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Many workers dread going to meetings. They believe that meetings interrupt their workflow and take away time that they could spend completing valuable tasks. However, meetings are necessary for most workplaces to ensure that people are on track to meet their goals. Here are some tips to make meetings more efficient.

Have Clear Goals (and Stick to Them)

Every meeting should have a clear purpose, even if the goal is only to share updates. The meeting should be structured in a way that guides all discussions towards the goal.

Making sure that a meeting stays on track requires a little preparation beforehand. Sometimes a manager may need to draw up a detailed agenda or presentation to structure a meeting. Other times, simply designating a speaking order is enough. Even a little preparation goes a long way in ensuring that a meeting stays on track and does not go over time.

Be Respectful of Others

One of the main reasons why employees resent meetings is that they feel that their time or ideas are not respected. Acknowledging that you value your employees not only increases their engagement in a meeting but also improves meeting efficiency.

Timeliness is one of the main ways that managers can show respect during meetings. Starting and ending meetings on time shows that managers understand that their employees’ time is valuable. Actively soliciting contributions ensures that ideas flow more quickly and prevents awkward silences.

Follow up

Following up after a meeting is a way to reinforce the importance of meetings and prevent repetition at the next one. Managers can share meeting notes so that everyone in the company has access to the ideas people developed during a meeting.

Change the Name

The word “meeting” by itself conjures up feelings of dread. Choosing a different name for a meeting, especially one that is clear about its purpose, will increase engagement. Employees will attend a “Weekly Check-in” knowing exactly what to expect.

Leading more efficient meetings will increase cohesion in your team and improve productivity in the workplace.