We’re all a bit guilty of zoning out during meetings, equally management can be guilty of overkill on the meeting front too.
It can be difficult to concentrate the entirety and they can be viewed as an unnecessary distraction, especially when everyone has other important things to be concerned with.
New research from Wacom – an interactive pen, tablets, and displays company – showed that 57% of UK office workers felt their meetings were not productive.
1,000 people participated in the poll over the course of a week earlier this month.
Here’s what the research discovered:
- 43% of those surveyed said they switched off in meetings.
- 34% admitted to not concentrating in meetings and often working on other projects when in
them. - 21% of those surveyed admitted to falling asleep in a meeting.
One major distraction that the workers brought up was laptops and phones.
37% of those polled agreed their meetings would become more efficient and engaging if laptops weren’t taken in.
63% also felt that taking notes by hand would or does enable them to be more creative and productive.
Speaking on the poll’s findings, Jeroen van ‘t Hoofd, spokesperson for Wacom said “Meeting organisers and presenters worldwide are constantly competing with laptops and mobile devices for the attention of attendees.”
Adding, “while most people use the devices for note-taking, the temptation to multi-task is just too great.”
“These distractions have a negative impact on stress levels, productivity, company culture and ultimately the bottom line. We can all benefit from fewer, shorter, more productive meetings. A more mindful meeting starts with smarter, distraction-free note taking.”
Recent research from the US suggests the impact of this on a business might be more detrimental than a few minutes of lost concentration. According to a poll reported by BPS Digest, $37 billion (approx €33 billion) could be lost every year as a result of unproductive meetings.
So there you have it folks, we could all benefit from fewer, shorter, meaningful and productive meetings. And to help alleviate distraction, note taking by hand instead of laptops, tablets or mobile devices, should be encouraged.
