them, then they have consciously checked out and their participation probably won’t enrich the meeting experience for others.

4. CREATE AN AGENDA AND STICK TO IT

Agendas keep a meeting on task and on time. Not only does an agenda serve as an outline for a productive meeting, it also serves as a confirmation to you and your attendees that this meeting is valuable and worthwhile.

Create an agenda that lays out everything you seek to cover in the meeting with a timeline that displays the time allotted for each topic. Keep the agenda visible on your screen for the duration of the meeting. This keeps you and the attendees focused on the meeting’s goals and eliminates the unproductive risk of getting o�-topic.

5. ASSIGN ACTION ITEMS

Since every meeting has a desired goal or outcome, attendees should walk away with action steps to make that outcome happen, right? This is an essential step that is too often forgotten. Make it a point to assign action items to appropriate parties during the wrap-up portion of the meeting. Without this step, an otherwise productive meeting can quickly become a waste of time.

Always follow up with your attendees to see where they are in their action steps, and make it clear during the meeting that you will be following up. This keeps attendees focused on their tasks and goals, creating a productive meeting experience.

STEP 1:MEET UP

STEP 2:FOLLOW UP

STEP 3:PROFIT

All in all, employee productivity can be improved when useless meetings are eliminated. Before sending out the meeting invite, consider the five tips that will help make your meetings more meaningful and productive.

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Create an agenda that lays out everything you seek to cover in the meeting with a timeline that displays the time allotted for each topic. Keep the agenda visible on your screen for the duration of the meeting. This keeps you and the attendees focused on the meeting’s goals and eliminates the unproductive risk of getting o�-topic.

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