Countless hours of valuable work time are wasted in unnecessary or unproductive meetings. According to the Global Anatomy of Work Report 2022, employees lose about three hours weekly to unnecessary meetings (Asana 2022). A study by Pega (2018) estimates that up to one hour per day could be saved if unnecessary meetings were eliminated or conducted more efficiently. While it may not be possible to reclaim all lost hours, every saved hour is valuable—overwork is commonplace.
We attend many meetings, but on average, we’re not good at conducting them. Why has this become noticeable in recent years? Haven’t meetings always been unproductive? Perhaps, but as time pressures increase, inefficient processes that waste time become more apparent. When there’s plenty of time, an extra half-hour doesn’t seem to matter much.
Some Numbers
What is the current state of meeting productivity? Recent surveys reveal alarming results (Zauderer, 2023; Pumble, 2022; Booqed, 2022):
71% find the meetings they attend unproductive.
65% say meetings hinder them from completing their actual work.
On average, we spend 50 days a year in meetings.
83% of employees spend up to 33% of their weekly work hours in meetings.
There has been an 8-10% increase in meetings each year since 2000.
The videoconferencing market is projected to reach $20 billion by 2030.
46% of employees spend less than 4 hours per week in meetings.
37% spend 4 to 12 hours per week in meetings.
11% spend 12 to 20 hours per week in meetings.
Nearly 5% spend over 20 hours per week in meetings.
On average, employees spend 4 hours per week preparing for meetings.
10 to 17 meetings occur each week: 10 for juniors, 12 for management, and 17 for C-level executives.
Executives lose almost 6 days of work annually due to inefficient meetings.
Inefficient meetings cost a corporation an average of $300 million annually.
Only 11% of all meetings are considered productive.
72% of executives’ work time is spent in meetings.
15 minutes is the ideal meeting duration for maintaining focus, as agreed by 91% of respondents.
76% of employees prefer in-person meetings (post-pandemic).
73% work on other tasks during meetings.
39% admit to falling asleep during meetings.
55% find phone calls or text messages the most disruptive during meetings.
The worst meetings are those where you look at the clock after two hours, and only 30 minutes have passed.
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Solutions
72% believe setting clear goals is key to productive meetings.
67% see a clear agenda as vital.
35% think fewer participants make meetings more successful.
Our free downloadable infographic provides basic tips for effective meetings.
For specialized meetings, more refined advice is given below:
- Define a clear purpose and goal for each meeting.
- Create an agenda.
- Limit the number of participants.
- Respect everyone’s time.
- Avoid double bookings.
- No multitasking or side conversations.
- Keep it brief!
Productive Meetings
Different types of meetings require different methods to be productive. Here are tips based on the type of meeting and desired outcome:
1. Information Meetings: When the goal is to inform others.
When the goal is to ensure everyone is up to date and can ask clarifying questions without debating or changing established standards. A classic example is a firefighting operation: lengthy discussions about basic procedures would be disastrous. There is a briefing on the current status, which is updated based on the leaders’ assessment. Important observations are communicated by everyone, but basic processes are simply followed.
Information formats typically operate in a closed mode: high concentration, process execution, with a focus on quality, speed, accuracy, and reliability (as opposed to the open mode, see below).
Examples:
Briefings, shift handovers, pre-performance lineups.
2. Communication Meetings: When seeking input from others.
Decisions don’t always have to be made in every meeting. Sometimes, it’s about exchanging ideas, gaining inspiration, and asking others for input and feedback, knowing that further input might be needed to reach a good decision. You can also gather impressions and get a sense of the team’s mood. Everyone gains insight, but no decision is required, and consensus isn’t necessary.
Examples:
Kick-off meetings, experience sharing, mood assessment, feedback sessions, debriefings, project wrap-up meetings.
3. True Working Meetings: When Work Needs to Get Done
These meetings involve working together on a specific task, such as a document, presentation, press release, plan, design, etc. The idea is for everyone to contribute to improve the final outcome. All perceptions, inputs, suggestions, background information, reservations, and ideas are heard, discussed, and considered for inclusion based on a usually collective decision.
Examples:
Work sessions, agile team meetings.
Downloads
Quellen
* Mader, I. (2023) Wissensmanagement erfolgreich umsetzen. Praxisleitfaden mit Self-Check, Toolselektionshilfe und Toolbox. ISO 9001:2015 konform. Springer Gabler: Wiesbaden. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-662-66763-7
* Zauderer, S. (2023) Time Wasted In Meetings: 59+ Meeting Statistics. Cross River Therapy. https://www.crossrivertherapy.com/meeting-statistics
* Pumble (2022) Meeting statistics you should know. https://pumble.com/learn/communication/meeting-statistics/
* Booqed (2022) Minutes (Wasted) of Meeting: 50 Shocking Meeting Statistics. https://www.booqed.com/blog/minutes-wasted-of-meeting-50-shocking-meeting-statistics