Improving Productivity in Meetings

Improving productivity in meetings using technology

In this article we talk about how to create and run better meetings using best practices and the tools that are available in Microsoft 365.?We focus on five key areas, including creating meetings, setting the agenda, meeting room technology, meeting etiquette, meeting notes and actions. We delve into each topic and share best practices and insights on how to optimize your meetings.?We look at technologies such as Scheduling Poll, Loop Connector; Auto Focus, Occupancy Sensors etc. Lastly, we have scheduled some virtual Roundtable discussions so that we can discuss these topics with you in more detail, if you are interested.

Creating a Meeting

Meetings are an essential part of any organization, and they can be an effective way to share information, make decisions, and collaborate with colleagues. However, creating a meeting can be challenging, especially when it comes to determining who should attend, how to schedule it, and how to ensure that everyone participates.

Before scheduling a meeting, it's important to determine who needs to attend to achieve the meeting's objectives. You should consider the purpose of the meeting, the topics to be discussed, and who can provide valuable insights or information. Inviting too many people can lead to a lack of focus, and not inviting enough people can lead to important perspectives being overlooked or decisions being delayed as there isn’t enough decision makers in the meeting.

Scheduling Poll (formerly Meeting Poll) is a tool in Outlook that can help you schedule meetings more efficiently. It allows you to propose several date and time options to potential attendees and enables them to vote for the most suitable one. Scheduling Poll integrates with your calendar, so once the best date and time are selected, it will automatically schedule the meeting on everyone's calendar.

Using Scheduling Poll to schedule meetings has several benefits. Firstly, it saves time and eliminates the back-and-forth emails or calls that can occur when trying to schedule a meeting. Secondly, it allows everyone to have a say in the meeting's scheduling, increasing the likelihood of attendance. Finally, it ensures that everyone's calendar availability is taken into account when scheduling the meeting, reducing the likelihood of scheduling conflicts.

Scheduling Poll can be used to improve attendance and participation in meetings by making the scheduling process more democratic and inclusive. By allowing everyone to have a say in the scheduling, attendees are more likely to feel invested in the meeting and committed to attending. Additionally, scheduling the meeting at a time when everyone is available reduces the likelihood of attendees being pulled away by other commitments during the meeting, improving participation.

Setting Agenda

Having an agenda is essential for any meeting, as it provides a roadmap for the meeting's topics and goals. A well-structured agenda should include a clear objective, a list of topics to be covered, and the amount of time allocated to each topic. Additionally, it should include any necessary materials or resources, such as reports or presentations, to be discussed during the meeting. Having a clear and concise agenda can help attendees prepare for the meeting, stay focused, and achieve the meeting's objectives.

Loop Connector is a tool that can help you set meeting agendas quickly and efficiently. It allows you to create an agenda by selecting from pre-defined templates or by creating a custom agenda. Loop Connector also integrates with other tools, such as calendars and project management software, making it easy to include relevant information and resources in the agenda. Once the agenda is created, it can be shared with attendees, and they can provide feedback or suggest changes.

Using Loop Connector to set meeting agendas has several benefits. Firstly, it saves time and effort by streamlining the process of creating an agenda. Secondly, it ensures that the agenda is well-structured and includes all the necessary information and resources, improving the meeting's efficiency and effectiveness. Finally, it allows attendees to provide feedback or suggest changes to the agenda, ensuring that everyone's input is taken into account.

Loop Connector can be used to improve meeting outcomes by ensuring that the meeting is well-structured and focused on achieving the meeting's objectives. By including all the necessary information and resources in the agenda, attendees can prepare for the meeting, stay focused, and contribute to the discussion. Additionally, Loop Connector's feedback mechanism allows attendees to suggest changes or provide input, leading to a more collaborative and productive meeting.

Meeting Room Technology

Advancements in technology have transformed the way meetings are conducted in modern workplaces. From virtual meetings to interactive displays, technology has made it easier than ever to collaborate and communicate with colleagues across the world. Let’s know look at some of the latest advancements in meeting room technology, how technology can be used to improve the effectiveness of meetings, best practices for using meeting room technology, and how to ensure technology does not become a distraction in meetings.

Some of the latest advancements in meeting room technology include interactive displays, virtual meeting platforms, wireless presentation systems, and collaboration tools. Interactive displays allow participants to interact with content on the screen using touch or stylus. Virtual meeting platforms enable remote participants to join meetings and collaborate seamlessly with on-site participants. Wireless presentation systems allow for easy screen sharing from multiple devices, and collaboration tools like digital whiteboards and project management software make it easier to track tasks and action items.

Technology can be used to improve the effectiveness of meetings in several ways. For example, virtual meeting platforms can help organizations save time and money by reducing travel expenses and allowing remote participants to join meetings from anywhere. Interactive displays and collaboration tools can help facilitate more engaging and productive meetings by allowing participants to contribute and interact with content in real-time. Additionally, technology can help automate tasks like note-taking, follow-up, and task tracking, freeing up time for more meaningful discussions and actions.

To ensure that meeting room technology is used effectively, there are several best practices that organizations can follow. Firstly, it is essential to ensure that all meeting participants are familiar with the technology and have access to the necessary tools and resources. Secondly, it is important to test the technology in advance to ensure that it is functioning correctly and to avoid any technical issues during the meeting. Thirdly, it is important to establish guidelines for the use of technology during the meeting, such as when to use specific tools and when to avoid distractions.

Technology can be a double-edged sword when it comes to meetings. While it can be a useful tool to enhance collaboration and productivity, it can also be a distraction if not used appropriately. To ensure that technology does not become a distraction in meetings, it is important to establish guidelines for the use of technology during the meeting. For example, organizations can encourage participants to turn off their notifications and avoid checking emails or messages during the meeting. Additionally, it is important to ensure that the meeting room is equipped with technology that is easy to use and does not require a lot of maintenance or troubleshooting.

Meeting rooms are a vital space in any workplace, serving as a hub for brainstorming sessions, presentations, and team meetings. While the significance of the room itself is well-established, the value of implementing occupancy sensors and door panels in these spaces is often overlooked.

Occupancy sensors are devices that detect motion and presence within a room. These sensors can be installed in the ceiling or walls and are connected to a building automation system. When a person enters the room, the sensor detects their presence and signals the system to turn on the lights, adjust the temperature, and activate any AV equipment that may be needed.

One of the most significant benefits of occupancy sensors is their ability to conserve energy. By turning off lights and equipment when a room is empty, organizations can reduce energy costs and lower their carbon footprint. Additionally, occupancy sensors can help to extend the lifespan of equipment by reducing wear and tear caused by unnecessary usage. When linked with Exchange, if the room isn’t occupied within a predefined time, say 7 minutes, for a scheduled meeting the room resource can be cancelled freeing it up for someone else.

Door panels are another valuable technology that can improve the functionality of meeting rooms. These panels can be installed on the exterior of meeting room doors and provide a variety of useful features.

One of the most significant benefits of door panels is their ability to display real-time room availability. By providing occupants with a quick glance at the room's status, they can quickly determine if a room is available and avoid scheduling conflicts. This can save time and increase overall productivity.

Door panels can also be used to book rooms on the fly. This feature allows occupants to quickly reserve a room if it is available, without needing to go through a complex booking process. This can be especially useful for impromptu meetings or last-minute schedule changes.

Finally, door panels can help to reduce distractions during meetings. By displaying a "do not disturb" message or indicating when a room is in use, door panels can prevent interruptions and increase focus during meetings.

Meeting Etiquette

Effective meetings require more than just an agenda and technological tools. Meeting etiquette is an essential component of productive and professional meetings. In this article, we will discuss some common meeting etiquette practices, how technology can be used to enforce meeting etiquette, how meeting etiquette can be enforced in virtual meetings, and how to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to speak in meetings.

Common meeting etiquette practices include arriving on time, being prepared and organized, actively listening to others, avoiding distractions, and being respectful of others' opinions and ideas. Additionally, it is important to stick to the agenda and time frame of the meeting, avoid interrupting others, and avoid monopolizing the conversation. One way to ensure that people arrive on time is to schedule meetings that are 25, 50, or 80 minutes long so that people have time between meetings to get prepared for the next meeting.?Studies have shown having even a short gap between meetings significantly reduces stress levels. In Outlook you can set the default length for your meetings to shorten by 5 or 10 minutes depending on the initial length.

Technology can be used to enforce meeting etiquette by setting expectations and guidelines for behaviour during the meeting. For example, some organizations use collaboration software that automatically mutes participants when they are not speaking, or tools that enable participants to raise their hands to indicate that they would like to speak. Additionally, some organizations use chat or messaging tools during virtual meetings to allow participants to ask questions or provide feedback without interrupting the speaker.

Enforcing meeting etiquette in virtual meetings can be challenging due to the lack of physical cues and the potential for distractions. One way to enforce meeting etiquette in virtual meetings is to establish guidelines for behaviour and communicate these guidelines to all participants. Additionally, the use of technology, such as muting participants when they are not speaking or enabling participants to raise their hands to speak, can help ensure that everyone has an opportunity to speak and that distractions are minimized.

Ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to speak in meetings is critical to achieving productive outcomes. One way to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to speak is to establish ground rules at the beginning of the meeting, such as allowing each participant a specific amount of time to speak or going around the room in a specific order. Additionally, using technology tools such as virtual whiteboards or chat functions can enable participants to contribute their ideas and opinions even if they are not comfortable speaking up in a group setting. Lastly, it is important to create an environment that is supportive and welcoming to all participants, regardless of their level of experience or expertise.

Meeting Notes and Actions

Meetings are an essential aspect of business communication, and it is essential to ensure that the outcomes are recorded and followed up on. Taking effective meeting notes and tracking action items are critical components of successful meetings. In this article, we will discuss best practices for taking meeting notes, how technology can be used to improve the quality and accessibility of meeting notes, how to ensure that action items are recorded and followed up on, and how technology can be used to track action items and follow-up tasks.

Taking effective meeting notes requires preparation, active listening, and organization. Some best practices for taking meeting notes include preparing a template that includes key information such as the meeting date, attendees, and agenda items. During the meeting, it is important to listen actively and record key points, decisions, and action items. Notes should be concise and clear, using bullet points and headings to help organize the information. Finally, it is essential to review and distribute the meeting notes promptly after the meeting.

Technology can be used to improve the quality and accessibility of meeting notes in several ways. Collaboration software can be used to create digital meeting notes that can be easily shared and accessed by all participants. This ensures that all attendees have access to the same information and can easily review the notes at any time. Additionally, tools such as transcription software and voice-to-text tools can be used to create accurate and detailed meeting notes automatically, reducing the time and effort required to create notes manually.

Recording action items is an essential component of successful meetings. To ensure that action items are recorded accurately, it is essential to assign ownership of each action item and establish clear deadlines for completion. During the meeting, it is important to review the action items and confirm that each item has an assigned owner and deadline. After the meeting, it is essential to review the action items again and follow up with each owner to ensure that they are on track to complete the assigned task.

Technology can be used to track action items and follow-up tasks in several ways. Collaboration software can be used to create task lists and assign ownership and deadlines to each task. Additionally, software tools such as project management software and task management software can be used to track progress and send reminders to owners when deadlines are approaching. Finally, automated notifications and reminders can be used to ensure that owners are aware of their assigned tasks and deadlines.

Taking effective meeting notes and tracking action items are essential components of successful meetings. By using best practices for taking notes, leveraging technology to improve the quality and accessibility of notes, assigning ownership and deadlines to action items, and using technology to track progress and send reminders, organizations can ensure that their meetings are productive and effective.

In summary, to have highly productive meetings you need to ensure that you have the correct attendees, a good agenda, technology that ensures everyone can participate equally, guardrails for meeting etiquette, and then captured results and actions from the meeting.

We hope you’ve found this article interesting, and if you’d like to know more then feel free to Direct Message Peter Naylor or join us in one of our Roundtable sessions that we are running.