Why Business Meetings Waste So Much Time
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Time Is Money
Typically, one-quarter of all meeting time is wasted, according to the workers surveyed. -
Time Killer: No Direction Known
30% said meeting leaders often don't have a clear purpose or agenda. -
Time Killers: Subject Switching
30% of the respondents said meeting leaders have difficulty sticking to an agenda. -
Time Killers: On the Clock, Part I
20% said meetings too often don't start on time. -
Time Killers: On the Clock, Part II
15% said meetings too often don't end on time. -
Time Killers: Crowded Room
14% of respondents said meeting leaders too often invite people who don't need to attend. -
Best Practices: Streamline Attendees
Restrict the meeting list to people who have a clear stake in the agenda outcomes. -
Best Practices: Fearless Leader
Don't be afraid to end a discussion that veers off-course. -
Best Practices: Timely Action, Part I
Begin the meeting at the designated start time and make latecomers wait till after the meeting to find out what they missed. -
Best Practices: Timely Action, Part II
Divide the agenda into sections and designate start and finish times for each section.
In today's business environment, we've pretty much killed the concept of a regular 9-to-5 workday and have debunked the perception that you can be productive only when you're in the office. And the once-ubiquitous position of secretary is now a rarity in many organizations. So, given that we've virtually eliminated these once-common facts of office life, why do we still have painfully time-consuming and unproductive conference room meetings? Nearly one-half of employees consider a glut of meetings to be the biggest waste of their time—in large part because meetings account for 37 percent of their day, according to research. With that in mind, Robert Half Management Resources conducted the following research to pinpoint exactly why too many meetings waste too much of our time. In many cases, the factors are based on a lack of focus. So, if you stick with clear rules and remain firmly outcome-driven, you're far more likely to pull off a successful meeting. To elaborate on this, we're also including best practices for avoiding the most common meeting traps. More than 400 U.S. employees took part in the research.