What is the best day of the week to have a meeting?
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As a general rule, people really don’t like meetings. In fact, 17 percent of employees say they’d literally rather watch paint dry than attend one. Still, there are some rare folks who actually enjoy them, and most of us agree that some meetings seem to go more smoothly than others. But, why is that the case? It could be as simple as scheduling meetings at a better time and day of the week. Show  (Photo Credit: startupstockphotos.com)
A lot of companies schedule team meetings for Monday mornings, the logic being that this is a good time to get everyone on the same page on shared goals right at the beginning of the week. However, this timing isn’t great. Folks have a lot of energy on Monday mornings, and this can be a very productive time. If this is taken away, many workers will experience a rise in frustration, and a simultaneous decline in morale. Monday morning meetings might sound like a good idea, but they aren’t.
Relying on similar logic, some companies elect to schedule the bulk of their meetings for early in the day, thinking that it will allow teams to kick off new projects more easily. However, morning meetings aren’t a good idea. We prepare for them the day before, which can detach us from the topic at hand, or we don’t prepare at all. Also, some attendees may still be sleepy at this time, or might prefer to start the day attending to some important to-do items instead. When we start the day more independently, we’re able to offer more to groups later in the day.
The end of the day also isn’t the best time of day to schedule a meeting. A lot of people are run down by this point and may rush to get the meeting behind them rather than fully engage. There is logic behind the idea that one should not interview for a new position late in the afternoon for this very reason. The same goes for all other meetings. We get run-down as the day goes on, and we don’t make the best decisions during these times. Any meeting close to the end of the day will likely elicit less participation and active engagement than ones held a bit earlier.
Recently, Quartz reported on a study done by YouCanBookMe, a company based in the U.K. that makes scheduling apps for businesses. After analyzing data from more than two million responses, they determined that 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday is the single best time to schedule a meeting. Not too early and not too late (in both the day and the week) mid-afternoon and mid-week meetings might just be the ideal time to meet. Try keeping track of the meetings you attend over the course of the next couple weeks and see if you notice a difference in terms of productivity and engagement based upon time of day. It could help you understand a little bit more about how, and when, you do your best work. Tell Us What You Think What do you think is the best time for a meeting? We want to hear from you! Leave a comment or join the discussion on Twitter. Monday 08 August 2022 9:13 am Kirstie works for our job board partner, Jobbio. Based in Dublin, she has been a writer and editor across print and digital platforms for over 15 years. As work reopens and many of us have adopted a hybrid schedule where we are at home a couple of days a week and in the office for another two or three days, the issue of how to hold an effective meeting has become a bigger and bigger problem. When everyone was at home at the height of the pandemic and logging into the same Teams or Zoom meeting, it may have been a bit annoying dealing with wonky connections, people talking over each other and accidentally disconnecting themselves, but everyone was present together in one – albeit cloud-based – location. Now, meetings are often a mix of some team members logging on from home, and some people in person in the office, all trying to avoid feedback loops, or gathered together around one screen, elbowing each other out of the way. It doesn’t work that well, but thanks to many employers’ requirements, lots of office workers are duty bound to be in the office for a portion of their working weeks. Many of us feel a need to be physically present too, thanks to the phenomenon of proximity bias. It is the notion that those with close physical proximity to their team and management will be perceived as better workers and ultimately find more success at work. A recent Owl Labs Hybrid Work survey confirmed that 47% of employees believe proximity bias exists in the workplace. So if you do have to be present and correct, it makes sense to maximise your presence. Here are the best – and worst – days to be in the office. Monday and FridayThese two days seem like they’d be good for a meeting: you’re fresh on Monday, ready to tackle what the week brings. On Fridays you feel relaxed and more open, ready for the weekend. However, Monday is often a panic – you’re dealing with things you didn’t get done the week before and you can be on the back foot. Fridays are the least productive day according to a survey from task management company Redbooth. Additionally, these are the days we are most likely to take off, adding one or other onto a weekend to stretch it out, so trying to get the whole team together can be a faff. Wednesday and ThursdayA 2019 Accountemps survey of more than 300 HR managers found that employee productivity drops on Wednesdays and Thursdays. So aware of this was Melbourne-based digital agency Versa that it has compressed its 37.5 hours working week over the course of four days instead of the standard five, giving employees every Wednesday off. Result: no meetings. TuesdayBingo. The best day for a meeting. Monday is done, you’ve got headspace and can concentrate fully on work. Multiple studies agree it is the superior choice, and 39% of human resources managers think employees get the most done on Tuesdays too. But what is the best time for a meeting? The Redbooth study also found that the majority of tasks are completed around 11am and productivity decreases after lunchtime, completely dropping after 4pm, so a window of meeting opportunity between the two seems optimum. If meetings are really getting you down and you’re looking for a better way, we’ve got three open roles at interesting companies to check out below – and there are plenty more to discover on the Job Board too. Talent Strategy Advisor, IndeedIndeed is looking for a Talent Strategy Advisor to serve as a recruitment evangelist and tell the company’s story to the market – on stage at events, during industry-wide webcasts, and in conference rooms at the largest employers. You will also be the sales force’s key marketing contact to help develop effective account specific go-to-market strategies. You’ll need a minimum of five years’ experience working with enterprise level companies and strong analytical skills, plus the ability to story tell with data in a compelling way. Apply now. Operations Data Analyst, WeWorkWeWork is looking for a data-driven Analyst to join the international development operations team. You will provide critical insights and work closely with senior management and execute on a diverse range of initiatives including capex insights, delivery strategy and goal setting. You’ll need a BA/BS from a leading undergraduate institution, with a major in finance, economics, business or another quantitative focus, as well as one to three years’ of total work experience in banking, consulting, financial services, or sales operations. Apply now. Head of Marketing, Europe, AESOP CorporateThe Head of Marketing, Europe leads, develops and advocates for the Aesop brand for Europe, and is expected to contribute to the global marketing strategy and its translation and implementation into the region. The role is responsible for and extends across all facets of marketing from regional brand strategy, customer management and experience, retail and brand marketing to channel mix, pricing and insights.You need a minimum of 10 years’ marketing experience and strong digital knowledge and practical experience. Apply now. Ready to look for a new role? The City A.M. Job Board is your first port of call with thousands of opportunities to discover all across the UK What day of the week is best for meetings?On Friday, they are likely to be rushing through the day in anticipation for two days off. Holidays on Mondays may also affect meeting availability. Therefore, for productivity and participation reasons, it is generally better to conduct meetings on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday.
What is the best time to start a meeting?The general consensus is that the best time of day for meetings in business is between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. If a typical workday lasts from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., the day is divided into two halves. The schedule is basically the same in every office. Earlier in the day, 9 –10 a.m.
When should you have a meeting?If you're looking for an exchange of ideas between core team members, you most likely need a meeting to get your team members in a room together. However, if what you need is collaboration or feedback on an ongoing project, or to review deliverables from other team members, you may not need a meeting.
When should you not have a meeting?10 situations when a meeting is not necessary. If nobody has set an agenda. ... . If punctuality is not respected. ... . Improvised situations. ... . If they take too much of your time. ... . Conferences instead of meetings. ... . If there are too many people. ... . If the topic does not affect you directly. ... . If you do not have availability.. |
