A lot of planning, management, and resources are required to conduct a professional meeting. Meeting etiquette is an important factor in making the most out of them. They facilitate smooth communication and help the team members enhance their focus and productivity.
They also reduce distractions, allow the team to measure and achieve objectives quickly, and maintain professionalism among teammates.
This guide includes effective tips to help you maintain business meeting etiquette. If you’re struggling to find the best practices to carry out meetings efficiently at work, you’re at the right place.
Meeting Etiquette: Meaning and Significance
Meeting etiquette is a standard code of conduct that employees must follow during meetings to maintain workplace decorum. It includes planning, reaching on time, and active participation to maintain a respectful and professional work environment.
Business meetings are an ideal place for open discussions within an organization. They bring individuals with varying viewpoints together. Things may go haywire in such gatherings without certain rules and regulations.
Meeting etiquette is essential to avoid mishaps during professional gatherings. Other benefits of meeting etiquette are:
- Promotes employee efficiency
- Develops strong professional relationships
- Enhances understanding among team members
- Encourages everyone to give their input
- Facilitates better communication to find the best solutions
Tips for Good Meeting Etiquette
With hybrid work culture here to stay, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of both online and offline meeting etiquette. Here’s a complete guide to help you conduct the best practices before, during, and after business meetings.
Offline Meetings: Pre-meeting Etiquette
For meeting owner:
- Plan in advance
Find a suitable time slot for all the employees to get 100% attendance. Choose an appropriate space that can comfortably accommodate everyone. Test all the A/V equipment beforehand to conduct meetings smoothly.
- Create a precise meeting agenda
Establishing the objective and activity schedule is an essential pre-meeting etiquette for the organizer. Prepare a checklist of action items, assign roles, and provide a timeline for each activity in your agenda. This will save time and allow everyone to come prepared.
- Keep the supplies handy
Bring the prepared presentation, laptop charger, important notes, and other equipment to the meeting room. Let others know what they’re supposed to bring along. This meeting etiquette allows everyone to be accountable and eliminates the chances of distractions.
For meeting attendees:
- Understand your role
If you’re invited to a business meeting, know how you’ll be helping the team. It’s the basic meeting etiquette to make efforts and provide value through your active participation and role.
- Arrive on time
Being punctual is the ground rule for attending any meeting and is crucial in maintaining workplace discipline. Time is valuable for all, so make arrangements to reach the venue on time. Don't keep anyone waiting during their precious working hours.
Offline Meetings: Etiquette tips during the meeting
- Come prepared both physically and mentally
Be mindful of your body language while attending an on-site meeting. Know what’s expected of you and own your responsibilities. Go through the agenda beforehand and let everyone know what they’re supposed to do. Prepare yourself well so you can use the meeting hours efficiently.
- Make the meeting interactive
Participate actively and empower others to give their input. Active listening and asking appropriate questions at the right time are inevitable. Involve everyone in the discussion to make them feel valued. Considering every member’s viewpoint and concerns is the key to conveying you understand and respect their opinion. This allows every participant to make their efforts towards making the meeting more fruitful for all parties.
- Stick to the agenda to avoid distractions
Conflicting discussions are normal in a room full of teammates from diverse backgrounds. You need to make your way around workplace disagreement constructively. The best way is to maintain a professional attitude and have a civil dialogue while mentioning your point of view. Make the agenda the center of the discussion and work together as a team following the pre-planned discussion points. Don’t bring up things other than the pre-decided topics to avoid stretching the meeting beyond the fixed time limit. Following this meeting etiquette rule empowers you to make the most of the meeting hours.
Offline Meetings: Post-meeting etiquette
- Express gratitude and appreciation toward the attendees
Before leaving the conference room, appreciate everyone for their contribution.
- Circulate the minutes of the meeting
Have a follow-up with the entire team once the meeting is done. Make sure that everyone knows about the future deliverables as per the discussion. Include action items along with the meeting minutes to avoid ambiguity.
Online Meetings: Pre-meeting etiquette
- Check your internet connectivity ahead of time
Make sure you’re in a network coverage area. Check your microphone and video quality before hopping on the call. Double-check to ensure the link and other credentials are saved and handy. This meeting etiquette shows you value other person’s time and are diligent towards your work.
- Find a place with the minimum disturbance
If you’re in a shared space, let others know about your meeting to avoid interruption during the call. This is crucial to follow meeting etiquette in a remote workplace. Mute your cellphone and other notifications to eliminate any distractions.
- Set the meeting agenda
Online meetings could be confusing without a well-defined agenda. Share it with everyone if you’ve prepared it. Otherwise, ask for it before the meeting. This is an inevitable part of virtual meeting etiquette.
Online Meetings: Etiquette rules during meetings
In addition to the etiquette for offline meetings, there are a few more pointers to remember when meeting online, namely-
- Mute yourself while others are talking
If the meeting involves more than two people, unmute only when you’ve to say something. This online meeting etiquette tip helps cancel any background noise and saves everyone’s time.
- Leverage advanced automation tools
Make use of technology in online meetings to avoid any scope for error. Loopin is a modern-day calendar to capture meeting notes, share agendas, block time for each task, and more.
- Don’t interrupt while someone is speaking
Be more patient for your chance to talk in a video conference. Wait for a few seconds once the other participants finish their points. This meeting etiquette is also essential from the viewpoint of possible network issues.
Online Meetings: Post-meeting etiquette for remote workspace
- Don’t miss out on a follow-up
Send a follow-up email after the meeting to clarify doubts about the discussed topics. Encourage others to meet the assigned deliverable or ask questions, if any. This will remain the universal meeting etiquette to show your interest and dedication toward the team. Loopin has a built-in feature to share meeting notes and action items with all attendees once the meeting is done.
- Send thank you notes
It takes a few seconds to send a personalized note after the meeting. But sending a small “thank you” or an appreciation note goes a long way. Such thoughtful meeting etiquette makes the team feel acknowledged and appreciated for their efforts.
Final Thoughts
Certain guidelines are essential to make business meetings productive. With the current dynamics of the hybrid workspace, things can easily go off-track, even with a slight misunderstanding. Meeting etiquette is the only solution to keep such complications at bay.
Here are a few tips to promote meeting etiquette in the workplace that maintains professionalism and positive work culture.
Offline meeting etiquette
Before meeting
- Plan in advance
- Create a precise meeting agenda
- Keep the supplies handy
During meeting
- Arrive on time
- Come prepared both physically and mentally
- Make the meeting interactive
- Stick to the agenda to avoid any distractions
Post-meeting
- Express gratitude and appreciation toward the attendees
- Circulate the minutes of the meeting
Online meeting etiquette
Before meeting
- Check your internet connectivity ahead of time
- Find a place with the minimum disturbance
- Set the meeting agenda
During meeting
- Be confident and active in the meeting
- Mute yourself while others are talking
- Leverage advanced automation tools like Loopin
- Don’t interrupt while someone is speaking
Post-meeting
- Don’t miss out on a follow-up
- Send thank you notes
