Do you feel that meetings are not getting anywhere? Many times, meetings are considered a necessary evil. And, many others, they are necessary. That is why a day without meetings is being implemented in companies, a practice that has proven to have many advantages.
Do you see employees who are not motivated, do you feel that, lately, meetings do not achieve their objectives and become just a burden? Then a day without meetings can be the perfect solution to these problems. In this article we will tell you everything you need to know about a day without meetings.
The most important things to know
- It is important to organize the no-meeting day correctly so that this practice is useful and can be extended over time.
- Communication is a key element when implementing a day without meetings so that everything goes as planned and this practice can be maintained over time.
- In any case, it is important to remember that meetings are a key element in companies; they help in communication, decision making, among others. That is why the day without meetings has to be properly organized.
What you should know about no-meeting days
A day without meetings can be a good way to vary the employees’ routine. Here’s everything you need to know about a no-meeting day.
What is a no-meeting day?
A no-meeting day, as the name implies, is a workday in which no meetings of any kind are scheduled; this applies from official meetings to one-to-one meetings.
For this practice, you set a day of the week when no meetings will be held and inform the entire team. In any case, establishing a day without meetings requires prior organization.
What is a day without meetings for?
A no-meeting day helps employees focus on their activities and tasks for the day. Since the schedule is stable, they will not experience interruptions throughout the day.
Sometimes meetings can be ineffective, resulting in bored employees and meetings that come to nothing. Constant meetings generate disinterest, especially when they are organized as a weekly (or daily) routine, unannounced and unprepared (1).
Sometimes, meetings are not effective and, the only thing they cause, are bored employees and meetings that come to nothing. That’s why no-meeting days are becoming popular in workplaces and teams. To learn how to organize effective meetings, click here.
Also, a no-meeting day is useful at times when there is a lot to do and the only thing a meeting would accomplish would be to take time away from employees.
Advantages of a day without meetings
A no-meeting day can have many advantages, as long as it is implemented in the right way; otherwise, it will have more disadvantages than advantages. By removing meetings, employees focus on their tasks and increase their productivity.
One of the main advantages is the impact on employees; many of them consider meetings unnecessary. That’s why removing some meetings can be beneficial. Meetings, when unproductive or unrewarding, can convey a sense of futility or wasted time (2).
Advantages
- More work time
- Employees focus on their tasks
- Increased productivity
- Additional time for complex tasks
- Learns to work as a team
- Increased meeting efficiency
Disadvantages
- Not all employees find it useful
- If communication fails, so does the day without meetings
- Requires practice and organization
How to implement a no-meeting day?
A no-meeting day, like any change in a company, can be implemented as long as communication and organization work well.
Find the most convenient day
When planning a day without meetings, the main thing is to choose the day you want this to happen. It is important that the day chosen is convenient so that this plan will stick over time. For example, Monday could be a tricky day, as meetings may be needed to update or plan the week.
Consult the entire team
Once it is decided which day will be implemented as a no-meeting day, it is time to communicate the decision and the detailed plan. And, consequently, consult the entire team if they agree with the plan and, more importantly, with the chosen day.
Establish communication alternatives for the no-meeting day
Even if you decide not to hold meetings, it is important to keep communicating. Before you start implementing the no-meeting day, find another way to communicate. For example, an online platform that keeps everyone on the team connected.
This is called asynchronous communication.
Re-organize the calendar
When having a day without meetings, it is important to re-organize the work calendar based on the changes generated by that day off; for example, you can join meetings, cancel some unnecessary ones, among others. The goal is that the remaining days with meetings are not exhausting.
Announce it formally
Once discussed with the entire team, and after making the necessary changes, you are ready to formally announce it to the entire team.
Do a dry run
If you still have your doubts about a day without meetings, you can implement a drill. That is, for a certain period of time (let’s say a month), you put the no-meeting day into practice and study how it is developed and implemented.
Ask employees for feedback
In this instance, it is important to listen to all those affected by this change. Ask them how it affected them, if it worked, among others. Also, you can listen to advice and suggestions on how to continue.
What is the impact of a day without meetings?
A day without meetings has many impacts of all kinds. First, and perhaps most important for employees, is to stop meeting overload; many employees consider meetings a waste of time, and giving employees a chance for a day without them will please them.
For the same reason, meetings that are considered a waste of time generate stress in employees. So a day without meetings can reduce employee stress levels. Also, if they have too much to do, the only thing meetings will do is generate more stress.
In turn, by implementing a no-meeting day, employees are ‘forced’ to learn how to stay in communication. This is why a no-meeting day teaches teamwork.
Conclusion
A no-meeting day, as it is seen, can bring many benefits if implemented in the right way. You will see an increase in teamwork, productivity and a decrease in employee stress levels. It is important to remember that, like any change, it needs to be properly organized.
Now that you know what a day without meetings is and all the details of them, you are ready to incorporate this great, but beneficial change in your company. You won’t regret it.
References
1. Robledo P. How does a day without meetings impact the productivity of work teams? [Internet]. UNIR . UNIR – The university on the Internet ; 2022 [cited 2022Dec22]. Available from: https://www.unir.net/empresa/revista/como-impacta-un-dia-sin-reuniones-en-la-productividad-de-los-equipos-de-trabajo/#:~:text=A%20day%20without%20meetings%20is,work%20personal%20and%20without%20interruptions.
Source
2. Bertoldi CA. Research work: “Effective meetings” [Internet]. UNCUYO Digital B. Faculty of Economic Sciences of UNCUYO; 2020 [cited 2022Dec22]. Available from: https://bdigital.uncu.edu.ar/objetos_digitales/15720/ti-reuniones-efectivas-trabajo-investigacion.pdf
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