Last Updated on: 21st November 2023, 11:23 pm
According to research by Microsoft, inefficient meetings are the top workplace distraction hindering productivity, followed closely by having too many meetings. The average employee attends a whopping 62 meetings a month, while senior executives have nearly 23 hours’ worth a week (up from 10 hours in the 1960s).
But if you want a productive meeting that also helps boost morale, consider having it over lunch. Getting out of the office and away from a computer screen will ensure attendees are more engaged and focused, while this social yet professional setup can also help cultivate a positive company culture and make employees feel closer to the business.
Here are some tips for hosting a well-executed lunch meeting that achieves all your aims.
Pick a suitable venue
You need to create an inclusive setting where everyone feels relaxed and comfortable. For example, things will get awkward and off-track very quickly if any of the attendees are unable to eat at the restaurant you’ve picked.
“Prioritise your guests’ dietary restrictions and preferences by ensuring there are suitable options for everyone,” suggests Pasta Evangelists in their guide to lunch meetings. “Gather dietary information in advance and communicate it to the restaurant or catering service to accommodate vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or any other specific requirements. This inclusivity ensures that all attendees feel valued and well cared for.”
Also consider the nutritional value of the cuisine. Avoid anything too heavy or fatty as this could make you and your guests feel sluggish and struggle to focus on the conversations. Lighter options will help everyone feel nourished and energised.
Choose the time wisely
Get an understanding of all the participants’ schedules before setting a time and date. As we’ve already noted, modern workers are invited to lots of meetings every single week. You want everyone to be motivated and geared up to contribute, so if possible, avoid mental overload by leaving space between your meeting and others.
One research paper has even claimed that some employees suffer from ‘meeting recovery syndrome’, which is when people are so drained that they struggle to switch between tasks effectively. Instead, they may “cyber-loaf, the act of going to get a coffee and maybe interrupt another colleague to tell them about the boring meeting they just had and so on”.
Ideally, try and ensure all your guests get at least an hour to refocus before you begin your meeting. The best-case scenario is that they’ll also have an extra hour to recover after that so get-togethers later in the day don’t suffer. It might not be possible to accommodate everyone, especially if it’s a large meeting, but this attention to scheduling will increase the chances of positive outcomes.
Set a balanced agenda
The key to a successful meeting is a clear agenda. This allows everyone involved to prepare in advance and come to the meeting with thoughtful contributions. It also ensures you focus on a few specific topics and can tackle them properly rather than spreading the time thinly across more areas than you can cover effectively.
Circulate the agenda far enough in advance that everyone can prepare adequately. This outline will help keep everything on track — make sure you summarise key takeaways, action items, and decisions made before the meeting draws to a close.
Although you need to stay focused on achieving the objectives of the meeting, remember to make space for informal social interactions too. In addition to building connections within the team and boosting morale, an element of informality may also encourage people who are usually quiet in meetings to contribute more and provide a more diverse range of perspectives.
