August 15th, 2014
The arrival of digital technology has revolutionised many areas of the workplace. With the internet, mobiles and social media, everything has speeded up, information is available much faster and people are always online. This has depersonalised things to a degree, as we all spend a lot of time communicating by text or email rather than face to face. Video conferencing and Skype have also become increasingly important tools for communication. However, people still need human connection and good relationships are as vital as ever to a successful business.
Also, with the changes in the economy, the need to retain good staff has never been higher and one way to do this is to improve daily life in the workplace. As businesses come out of recession, it is important to motivate staff who have been through some tough times over the last few years. This can mean making work more enjoyable, including changes to business meetings.
There is a growing trend for more relaxed meetings in informal settings, both for colleagues brainstorming amongst themselves and for meetings with clients or business contacts. Such get-togethers might be held over coffee or lunch, or in a creatively-styled meeting room with colourful soft furnishings.
Building Teams and Keeping Things Flexible
In our digital age, face-to-face meetings are still hugely important. One recent survey showed that the average UK office employee spends 16 hours – or two working days – in meetings every week. Unfortunately, many staff are feeling increasingly dissatisfied with this type of meeting, and the same survey found around a quarter of meeting time is felt to be wasted.
Even as the recovery gathers pace, businesses are still having to keep a tight rein on costs. This means SMEs in particular may want to minimise the number of full-scale meetings with people travelling long distances and associated expenses, as well as the cost in staff time. Shorter, more frequent, ad hoc meetings can work out cheaper all round and keep relationships going better than large, formal meetings held infrequently.
Traditional meetings can also be occasions where ordinary members of staff feel somewhat intimidated. Small businesses need staff with the confidence to take on different challenges, so holding informal meetings where they are encouraged to have a say is a way to promote this type of culture. This kind of meeting could well lead to teams working out more realistic ways of tackling forthcoming projects, as opposed to a more formal meeting where everything seems to be set in stone from the outset.
Another key factor is the growth of flexible working and how this is impacting the way companies do business. The recent change in the law giving more people the right to request flexible working means there is likely to be further growth in home working. Staff based outside the office need more flexibility with the way they attend meetings, such as joining in via video links. The growth of virtual meetings is especially important for small businesses who have colleagues and contacts all around the world.
Here is a look at the pros and cons of the various approaches to meetings.
Traditional Meetings: Advantages – They create a professional impression, concentrating people’s minds on work. Meeting face to face can create a rapport which it is harder to build when speaking to people from a distance. The privacy of a meeting room means that financial and confidential issues can be discussed.
Disadvantages – This type of meeting often involves time wasting, with discussions going round in circles. The formal atmosphere can trammel creativity and make people nervous.
Virtual Meetings: Advantages – Greater flexibility means these meetings can be arranged more quickly. With no need for transport or to book a room, you can bring together people from across the country or the world, saving both time and money. Home-based workers have the opportunity to be on an equal footing with those in an office setting.
Disadvantages – The technology needs to be set up in advance and there can be problems if it breaks down, with a video link or camera failing. You don’t build the same personal relationships that you do by meeting face to face. You need to be sure that everyone involved is in a room where they will keep your information private. It is easier for someone to leave abruptly, without decisions being finalised.
Informal Meetings/Networking: Advantages – You are meeting face to face and building relationships. People can feel more creative in a relaxed setting and this can build better relationships between companies, suppliers and clients and make doing business more enjoyable.
Disadvantages – Because a meeting like this doesn’t have a definite agenda, a lot of time might be lost in general chat, and it might be harder to tackle a tricky topic or get definite decisions made. If you are in a coffee shop or restaurant, it could be difficult to talk about anything confidential.
In summary, as the trend towards more and more business being done digitally continues, there will still be a place for meeting people face to face. However, it is likely that the trend towards making meetings more informal will continue, with both businesses and individual workers benefiting from the change.
