(NAPSI)—There are more than 60,000,000 knowledge workers in the United States
and they spend more than 8.5 hours per week in meetings. This translates into
more than 440 meeting hours per year—a total of 11 weeks.
The Problem
According to a recent survey by Barco, a leader
in wireless collaborative technology, most workers felt their effectiveness
was affected by the sheer number of meetings in a day. The study found that
while meetings are an essential part of a workplace routine, the implications
for the presenter and the effect on the participants of an unsuccessful or
unproductive meeting can lead to stress.
That may be one reason the American Institute of Stress said one of the
most significant sources of stress in America today is the workplace.
In the course of a year, the Institute reported, Americans work almost a
month more than the Japanese and three months more than the Germans. This
stressor of work is associated with increased rates of heart attacks,
hypertension and other disorders. However, the true culprit is lack of
control in an environment with many demands. Fortunately, that doesn’t
have to be. Understanding the stress triggers is the first step in addressing
the problem of a “killer” workplace environment.
Some Answers
The next time you need to conduct a meeting, taking a few simple steps can
help:
1. Ensure that the technology is
working. Get there early and make sure everything works right.
2. Create the right room setup.
Make sure everyone can see you and the main screen. If the room is big
enough, try walking around to interact with people at the back. Big views or
vistas create distractions. Equidistance between presenter and all
participants is important for inclusion.
3. Jazz things up with multimedia.
Create a dynamic, engaging presentation. Keep your slides minimal. With the
right technology, you can increase engagement by making the meeting
interactive so more people can share ideas.
4. Start on time, at the right
time. It’s best to hold meetings early in the day, before people
get tired.
5. Keep interruptions to a minimum.
Ask people to mute their phones—or to not bring them to the meeting at
all. Make sure everyone knows when the meeting starts to reduce late arrival.
6. Be careful with food.
Offering food can help ensure a good turnout and keep people happy, but get
it out of the way early or avoid holding meetings over lunch when people are
hungry.
7. It’s about you, too.
If you’re not engaged, your guests won’t be either. Practice and
inject plenty of personality.
Learn More
For further facts and tips and to see the technology in action, go to www.barco.com/en/clickshare.
“According to a recent survey by Barco, a company known for designing business, health
care and entertainment technology, most workers felt their effectiveness was
affected by the sheer number of meetings in a day. http://bit.ly/2Fk8UBL”
On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)