How do you make your team meetings engaging and an effective use of time? We consider alternative ways to meet with your teams.
Have you ever sat in a meeting and thought, ‘This could’ve been an email’? I know I have.
Meetings are a crucial part of any workplace, but let’s face it – they’re often too long, repetitive, and dominated by a few voices.
Fortunately, forward-thinking companies are reimagining meetings to be more engaging, inclusive, and productive. From outdoor sessions to VR experiences, businesses are finding creative ways to keep teams connected while making meetings more meaningful and productive.
Rethinking the traditional meeting
Entrepreneurs and business leaders are challenging the status quo by shifting the structure of meetings. Take Amazon’s CEO, Jeff Bezos, for example, his meetings start with attendees reading a narrative-style memo in silence, ensuring that everyone is on the same page before discussions begin. Bezos also encourages junior professionals to speak first to avoid groupthink and doesn’t set time limits, allowing conversations to wander, often sparking fresh ideas.
In contrast, Author and Motivational Speaker Simon Sinek advocates for more structured meetings. He suggests assigning roles like a timekeeper and notetaker to improve efficiency, avoiding calling on participants to reduce anxiety among participants, and ending meetings a few minutes early to allow for a smooth transition to the next task or meeting.
Both perspectives highlight the need for rethinking how we conduct meetings – by prioritising open discussion, refining efficiency, and making them more active and interactive.
Freedom from the boardroom
1. Outdoor meetings: fresh air, fresh ideas
Sitting in a conference room all day can be draining. Studies show that outdoor environments improve mood, creativity, and focus. Especially in winter when it’s dark out before and after our working days and we hardly see the sun. Sunlight boosts wellbeing through vitamin D, which helps regulate mood and blood pressure, strengthen bones and fend off infections.
Business leaders like Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, and Richard Branson have all championed walking meetings, finding that movement leads to more open discussions and innovative thinking. Walking increases blood flow and oxygen to the brain, enhances cognitive function, and stimulates creative thinking.
Ways to implement outdoor meetings
Walking meetings: ideal for one-on-one discussions and brainstorming sessions
Stand-up meetings in open spaces: instead of a boardroom, try a courtyard or park
Virtual outdoor meetings: remote teams can take calls from a garden or balcony to break the monotony of back-to-back video calls
2. VR and hybrid meetings
Technology is transforming how we meet. Some companies are exploring virtual reality (VR) meetings, where teams gather in a digital environment that simulates a real-life office. This enhances engagement and creates a stronger sense of presence for remote teams.
For hybrid meetings, accessibility is key. Virtual tools like live captions, transcripts, and screen-sharing features allow participants – including those with disabilities – to engage more effectively.
3. Stand, walk, or even plank
Physical movement isn’t just a wellness trend – it can enhance engagement. Many organisations are experimenting with:
Standing meetings (scrums): quick and to-the-point – ideal for daily check-ins
Plank meetings: a fun way to encourage brevity and laser-focused discussion – participants can only speak while holding a plank
Treadmill desks or desk bikes: allowing employees to move while they meet
4. Make meetings more interactive
A passive meeting where only one person speaks isn’t engaging. Companies like Adobe use a quick “red-yellow-green” system to assess workload:
Red: overwhelmed and need help
Yellow: managing but stretched
Green: everything is on track
Live polls, virtual whiteboards (Miro, Mural), and randomised speaking orders ensure that everyone has a voice.
Creating inclusive meetings
It's worth noting that everyone has different abilities and not everyone can walk, stand or plank but there are ways to make these activities accessible and many alternatives to allow participants to be more active, if they want to be.
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to meetings. For example, people with ADHD may find it easier to concentrate and engage while walking. Whereas their colleague may need crutches to get around sometimes and would prefer to stay seated. It doesn’t need to be an either-or situation. The solution might be that the person with ADHD goes for a walk and calls their colleague who is inside at their desk.
By embracing dynamic meeting formats, businesses can create a more engaging, productive, and innovative workplace. Whether it's taking meetings outdoors, leveraging VR, or making discussions more interactive, the future of meetings is about breaking the mould.
If you’re looking for a talented professional to join your team or a new employer that breaks the mould, contact your nearest Reed office today.
