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Walking meetings. The idea sounds absurd but you will be surprised to know that walking meetings are more productive than boardroom meetings. Steve Jobs and Sigmund Freud, Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey also believe in the power of walking meetings.
Just a few months before the death of Steve Jobs, both Jobs e and Zuckerberg were reportedly taking a walk together to discuss a joint venture between the two companies to have a “music social networking” service and a recommendation engine for iTunes.
If walking meetings work for business tycoons, then they will probably work for the others too. Studies reveal that most employees feel the time they spend in meetings is a total waste and hardly brings any productivity.
In addition, if we look at the statistic of inactivity in today’s world for an average employee, it is startling. Most of us spend more than nine hours a day sitting and nearly eight hours sleeping. Sitting has become so incredibly prevalent in today’s time that we do not even think about it.
This sedentary lifestyle has become a reality of today’s time. Sitting hour after hour is bad for efficiency, which decreases with bad health conditions.
Instead of meeting in conference rooms, if meetings can be held outside, while taking a walk, then the entire work culture can change. Employees will be more enthusiastic, energetic and full of fresh ideas perhaps.
Five Benefits of Walking Meetings
- Energizes people and makes them more alert, inspiring new ideas.
- Helps burn calories, stimulates oxygen flow and increases ability to solve problems faster.
- Improves confidence and allows for work without interruptions.
- Saves office resources, keeping fewer machines running.
- Sets people at ease and enhances positive work spirit.
However, not all meetings can be walking meetings. Usually one to one meetings or meetings with not more than five people can be walking meetings. Also, for walking meetings, everything needs to be organized beforehand. The participants should be informed about the meeting in advance so that they may prepare themselves with comfortable clothes and shoes. Weather conditions, employee fitness and meeting time are also some of the considerations that should be taken care of.
In addition, the walking paths for meetings should be carefully planned. Noisy and busy roads can be distracting and dangerous. Parks or sideways are usually the best choice for walking meetings. Evenings would be the best time for such meetings when employees are already tired and need a change.
Walking meetings can act as a break from a tiresome and busy day. It can bring employees closer, allowing them to stay fit and more joyful in addition to being productive and creative.
These insights really make sense. Walking meetings can be more productive indeed compared to room meetings. In this manner, one can express freely and could actually think on broader perspective. The discussion would more fruitful since the meeting is not that structured. Thanks for sharing these awesome pieces of information.