As a business leader or manager, you are constantly looking for ways to help make your hybrid workforce more productive and efficient. One of the best ways to do this is by leading effective meetings. By following a few simple tips, you can help make your meetings more engaging and meaningful for your hybrid teams.
Related reading: How to create a hybrid work policy for SMBs
Tip 1: Plan ahead and set an agenda for each meeting
One of the biggest problems with ineffective meetings is that they often lack a clear agenda. This can cause participants to feel confused or even frustrated. To avoid this, be sure to plan ahead and set an agenda for each meeting. This not only ensures that everyone is on the same page, but it also helps to keep meetings on track.
It’s a good idea to send a copy of the agenda along with the meeting invitation so that participants can review it in advance. Be sure to include any specific items that need to be addressed or discussed. You can also present the agenda at the beginning of the meeting to ensure that everyone is aware of what will be covered.
Tip 2: Build trust and connection with your team
For meetings to be productive, it’s important that team members feel comfortable sharing their ideas and opinions. One way to help create a positive atmosphere is by building trust and connection with your team. This can entail taking the time to get to know each team member on a personal level, as well as establishing a sense of mutual respect.
Leaders and managers should also be approachable and open to feedback in order to encourage open communication. If team members feel that they can trust you, they will be more likely to speak up during meetings.
Tip 3: Make all meetings collaborative
Making meetings collaborative means ensuring everyone has an opportunity to share their ideas and contribute to the discussion. This can be accomplished by giving everyone a chance to speak and by making sure that everyone is heard.
A simple yet effective way to foster hands-on meetings is by asking employees to take on specific tasks or roles. This can include taking meeting minutes, coming up with solutions, or drafting action items. Not only does this help keep everyone engaged, but it also ensures that everyone has a sense of ownership and responsibility for the outcome of the meeting.
Tip 4: Keep meetings small, if possible
The more participants there are in a meeting, the less productive it tends to be. This is because there are fewer opportunities for everyone to participate, and people can get easily overwhelmed or distracted. For these reasons, it’s often best to keep meetings small.
If you do have a large meeting, try to break it up into smaller groups for more focused conversations. You can also use tools like a whiteboard or flip chart to help get everyone’s ideas on the table. Then, once everyone has had a chance to share, reconvene as a larger group to discuss the ideas that were talked about.
Tip 5: Send a meeting recap or follow-up email after each meeting
Sending a summary or a recap email is a great way to ensure that everyone is on the same page after a meeting. The email can include a brief overview of what was discussed, as well as any action items that were assigned. It’s also helpful to include any relevant attachments, such as meeting minutes or agendas for future meetings.
This helps ensure that everyone is in the loop and has a record of what took place in the meeting. This can come in handy if there are any questions or disputes down the road.
Related reading: 7 Key tech your hybrid workers need
It may seem daunting to lead productive meetings in a hybrid work environment, but with a little planning and preparation, you can ensure that your meetings are both effective and efficient. By following these simple tips, you’ll be able to get the most out of your team’s time and ensure that your hybrid work meetings are a success.
Having the appropriate technology also helps you to be more productive in your meetings. Learn more about the best meeting tools for hybrid work environments by getting in touch with our team today. We at Kortek Solutions would be glad to help you find the right solution for your company.