We've all experienced a team meeting where things don't feel quite as effective as they should do. It could be a lack of a productive meeting agenda, the environment of your business meeting, or even a combination of the two.

No matter the industry, most likely there has been a time when attendees have sat wondering if the meeting could have simply been an email thread instead. But what if there was a way to create a productive environment that engages participants and results in an effective meeting that  yields productive results for everyone involved?

When you're bringing your team together, you want to ensure you have everything you need to make the meeting a purposeful one. In this guide, we'll share efficient meeting tips for creating a productive space, whether you're holding business meetings, team-building exercises or weekly group discussions.

What’s the key to a productive meeting?

Firstly, it's essential to make sure that a meeting is really needed. When team members have their calendars filled with unnecessary meetings, it can result in wasted meeting time, low productivity, and a lack of engagement.

When you're bringing meeting participants together physically, there is plenty you can do to enhance the space. But before you start, make sure you’ve done all you can to properly prepare for a business meeting. 

1. Decide who really needs to attend

While team meetings are often needed for overall updates, if you're discussing something specific, be thoughtful about who needs to be involved.

Use your best judgement for selecting which team members are needed to be a part of your meeting in order to achieve your goal. If we're talking about business meetings, it's important not to overcrowd the meeting with the whole team (unless they're desperately needed).

2. Have a clear and productive meeting agenda

Most of us want fewer meetings on our calendars. While it's easy to think that meetings are the only way to collaborate with team members, before allocating time towards it, ensure you have a clear purpose.

Of course, not all meetings run exactly to a schedule, but creating a meeting agenda will help you stay on track, creating a productive discussion for your meeting. Ensure you allow everyone as much time as possible before the meeting about what will be covered, so attendees can prepare. This will not only save time at the start of your meeting but give meeting participants a heads-up on what you plan to discuss.

Once you've got your meeting agenda nailed, it's time to focus on creating an ideal environment for your business meetings.

Choosing a business meeting space that fits your needs

There are many things to consider when creating the perfect space for hosting business meetings. It can be easy to think about what you're going to discuss, but the physical environment matters more than you may think.

To maximise your meeting time, it's imperative to opt for a business meeting room that ticks all the boxes. But what should you look out for?

1. Business meeting length

While nobody likes a meeting being stretched out for hours, it's also important to allow enough time for business meetings, to avoid cutting things short when you're nearing a breakthrough. Whether you need additional time to allow for the occasional topic tangent, or the possibility of your problem-solving taking a little longer than expected - allocating accordingly is crucial.

When hosting longer meetings, be sure to plan breaks where needed to ensure that productivity levels are kept at the maximum. With a Regus meeting room, our spaces are available by the hour or day, giving you as long as you need.

2. Floor layout

It's important to choose a business meeting room with a layout that meets your needs. Considering how many meeting participants need to be involved will help you establish the required size of your business meeting room. You should also consider if extra room is required for other tools, such as flipcharts or whiteboards so you can freely move around the space for effective use.

3.Lighting

Get your business meetings off to a great start by having good lighting in your meeting space. If the room feels dark or too artificially lit, you could end up with sleepy meeting participants - negating the aim of hosting productive team meetings.

Opting for a well-lit meeting space should be a top priority. Where possible, choose a business meeting room that has natural lighting, large windows and good ventilation for those longer meetings.

4.Furniture

Business meeting venues with comfortable chairs and tables large enough for laptops and other equipment can help make for productive team meetings. After all, there's nothing worse than awkward seating arrangements or feeling cramped when trying to work. Reach out to attendees to see if any special furniture you can acquire to help accommodate comfort and a sense of importance. Those who are relaxed and feel more involved are more likely to contribute towards meetings.

Our business meeting rooms are equipped for any type of meeting, allowing you to configure your meeting room, your way. Create a more inviting meeting environment by adapting the seating plan to a U-shape formation so everyone is able to see and speak with each other. You should also think about seating arrangements to encourage attendee participation and remove any possible senior hierarchy intimidation.

5.Choose a productive time during the day

Research suggests that morning meetings - when participants are fresh - produce better results. However, it's important to not go hosting a business meeting too early. Circadian rhythms play a part in our natural productivity, making us feel a little drowsy too late in the day, as well as too early in the morning.

Not everyone will be an early bird, nor will everyone be available first thing, so it's important to pick a productive time overall. Remember, nobody really has their mind on the topic at hand when their stomach is rumbling in preparation for lunch or distracted with nearing the end of the work day.

For the most productive team meetings, research has shown that between 10am and 12pm is a prime time for hosting a business meeting. Productivity for workers also drops towards the end of the week, so organising for the first few days of the work week should be considered.

6. Technology

Technology, including fast and reliable WiFi, should be at the forefront of your search for a business meeting room - especially if you have participants joining remotely. As hybrid working becomes the new norm, it's important to keep meetings with remote participants engaging too. Choosing a space that has the technology to accommodate remote attendees is now just as important as face-to-face attendees.

Looking at the smaller details can make all the difference for those dialling in; pay attention to screen display size, internet speed, microphone and speaker quality to guarantee better visibility for remote guests. Having access to information quickly can also contribute towards hosting a business meeting effectively and staying on track with your meeting agenda.

Our business meeting venues are well equipped with conference room equipment for any type of meeting, with experienced IT support, flat-screen TVs and business-grade WiFi. Avoid any technical issues or delays from slow load times and create the best meeting experience that’s seamless and smooth for everyone, no matter where they are.

Now that you have all you need for creating an ideal meeting environment that induces maximum productivity, you’re ready to start hosting successful business meetings.

With over 10,000 meeting rooms all over the world, find out how Regus can help you host a business meeting with ease.