Meetings are like dental cleanings. No one looks forward to them, but everyone realizes how necessary they are. That doesn't mean all meetings are worthwhile, however, as a recent survey from administrative staffing service OfficeTeam found. More than a quarter (27%) of polled workers said meetings are the biggest culprit of wasted time at work. Unnecessary interruptions ranked a close second at 26%. The survey was conducted by an independent research firm and included responses from 613 adult men and women. Other time-sucking practices named: socializing too much with colleagues (21%), a disorganized work area (21%) and no answer or don't know (5%). Liz Hughes, executive director of OfficeTeam, notes these red flags of mismanaged meetings:
- No leader to keep the meeting on track.
- A lack of an objective, which blocks or slows identification of a solution to the given problem.
- Too many attendees.
- Routine meetings that are always scheduled but may have lost their value.
