HR managers around the world already know that work meetings are seen by many as disruptive, and even more so if the employees in question are working remotely. After more than two years of fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic, work habits have been altered across the world with many people now working from home. Although remote work comes with numerous benefits like lower costs, increased productivity and reduced stress levels, employers and employees alike have come to understand that it also comes with some disadvantages—and longer working days and more meetings are just some of them.
Remote workers and those who have recently returned to the office are also fighting digital burnout, increased levels of anxiety, exhaustion, and apathy caused by spending too much time on digital devices for work and play. As HR managers already know, digital burnout can make employees less productive and less engaged during meetings, which can ultimately lead to decreased productivity overall. However, although recent studies show that as many as 69% of employees are experiencing burnout symptoms while working remotely, the good news is that managers now have multiple ways of hosting more enjoyable work meetings that actually decrease stress.
The KISS principle
The KISS principle, an acronym first used in the 60s, refers to one key piece of advice that applies in most industries: Keep it short and simple. Although it is mostly used in digital marketing and content writing spheres, KISS is a design principle that works in most industries—with HR being no exception. Companies around the world have already discovered the benefits of hosting shorter work meetings in an attempt to avoid digital burnout. According to WIRED magazine, the idea of fighting digital fatigue by cutting meeting times to just 15 minutes is now very popular among managers.
Some companies have decided to take this idea a step further by eliminating work meetings altogether. Victor Potrel, Vice President of Platform Partnerships at TheSoul Publishing, has eliminated all meetings and emails over the course of the last three years—and TheSoul Publishing employees are now only using simple tools like digital publishing and instant messaging to discuss their projects. Potrel says that his employees find this idea “liberating”, because they have more time to focus on their tasks.
Inviting the right people
While it’s true that most companies could experience issues if they decide to follow the road paved by TheSoul Publishing, the good news is that cutting meetings shorter or eliminating them are not the only ways of applying the KISS principle. In fact, another way to do that may prove to be even easier to apply: Inviting the right people. According to Professor Steven Rogelberg of UNC Charlotte, dysfunction increases with size, and managers should always avoid over-inviting people to a work meeting. Rogelberg says that managers tend to invite more workers to a meeting in an attempt to achieve inclusion and engender engagement, but in doing so they actually achieve the opposite.
By inviting the right people to a work meeting, managers can make sure that decision-makers are well-informed and engaged, while most of the team remains focused on the tasks at hand, and avoids excessive digital fatigue. Furthermore, by inviting fewer people, managers provide the ones attending the meeting with a better chance to make their opinions heard.
Setting an agenda ahead of time
Regardless of the time spent in a meeting, the most important thing to consider when hosting a work meeting is productivity. Hosting a meeting with fewer people is preferable, but even a small number of workers might find themselves tired or stressed if the meeting in question is unnecessary. The best way of making sure that managers avoid hosting unfocused and unnecessary meetings is by setting an agenda ahead of time, and making the goals of the meeting known to the participants before scheduling it. An agenda is not only useful to the participants, but also to the managers and HR managers planning the meeting.
Recent information shows that, by hosting fewer work meetings, managers can help employees boost their productivity, communication, and job satisfaction levels. Although shorter, simpler work meetings with fewer participants are recommended, unnecessary meetings should be avoided at all costs. Digital burnout remains an important issue for both HR managers and employees in 2022, and hosting only enjoyable work meetings this year can fight it.
