How do you organize an efficient meeting? This is how you do it!

Meetings are the perfect time to share information, make plans and take decisions. But if they are badly organized, chaotic or time-consuming, they can also become extremely boring, which is counterproductive to productivity. A good meeting stands or falls with the preparation. So paying attention to this is key! What exactly do you need to pay attention to? You can read about it here.

1. When is a meeting necessary?

Meetings are often scheduled to be held every week or every fortnight. But when there not much new to report, they often turn into a waste of time. Is your meeting of no apparent use? Then cancel or postpone it.

2. Determine the goals

Realize that by holding a meeting, you are keeping your colleagues or employees away from other tasks. Only do that with a good reason. Therefore, pay sufficient attention to what you want to achieve with the meeting and what you want the others to do after the meeting. At the end, convey that message in plain language.

3. Draw up the agenda

In the agenda, you collect all the subjects you want to address during the meeting: announcements, questions, complaints, a brainstorming session, solving problems or making decisions. In this way, you control the course of the meeting and start it well prepared. A little tip? Organize the agenda items from light to heavy topics. That will improve concentration and productivity.

4. Division of roles

After the agenda items, there is the division of roles. This is necessary in order to take decisions in the right way. First of all, appoint a transcriber. This is a difficult word for the person who writes down what is said and puts it in a report. A note take sort of say. Secondly, record who is present and who is not. Another important role is for the person who keeps an eye on the time. Because nobody likes meetings that run late, right?

5. Breaks

Not only is keeping track of time important, but breaks are also necessary. A short break does wonders for concentration. Especially when it comes to bulky, long meetings. Therefore, plan the breaks and make sure they are respected.

6. A professional space

A professional location is a must for every meeting.

• The size of your location. Depending on the subject of your meeting, you may need a larger or smaller meeting room. Either way, make sure there is enough room for your participants. Then think about the set-up of the meeting. Do you need a projection screen, a beamer or a video conference system? If you are holding a meeting at an external location, make sure that all technological and digital aids are available. Coffee, water and/or a lunch facility are also always useful.
• Accessibility. When you choose a location for your meeting (at your office or in an external meeting room), make sure that everyone can reach the location. By car, but also by public transport and possibly even by bicycle. Also bear in mind that you should choose a room that is accessible for the disabled.

7. Draw up a to-do list

At the end of a meeting, agreements are made and tasks are distributed. Collect these in a to-do list. It gives each participant a reference point to find the tasks assigned and to carry them out by the next meeting. Even those who were absent can find the tasks in a central place.

Meetings to your heart's content in the BluePoint's meeting rooms

Did we give you some tips on how to organize a smooth meeting? Great! There is one part of your preparation that we can certainly help you with! At BluePoint, you will find rooms with projection and audiovisual equipment, technological support and catering facilities for all your professional activities. Our buildings in Antwerp, Brussels and Liège also have their own parking and are easily accessible by public transport. So your participants can easily arrive at our buildings.

Together we will look for a suitable room. Because for your meeting, we go the extra mile. Contact a BluePoint staff member at marketing@bluepoint.be or +32 2 706 88 00.