Resources

Employee Wellness
Conference Rooms

Meeting Culture: What It Is and How to Improve It

According to a survey released by Clarizen and Harris Poll, the average American office employee spends more than 9 hours each week prepping for or attending meetings. It’s a huge portion of workers' time; unfortunately, it might not be productively spent. 

While everyone can agree that sometimes meetings aren’t their favorite pastime, they serve a purpose. They provide an environment where employees can gather, share ideas, and collaborate on projects, campaigns, and strategy. 

Many experts feel employee dissatisfaction isn’t about the meetings but the meeting culture. Is your meeting culture lacking? Here are some signs that it might not be as great as you want it to be:

  • Meeting attendees are disengaged. This may take the form of blatant cell phone use.

  • Meeting attendees are uncomfortable. Maybe they are rubbing their neck or constantly adjusting their position, trying to get comfortable in their chair.

  • Workers complain about how long meetings are. If your meetings last more than an hour, it may be time to reevaluate if that time is necessary.

  • Your meetings end without clear action points for each member to perform independently or in smaller teams.

If you think you need to improve your meeting culture, consider meeting time frames and meeting attendants. Ensure the time scheduled is appropriate and every participant is necessary. If meetings are too long and individuals see no benefit to attending, they will likely disengage quickly. An unfocused employee is distracting to others and decreases productivity if the unneeded employee is stuck in a meeting instead of working.

Outfitting any meeting or conference room with comfortable seating is essential, especially if you consistently hold longer meetings. Uncomfortable employees are less likely to be actively engaged in the conversation.

 

Another necessary component of positive meeting culture is to ensure that each meeting is useful for all. Creating informed action items for each attendee from the discussion can help make meetings more valuable for employees and the company.

 

More From NBF

23 Conference Rooms to Inspire Your Next Office Makeover

Whether you're outfitting a new executive conference room or trying to fit some casual meeting spaces into your existing office, it can be difficult to know where to start. Check out some of our most popular conference room setups to inspire your next meeting space makeover.

Crisp and Modern

A modern meeting space will make an office appear professional and up-to-date, which is ideal for improving your brand’s image and impressing clients.

Industrial and Rustic

Industrial office furniture combines metal and wood to create a look that is contemporary but edgy. This style is ideal for trendy businesses that want to stand out in a crowd.

Casual & Comfortable

Adding touchdown spaces throughout your office will allow employees to meet on an on-the-fly basis more casually. Touchdown spaces are typically informal and feature lounge-like furniture that's comfortable and more homelike than traditional conference furnishings.

Outdoor Elegance

Why not take advantage of the nice weather while it lasts? Adding a break area that doubles as an outdoor meeting space will allow employees to meet outside, which can refresh and rejuvenate, sparking new ideas and energizing employees for the rest of the day.

Telecommuting Support

If your business has remote employees, consider incorporating media conference tables that support teleconferencing into your office.

Standing Meetings

Incorporating standing height or adjustable height conference tables into your office allows employees to stretch during business conversations. Be sure to provide stools or active seating options so employees can decide whether they want to sit or stand.

 

National Business Furniture Conference Rooms

One of the primary issues that NBF employees faced at their former headquarters location in Milwaukee, WI was that there were never quite enough conference rooms to house the company’s ever-growing number of workers. In Milwaukee, NBF had four formal conference rooms—one main conference room that was large enough to seat up to 14 people around a 14-foot-long table, and three smaller rooms with enough space to seat six people each. With more than 100 employees working for NBF and that number growing more every year, this just wasn’t enough. And what’s the solution when you need to meet with your team members but there’s nowhere to go? Most employees resorted to meeting at one another’s desks where privacy was at a minimum, or worse—not meeting at all.

0 Comments

Leave a Comment

Your comment has been sent.

National Business Furniture’s team of experts is dedicated to helping you create a better space to work. We’ll help you find the best information. From office planning and furniture guides to sustainability and workplace trends, we’re here to help.