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Many people who have heard the saying “work smart, not hard” may think that my statement here is a subversion of that idea and reflects that opinion, but they are wrong. As the nature of work continues to come under intense scrutiny, focused primarily on “where,” debates about the frequency and necessity of meetings in the workplace have also increased. This topic is now being discussed extensively, and rightly so. In 2024, we have many opportunities to transform productivity, creativity and employee satisfaction. There is a strong case to be made that work teams are having far fewer meetings, which I wholeheartedly support. Let me tell you why.
Related: 5 Ways to Make Sure Your Meetings Are Worth Attending
The Cost of Excessive Meetings
First and foremost is the cost of having people attend excessive amounts of meetings. At the core of most work teams, managers and supervisors are usually quite cautious about the composition of the teams and the costs involved. Conducting meetings is viewed by most as a productive, progressive task and is therefore often underestimated when it comes to eliminating unnecessary and costly activities. However, current research and personal experience tells me that this should not be the case. Research shows a trend where excessive meetings can significantly impact productivity. Specifically, a study conducted by Harvard Business Review found that when meeting frequency was reduced by 40%, employee productivity and satisfaction increased by 71%.
So when you reduce meetings, you not only increase your team’s performance, but you also get more bang for your buck with your staff. It’s extremely common that not every meeting section applies to every participant and their workflow, and so people just twiddle their thumbs and listen to colleagues presenting work out of politeness to them and the meeting leader.
Could this time be better spent somewhere else? Pretty sure. Could the information be provided better and more targeted? Definitely.
As mentioned at the beginning, new technologies such as Slack, Notion or Bubbles offer opportunities to transmit information more efficiently than within a meeting. Don’t waste your colleagues’ time on unnecessary meetings and the money you spend on their salaries. Instead, discuss what needs to be discussed in the meeting and continue the meeting conversation asynchronously using a tool like the one above, preserving the details and context of the information provided, but in a more efficient way.
Related: Get the most out of remote meetings and avoid meeting burnout
The psychological and operational effects
Not everything is about costs, and in fact many bosses would prioritize operational brilliance over some additional expenses. So we need to look at how this claim impacts the operational side of things. I want to delve deeper into the statistics I just covered to question whether this is just an anomaly and the preference of a select few, or whether the vast majority believe that reduced meetings will have a positive impact on workplace operations.
I’ve noticed and heard from my team members that having fewer meetings makes them feel more autonomous and less micromanaged, which means they hold themselves more accountable for getting their work done.
We have found that working alone also increases the possibility of deep concentration, which is essential in creative roles. We find that attending a team meeting where more completed or blocked work is discussed means we are working at optimal efficiency and higher output. As I said, it’s about making the right decisions with the technologies available to us in 2024.
This was extremely practical, so let’s delve deep into the psychology. Meetings often lead to what is known as “meeting recovery syndrome,” where employees need time to collect their thoughts and mentally recover after frequent, long, or chaotic meetings.
Related: Meetings suck. Here are 5 ways to make them less annoying.
Strategic techniques for reducing meetings
Now that we have more clarity, let’s look at how your company can optimize its meeting practices:
- Meeting-free days: Allow this deep work to take place. Give yourself days where interruptions are rare and keep your workflow focused.
- Prioritize agenda-driven meetings: Don’t meet if you don’t know why you’re meeting. Annette Catino, CEO of QualCare Alliance Network, put it best: “Give me an agenda, otherwise I won’t sit there.” Meet better, not more often.
- Limit the duration and size of the meeting: Amazon uses a two-pizza rule – don’t invite more people than two pizzas can feed. Don’t overwhelm the space and you’ll get more thoughtful contributions and results.
- Embrace technology: Integrate AI tools, meeting management tools, and platforms that can automate parts of meetings to maximize efficiency. Don’t waste time on silly, mundane tasks.
This is how you get to the future of meetings. They will become more strategic, and instead of being the default method of communication, teams (the good ones) will take a more thoughtful approach, assessing the real need for each meeting and the potential value it holds. Don’t stay behind the curve and create a culture from now on where meetings get better, not busier, whether in-person or remote.