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At the heart of hybrid work is the team meeting. Over the past four years, we've discussed the best ways to conduct meetings when in person, all remote or somewhere in between.
But recent research from Atlassian shows that many, if not most, meetings are unproductive and may not be necessary. While this will surprise exactly no one, the implications are potentially huge. If this really is the case, why the huge investment in technologies that enable meetings, and why have meetings at all?
Meetings: Necessary Evil or Maligned Opportunities?
Altassian’s research does not suggest giving up on meetings or the tech that enables them is practical, or even desirable. But it does suggest that meetings need to be more targeted and more effective if business leaders want to keep workers engaged.
The State of Teams report drew its conclusions based on a survey of 5000 executives globally. It found that:
- 93% executives believe that teams could achieve comparable results in half the time by enhancing their collaboration. Executives estimate that only 24% of their teams are doing mission-critical work.
- 64% of knowledge workers agree that their team is consistently pulled in multiple directions.
- 70% of knowledge workers concur that achieving progress would be simpler with fewer, more specific goals.
It has often been said that you can prove anything with statistics, but is the premise correct? Are meetings ineffective? Are they unproductive?
Organizational consultant Diane Rosen argues that meetings are indeed necessary, albeit with a few caveats.
Meetings are a necessary function of collaboration, she told Reworked. But not everything requires convening team members to accomplish various tasks or to get the work done.
"Meetings can provide opportunities to brainstorm, check in, course adjust, (re)assign tasks and provide support,” she said. “They can also create opportunities to connect and socialize.”
However, people often default to scheduling regular meetings — the weekly check-in, for example — and those meetings become a habit which ultimately may not be productive.
"The key is to have meetings when convening the group will be beneficial, advance goal achievement, and make sure things are on track, people are getting the resources to get things done, and to assess the morale and functionality of the group. To that end, meetings should only include those who really need to be there and not rote calendar entries,” she said.
Related Article: What Are Meetings Costing You?
Meetings Need to Change
There is no question that meetings are necessary, said Dan Levett, managing director for workforce collaboration at Hartman Executive Advisors. But it's also clear they need to change.
“In an era where efficiency is paramount, the key to revolutionizing team dynamics lies not in replacing meetings, but in transforming them,” he said. "By investing in a comprehensive workforce collaboration solution that seamlessly integrates chat, files, applications, and meetings into a single platform, we can significantly reduce redundant gatherings, foster robust team-wide collaboration, and enhance operational efficiencies."
He points to a platform like Microsoft Teams as an example of this in practice. However, he said unlocking the true potential of these platforms takes thoughtful planning, thoughtful implementation, structured training and operationalizing internal processes.
By doing so, organizations can ensure tool adoption, productivity and innovation.
For Faran Ahmed of Optera Digital, failure to hold team meetings leads to a lack of clarity around objectives, but there are definite ways to improve the experience.
When meetings are too long, they become counter-productive and waste team members' time, which they otherwise could have spent on critical deliverables, he told Reworked.
He recommends SCRUM meetings when it comes to project teams. SCRUM is a daily stand-up meeting that lasts no longer than 15 minutes. The PM/Scrum Master leads this meeting and asks the team three questions: what was done the day before, what is to be done today, and if they have any blockers.
“This does wonders for a team of five to 10 people. You can save a lot of time while ensuring streamlined communication. It also helps the PM record the tasks of every team member,” he said. "If you feel a single 15-minute SCRUM is not enough for an 8-hour workday, you can always hold two. This is something I personally do for some teams. During critical deadlines, I have even taken it up to three. There is no fixed rule.”
Related Article: 5 Tips for Effective Collaboration in a Hybrid Workplace
Keep the Focus on Decision-Making and Action Planning
While team meetings often facilitate crucial discussions and alignment, they also consume valuable time that could have been spent executing tasks and delivering results, Premier Staff CEO Daniel Meursing told Reworked.
He said while the statistics from Atlassian's survey paint a concerning picture, the solution lies not in eliminating team meetings altogether but in embracing a more intentional and purposeful approach to collaboration.
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To do this — and to make meetings effective — meeting organizers need to create a clear agenda, defined objectives, and focus on decision-making and action planning.
His company has also implemented a practice of stand-up meetings, similar to what Ahmed suggested, where team members gather for a brief, focused discussion on priorities and potential roadblocks, leaving ample time for individual execution.
“In today's digital age, technology has opened up new avenues for asynchronous collaboration, allowing teams to share updates, exchange ideas and make decisions without the constraints of physical meetings,” he said.
The role of the leader here is to strike a delicate balance between fostering collaboration and protecting individual productivity, he added. While team meetings remain an essential component of effective teamwork, it is crucial to optimize their frequency, duration and purpose, ensuring that they contribute to tangible outcomes rather than hindering progress.
By embracing a thoughtful approach to meetings, leveraging technology for asynchronous collaboration, and empowering our teams to prioritize focused execution, he concludes, we can unlock new levels of efficiency and productivity. The key lies in recognizing that meetings are a means to an end, not an end in themselves.