Real Estate Marketing & Beyond
A recent survey of company managers by Harvard Business Review found that 83% believe the meetings on their calendars are unproductive and therefore a complete waste of time. It’s a belief that’s shared by professionals of all ages and ranks.
However, the workplace wellness firm Friday Pulse has rejected those findings and insists that meetings can be a crucial aspect of team building in work environments. It says meeting regularly can create happier teams. It may offer more reason for real estate brokerages to keep up with regular check-in meetings.
Nic Marks, CEO of Friday Pulse, said there are five critical components to workplace happiness and they can all be achieved with meetings: connection, fairness, empowerment, challenge, and inspiration.
“They all have an influence, they’re all important, and for some people, some are more important than others,” he told Fast Company. “We’re very socially motivated. If we get on well with our colleagues and feel supported, everything goes a lot better.”
Marks said he has surveyed people to find out how frequently they have a team meeting.
“If people don’t have team meetings, the data we have is that they’re three times more likely to be unhappy,” Marks continued. “Good team meetings are worth about half a point on a one-to-five scale of happiness, so it’s quite a big effect.”
For companies that do want to hold more regular meetings to build up happiness and morale among their employees, Marks offered a few tips on how to do it right. He suggested holding a weekly team meeting that has a clear direction and also serves as a bonding experience, so as to improve relationships among team members.
During meetings, Marks says it’s an ideal time to call out employee’s successes and show appreciation for their efforts. At the same time, the meetings should be used as an outlet for team members to share any frustrations they may have, as well as problems they’re having difficulty solving.
To liven up meetings, Marks suggested that “walk-and-talk” meetings might be more beneficial. By getting everyone outside and walking together, that could provide a more comfortable environment to discuss any difficult topics.
Marks added that it’s a good idea for managers to have brief one-on-one meetings with employees every month or every quarter, where they can discuss any concerns the employee may have more privately.
Meetings are all too common in the business world, but knowing how to get the most out of them will allow them to be all the more productive. Great insight shared here!