Recent statistics estimate that there are about 55 million meetings held each day in the US, with the average worker spending at least 3 hours a week in a meeting. Team meetings create an open forum for productive dialogue and discussion, helping people share ideas, make decisions and build team relationships. A good team meeting helps employees air any concerns or issues and have clarity on future actions, ultimately promoting collaboration.
Emails and meetings (in-person and virtual) are the two most common ways to communicate with teams. Each option has unique benefits, and knowing the best method for a situation is crucial for enhanced productivity. This blog guides the types of discussions best handled via email and those that warrant a meeting.
Meeting Rooms vs. Emails: How to decide between the two options
As mentioned earlier, meetings are a great way to get team members in a room to brainstorm ideas and make crucial decisions. However, too many meetings, whether in person or via video, can cause fatigue. You should not waste time with a meeting that should have been an email. Similarly, you may not achieve the desired outcome by sending emails over an issue that requires an in-person meeting. The following are tips to strike a balance between meeting time and sticking to email conversations.
Four signs your meeting should be an email
The following are everyday situations when it is prudent to communicate via email instead of calling a meeting:
- A simple issue: If the issue you are communicating is simple, use email. Spending a lot of time and resources preparing for a meeting over an issue to be dispensed with in just a few minutes isn't efficient.
- Needing short definitive answers:If you need specific information regarding a project and your questions need definitive answers, send an email instead of calling a meeting. Emails allow teams to answer questions at their convenience, which benefits productivity.
- Seeking feedback only: Obtaining team feedback about a new project is best done via email. Present your audience with attached documents via email, so your recipients review the attachment on their own time and provide unique, honest feedback.
- Urgent communication: If you have received new information regarding a product or service and want to share it with your team, send an email and attach all necessary documentation. Tag your email as "Important" or "Urgent" so they prioritize it.
5 signs you should schedule a meeting
The following are some of the situations that require meetings over email conversations:
- Collaboration on critical decisions: Discussions requiring in-depth collaboration on key decisions should be handled during meetings. This allows for real-time conversations and collaborations. Share your meeting objectives and agenda beforehand so all participants know the decisions on the table.
- Strengthening employee bonds: Work-from-home trends have increasingly shown the importance of in-person connection. Too much online communication impacts the human aspect of collaboration. The most effective way to strengthen employee bonds is to hold face-to-face meetings. When team members build real connections, they communicate better and collaborate, seeking unexpected solutions. It is always advisable to put a face to a name.
- Addressing sensitive topics: It's never a good idea to handle delicate conversations via email. Emails are prone to misconceptions, and it can be easy to misread someone via text. Face-to-face meetings allow you to see everyone's tone and body language, which helps reveal a point of view before a word is spoken.
- Solving complex issues: Call a meeting if you need to solve a complex issue or make a significant decision. A face-to-face meeting with key decision-makers helps clarify the complicated issue. Email communications will further add to the confusion and complicate the issue.
- Brainstorming sessions: Successful companies often organize face-to-face meetings for their brainstorming sessions. In-person meetings foster a productive and inspiring conversation which is impossible with emails.
How to ensure meetings are handled well
An effective meeting brings together a select group of people for a specifically defined purpose. It should encourage purposeful discussion where teams share information, brainstorm ideas, and arrive at crucial decisions. The following are some of the tips to ensure greater productivity in workplace meetings:
Set clear agenda
A well-defined agenda helps you achieve the goals of your meeting. An agenda provides a list of the main topics to be discussed and the people to handle each portion of the meeting. You keep your meeting focused by itemizing topics and specifying the time spent on each topic.
Set a positive and productive tone
Setting a positive tone from the start help members feel comfortable. A positive and productive environment encourages active listening and participation. Start by reviewing the goals of the meeting and go over the agenda with your team. Take time to provide positive feedback on the work your employees have achieved recently.
Have room for virtual attendees
Many of your employees may prefer virtual meetings over in-person in the current highly digitalized business environment. Some of the crucial meeting tools for virtual discussion include:
- Video conferencing tools like Zoom Meetings, GoToMeeting
- Meeting note software such as Fellow, Google Docs
- Scheduling tools such as Calendly, and Rally, Google Calendar
- Virtual Whiteboarding applications such as Miro
- Remote and on-site meeting hardware
You can cut the costs of acquiring high-tech virtual meeting tools by using co-working space's private meeting rooms. These rooms are equipped with cutting-edge technology to ensure productive meetings with your teams and clients.
Consider Quest Workspaces' private meeting rooms
Every successful company hold meeting periodically to brainstorm ideas and discuss long-term goals. Well-planned team meetings promote collaboration and communication to ensure productivity. While some scenarios require email communications, others are better handled via in-person discussions.
At Quest Workspaces, we offer full-time office space, virtual offices, co-working spaces, and meeting rooms designed to meet your needs. Our meeting rooms are equipped with top-notch features and technologies you need to keep your team in sync and build teamwork, trust, and motivation. Contact us today to schedule a tour in a location near you.
