Business meetings are a necessary part of life in a company. A meeting that gets derailed can cause a major shift in morale and momentum. A productive meeting can do the opposite. That is where technology comes in.
Technology is a part of nearly everything we do. The meeting room is no exception. Today we are going to talk about how to utilize tech to have better, more effective meetings. There are several ways that technology can assist in increased productivity and creativity. Whether your company has hundreds of employees or just a handful, these tips are great to implement for future meetings.
Scheduling
When a meeting needs to happen, one of the biggest hurdles can be the simple fact of finding a space. Depending on the type of business you have, coordinating a time can also prove to be logistically frustrating. Often just choosing a location and time can result in endless emails back and forth. That is where technology can help.
There are many options when it comes to software and tools that help you schedule and maintain your meetings and events. As with any piece of technology, it is best to research what works for you and your company before fully investing in one option.
Outlook has a scheduling assistant software that may be an excellent starting point for you. The software is a great option for streamlining your meetings and can potentially cut down on planning time significantly. We go in to more detail on this software on our blog here!
Meeting Apps
Phones, tablets, and laptops are commonplace in the work world. We frequently make the joke “there’s an app for that” for a large majority of practical and seemingly impractical needs. When it comes to meetings, there are great apps out there to make meetings run smoothly and cohesively.
Meeting apps can be downloaded by attendees and can contain a myriad of information that you would like for everyone to have. These apps can be effective for big groups as well as smaller groups. The cost of an app can range from free to thousands of dollars. As with the software options, research and determine what would work best for you. Sometimes that can only be determined through trial and error. There are many options, so if one doesn’t work, you can always try another!
There are several apps out there that also allow for staff participation. Instead of having a meeting where the attendees feel like they are just there to be an audience, try utilizing one of these tech tools that allow for them to be involved. It can potentially increase productivity and attendance, as well as increasing the odds of topics covered being remembered.
Using an app is also great for post meeting follow up and notes that need to be in the hands of your employees. Choosing a cross platform app would be a great place to start as it can be accessed from multiple devices suiting the needs of your attendees much better.
The Bottom Line
Technology has developed to the point that we are seeing increased productivity and seamless transitions in the work place. If you are noticing a need for some changes in your office or would like to bring your office up to speed with tech, these are some great places to start. Take time to get real about your needs and research the options out there that would best suit them!