Business meetings can often be one of the most overlooked areas where money is used poorly. From printed materials that find their way to the bin by the end of the meeting to time spent away from tasks that generate revenue, meetings can be silent money pits.
So, why then, do we continue to conduct meetings like this? Whether it’s a habit or a that’s how things are done attitude, we propose shaking things up in the name of efficiency.
One of the few good things to come out of the pandemic was a renewed vision of how business can be conducted, particularly, how technology can help move us forward.
Make Your Brainstorming Sessions Virtual
Prepare For Change
As with anything in business, when you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail. Consider what you need for an effective meeting and what functions you will utilise regularly. This will help guide you when it comes to choosing appropriate tools.
Furthermore, consider your team’s needs. What roles will they need to play in meetings, are there any gaps in training and are they prepared for the changing format?
Make Your Brainstorming Sessions Virtual
In most meetings, you will find a whiteboard or paper of some sort. This can be wasteful and, although it doesn’t appear to cost much in the short run, we all know that these things can add up.
Using virtual whiteboards is a great solution for this but it also carries with it other benefits. For instance, we’ve all had that one meeting where we just couldn’t focus on the topic at hand, whether it be the lack of interest or lack of coffee. Virtual whiteboards are a new way of collaborating and often far more stimulating, providing every member of the meeting the opportunity to contribute, without having to awkwardly get up and move around a room. This will have a positive impact on input and the speed at which a task is completed.
Virtual whiteboards also do not limit you geographically. This means that employees do not have to travel to meetings and can also save on travel time and costs.
Open Communication to All
With most online meeting providers having a chat or post function, every meeting member has the opportunity to contribute, including the most introverted of your employees. This not only improves communication and collaboration but also enhances a sense of teamwork and comradery.
This can also be used in times of conflict as it allows the person running the meeting to filter through comments in a productive way, allowing everyone the opportunity to express their opinion.
Promote Adaptability
Following the pandemic, we are seeing fewer and fewer issues with technology. Almost gone are the days when the screen freezes at the most inopportune time. The advantage of this of course is that you can conduct meetings on the move, utilising that commute or including the team members who have been called away.
Additionally, some providers of digital collaborative workplaces will allow you to sync calendars and share and simultaneously work on documents to name a few.
Data Gathering
In the past, gathering data from employees, such as feedback forms, has been costly and time-consuming. With modern technology, surveys can be created, distributed, and responded to with ease and speed. Moreover, polls can be used to obtain information from staff during meetings to streamline the process of expressing opinions.
As you can see, digital meeting spaces carry with them several benefits and are without doubt fast becoming the new normal as business owners recognise the impact it can have on efficiency.
Having trouble deciding on a digital meeting platform? Not sure what workspace is best for you? Contact us here today to find out how we can help you.
