Manage Teams Meetings Fast... | OBX Weekly

 💡 FACTS OF THE WEEK

Facts About Meetings

1. Increase in Meetings:
   Post-pandemic, professionals attend 12.9% more meetings, with 13.5% more attendees per meeting.
   

2. Productivity Issues:
   65% of employees believe frequent meetings prevent them from completing tasks, and 71% of meetings are deemed unproductive.
   

3. Managerial Time in Meetings:
   Managers spend over 50% of their week in meetings, a 66% increase compared to previous years.
   

4. Costs of Unproductive Meetings:
   Unproductive meetings cost US businesses between $34 billion and $37 billion annually in salary costs.
   

5. Employee Preferences:
   84% of employees would be more productive if they could skip unnecessary meetings, and 70% say their job satisfaction would improve with fewer meetings.

Advice to Optimize Meetings

1. Define Clear Objectives:
   Ensure each meeting has a clear purpose and detailed agenda. This helps attendees prepare and stay focused, making meetings more productive.
   

2. Shorten Meetings and Include Breaks:
   Opt for shorter meetings and include brief breaks between them. Short meetings are more effective and allow attendees to process information better.
   

3. Set End Dates for Recurring Meetings:
   Avoid unnecessary routine by setting end dates for recurring meetings. This keeps the meetings purposeful and engaging.
   

4. Implement 'No Meeting' Days:
   Consider introducing no-meeting days to boost productivity and reduce stress. Studies show a significant increase in productivity with no-meeting days.
   

5. Empower Employees to Decline Meetings:
   Encourage a culture where employees can decline meetings if they conflict with their schedule or if the meeting isn't relevant to them.
   

6. Utilise Virtual Meeting Best Practices:
   Train managers and employees on effective virtual meeting practices, such as active listening, empathy, and practical agenda setting. This can lead to higher productivity and motivation.

With this in mind, we’re providing our readers with the quickest way to reschedule meetings in Microsoft Teams. This not only saves time but also enhances productivity by ensuring meetings are held at the most convenient time for all participants.