Should Your Company Implement a No-Meeting Day?

Whether you like them or not, meetings account for a significant portion of what we call work. It's where we talk about ideas, share news, plan projects, and get things done. Yet, despite this, many executives regard meetings as a necessary evil, and it's simple to see why: we meet far too frequently.

Unfortunately, for seasoned executives and novice managers alike, getting over the "let's gather everyone together in a room" tendency can be tricky. Too many meetings can cause employees to have little to no flow time, postpone projects, and decrease team productivity.

The data don't lie

Every month, the average employee attends 62 meetings, wasting one-fifth of their working hours in discussions that are at best ineffective. It gets worse as you move up the corporate ladder: middle managers and senior executives spend 35-50% of their time in meetings. One out of every two company meetings is regarded as a waste of time rather than a source of production.

To be clear, we can't get rid of all business meetings. Meetings help us collaborate, take collective action, and get things done. However, we can (and should) be informed about which ones we hold to have better meetings and get more done.

Furthermore, policies such as no-meeting days, which have been implemented by companies such as Facebook, Asana, and Okta, can help reduce useless meetings and free up employees' time to focus on the work that needs to be done.

What does a "no-meeting day" entail?

A day without meetings is a day for concentrated labour. It's basically a day without meetings once a week, so you (and your team) can focus on getting things done. Of course, it can be any day of the week. Some companies prefer Wednesdays for no-meeting days, while others prefer Thursdays.

Regardless, every employee is aware that meetings should only be scheduled on non-meeting days if required, ensuring that everyone has uninterrupted time to accomplish their best job.

"No-meeting day" has several advantages

Allows employees to stay concentrated without being distracted.

Unproductive meetings are not only a waste of time, but they also disrupt your employees' "flow" at work and take up extra hours. Even if it's a highly effective 30-minute meeting, it takes folks an average of another 23 minutes to get back into the swing of things.

If you have a handful of these meetings each day, half of your workday will be gone before you realise it! With a no-meeting day, your team will have an uninterrupted work zone, which is ideal for serious work and larger projects that keep getting pushed aside.

It's easier to achieve a state of flow, which increases production

People reach a state of flow' when they do what they love without being distracted, which leads to exceptional results. Employees can mark more tasks off their task lists and be more productive without meetings interrupting their workday.

On no-meeting days, they can work on more difficult, time-consuming activities, then tackle smaller, more manageable chores the rest of the week.

Allows everyone, including managers, to be "doers"

Most managers are accustomed to schedule-driven days, with meetings accounting for approximately 35% of their working hours. Implementing a no-meeting day across the company allows everyone, even managers, to focus on their job and be "doers."

Employee participation in meetings is increased

Meetings that are too frequent undermine not only productivity but also engagement. Nearly 73% of employees admit to multitasking during discussions, and 39% admit to falling asleep during one.

Since all of your employees' schedules are in sync, removing meetings from the equation for a day makes arranging meetings for the rest of the week easier. Plus, because your employees are less worried and better prepared for these sessions, it boosts employee engagement. 

Implementing a no-meeting day can help your organisation to be more productive.

How to Make No-Meeting Days Work

Here's how to get started with no-meeting days and incorporate them into your team culture once you've decided that less is more, at least when it comes to meetings.

Obtain buy-in from your coworkers

Present your suggestion for a no-meeting day and solicit input. Individual contributors will be easy to persuade; they'll like having more time to focus on their work. Explain to managers how a day without meetings allows them to get more tasks done by delving into their never-ending to-do lists.

Choose a weekday and stick to it

It can be challenging to get everyone to decide on a no-meeting day. Conduct a company-wide vote to determine what works best for everyone (or most people). 

Organise your calendar

Cancel meetings that aren't beneficial. Instead of holding status meetings, utilise a project management system to track progress. Townhalls, team check-ins, and 1:1s should be rescheduled to other days of the week. Work with managers to ensure that this action is repeated for every employee's calendar throughout the company.

Encouragement and communication

Every employee must understand what no-meeting days entail and the benefits they want to achieve. Therefore, make sure you set the right expectations for your employees, not just in terms of meetings but also how they may make the most of no-meeting days.

Keep in mind that it may be necessary to plan a meeting on a non-meeting day on occasion, so make that plain upfront. Encourage your team to reschedule meetings that are scheduled on a no-meeting day, and emphasise how no-meeting days help the company as a whole.

It's worth remembering that no-meeting days are for everyone on your team, not just individual contributors and managers. So, encourage everyone, including managers and leaders, to use no-meeting days by setting an example. Also, poll your team for suggestions on making your meetings more efficient and productive regularly.

Source: flockblog