Meetings are necessary because they allow you to inform everyone of significant changes and new initiatives. Discover when you should have a face-to-face meeting by reading on.
If we take a look at the definition, an in-person meeting is a get-together of two or more people that happens in person as opposed to over the phone or online.
In-person encounters should be your first choice when considering a great way to connect with someone. Keep reading and learn more about in-person meeting.
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What’s the Purpose of In-person Meeting?
It’s simple to overlook the value of face-to-face interactions in a world that is becoming more and more digital. Why bother having a face-to-face meeting when we have access to Whoosh, Skype, and Zoom for global communication?
While it’s true that technology has made it simpler than ever to stay in touch with distant people, there’s still something to be said for good ol’ face-to-face meetups.
Therefore, what is their true goal? The chance to connect personally and establish relationships is greatly enhanced by in-person meetings. Additionally, they promote open dialogue and teamwork, which improves outcomes. Meeting in person gives participants a chance to get to know one another, which can make collaboration more enjoyable.
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The Benefits of Face-to-face Communication
1. Clearer Communication
How often have you struggled to understand the tone of a coworker’s email reply? Deciphering meaning in text-based communication can be difficult, especially when communicating across cultures or borders. A one-line reply, an exclamation point, or an errant winking emoji can all be confusing.
Videoconferencing isn’t much better because it eliminates body language and other nonverbal cues. Psychology Today says that while it’s impossible to determine an exact percentage, at least two-thirds of communication can be nonverbal. Ensure that the speaker’s message is understood by using subtle variations in facial expressions, vocal inflections, hand gestures, and eye contact.
2. Fewer Interruptions
Any lag in a virtual meeting makes it challenging to raise points without interrupting or speaking over another participant. To combat this, some videoconferencing software now includes a “raise hand” feature to signal that you have something to say, but these notifications can be easy for the host of the meeting to miss. They can also be unsettling for any participants who already have meeting anxiety and are reluctant to speak up.
The flow of events is much greater during face-to-face meetings. We unconsciously use body language as a social cue to signal when we are about to speak, when we have finished speaking, and when we are prepared to give the floor to another person. This avoids conversational stalling and guarantees that everyone is heard at the appropriate time.
3. Stronger Relationships
While it’s true that most business interactions happen online these days—whether it’s through email, virtual meetings, or social media—we still place a lot of value on actually meeting people. A Forbes survey found that 84 percent of executives prefer in-person meetings because they allow for the development of deeper and more significant business relationships.
Face-to-face interactions strengthen bonds between people and reinforce existing social ties. They allow for casual small talk, which can come off as inappropriate or fake in a more formal videoconferencing setting. Before or after an in-person meeting, a quick conversation about football, food, or Netflix can be just as important to building a strong professional relationship as anything on the agenda. That is the distinction between meeting and connecting.
A face-to-face meeting demonstrates your value for your client’s time and business by demonstrating your willingness to make time in your schedule for them. Respect should be reciprocated. The customers who make the effort to visit you in person rather than simply clicking on an invite link are those who will be your most valuable business partners.
4. Builds Trust
An investigation released in 2017 and published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found that people trust face-to-face communication more than email. An email is automatically regarded as suspect, especially if it is unsolicited, whereas a request made in person is seen as more sincere. We’ve been trained to distrust our inboxes as a result of spam emails and dubious attachments.
Therefore, face-to-face meetings are crucial to establishing a foundational level of mutual respect and understanding between two or more participants, particularly in the early stages of a business relationship. A face-to-face meeting increases your chances of success if you’re pitching a fresh idea or making a risky request that calls for the client to put their trust in you.
5. More Attentive Participants
Even though you make an effort to keep everyone interested during virtual meetings, some participants are just innately more likely to contribute, creating an unbalanced social dynamic that actively discourages effective communication. While the extroverts will steal the show by facilitating the conversation and setting the agenda, the more reserved team members will typically observe and passively process what is being said.
A good host can avoid this by inviting participants to speak up at crucial points in the call, but this can be awkward when dealing with larger groups where everyone’s input isn’t always required. Face-to-face interactions allow these two personality camps to get along better and have meetings that are more fruitful and positive.
Where Should You Host In-person Meetings?
To hold in-person meetings, you can occasionally travel to locations that are much farther than your office. The best option in some situations will still be your private, quiet conference room. The places you can host in-person meetings are listed below, along with suggestions for the ideal times to hold them.
- Restaurants. Because it doesn’t interfere with anyone’s actual working hours, holding a meeting over lunch can be more convenient. Additionally, restaurants are a natural choice for lunch meetings. They work particularly well for informal gatherings and team-building exercises. While it is possible to hold formal meetings in some restaurants, the noise level is frequently too high to create a formal atmosphere.
- Coffee shops. Try coffee shop meetings when you need to leave the office for a change of scenery and some light refreshments. Since their more relaxed atmosphere can encourage both people to share more, they make an excellent setting for one-on-one meetings. However, avoid holding team meetings in coffee shops because they are typically quite small. The result will probably be a cramped feeling.
- Conference room. For casual get-togethers, restaurants and coffee shops work great, but formal meetings need a more controlled setting. You will have plenty of privacy in conference rooms, which are decorated to look professional. If you don’t have a conference room right in your office, you can rent one from a coworking space, hotel, or another business.
How to Host An In-person Meeting?
There are benefits to in-person meetings, but one significant drawback has only recently surfaced: the COVID-19 pandemic. Meeting coworkers in person has become a little trickier than usual because of the coronavirus, to put it mildly. You attended so many virtual meetings recently for a reason, after all.
Of course, COVID-19 vaccines have led to some employers bringing employees back to the workplace [1]. But some people might want to proceed cautiously at the same time. If you want to keep everyone healthy, it’s probably best to take some safety measures when organizing an in-person team meeting. Here are a few quick steps you and your team can take to stay healthy while attending in-person meetings.
- Schedule around less busy times
- Give everyone masks
- Space out seating
- Open your windows
- Avoid food and drinks
- Keep it short
1. Schedule Around Less Busy Times
The likelihood that someone on your team will get sick increases as more people gather nearby. Think about it: Just one person unknowingly showing up with COVID-19 can get everyone sick [2]. (Consider the fact that not everyone who possesses COVID-19 is aware of it.) [3]
Try to avoid setting up meetings near busy times if you and your team intend to do so in a public area. The same rule applies if you’re scheduling a lunch meeting at a restaurant: Avoid getting sick during the typical lunch rush. Call it a “late lunch meeting” to get the point across.
2. Give Everyone Masks
Masks have proven to be effective against stopping (or at least slowing) the spread of the virus [4]. Providing basic sanitation supplies like masks and hand sanitizer to participants before the meeting starts can curb asymptomatic transmission [5]. Note that some masks are more effective than others [6], so using them in combination with other safety measures has the best chance of keeping your employees healthy.
3. Space Out Seating
As a defense against COVID-19, social exclusion has long been recommended. It may be used a little less frequently these days, but in-person meetings still benefit from it. Keeping a bit of distance between team members during a meeting can sometimes minimize the chances of unexpected spread [5]. If you’re in a conference room, placing an empty chair in between each participant should work.
4. Open Your Windows
COVID-19 spreads by attaching to microscopic water droplets in a person’s breath [7]. These droplets linger in the air until they are inhaled by another person, who then gets sick. Increased ventilation can help draw this COVID-infected vapor away from your team members and keep them from getting sick [8].
5. Avoid Food and Drinks
During a face-to-face conversation, it’s common to offer a bite and a drink. There is only one issue with that: since COVID-19 is here to stay, food and beverages can result in unhealthful meetings. Every time someone consumes food or liquids, their mask briefly comes off, increasing the possibility of viral spread. Even more of a risk exists when the entire team is eating in close proximity to one another or in a small area.
6. Keep It Short
If you’re meeting in person, keeping things short limits your potential exposure to COVID-19 [9]. Limit your discussion to the essentials, begin and end on time or earlier, and send any additional information via email. Even though this change may seem a little strange, maintaining everyone’s health and happiness is worth it.
5 Ideas for Your Next In-person Meetings
1. Add Ice Breakers
Don’t forget to include some entertaining ice breakers on the agenda of your next in-person meeting! They are an excellent way to induce relaxation and good times among live participants. You can use a variety of ice breakers, from straightforward games to more activity-based ones. And there’s no need to worry if you’re not the most outgoing person in the room – there are plenty of options that are low-key and easy to participate in:
- Go around the room and ask each person to name something they’re passionate about
- Ask everyone to share an interesting fact about themselves
- Tell a story about something you’re grateful for
- Ask people to share their biggest accomplishment
2. Take a Field Trip
Why not go on a field trip if you’re looking for a fun and interesting way to liven up your get-togethers? It’s a great way to get team members out of the office and into new settings. Colleagues will become closer because of this, and productive business relationships will develop.
Here are a few ideas for field trips that your team will love:
- Visit a local museum or art gallery
- Take a hike or nature walk
- Visit a local farm or farmers’ market
- Attend a concert or sporting event
- Go to an amusement park or water park
- Take a cooking class or wine tasting
Find a field trip that your coworkers will enjoy and benefit from by doing some research. They’ll appreciate it, I promise!
3. Make It Fun
Business meetings can occasionally be a snooze fest, as anyone who has attended one knows. But suppose there was a way to make them more entertaining?
Introducing: The enjoyable gathering!
Every participant is kept entertained at a Fun meeting by the activities and games. Additionally, since everyone is having a good time, they are more likely to pay attention and take part in the activity. Additionally, it’s a fantastic way to boost team spirit and energize everyone about the work you’re doing.
Here are a few ideas:
- Decorate the room
- Have prizes for participants
- Plan group activities
- Add game-like elements
4. Host a Walking Meeting
Why not give a walking tour a try if you want to spice up your next in-person meeting? It’s an excellent way to work while exercising. And compared to a traditional sit-down conference, it can be much more productive.
Here are a few tips for hosting a successful walking meeting:
- Pick a scenic and interesting route. Everyone will be able to remain attentive and involved as a result.
- Don’t make the route too long or too short. You don’t want people to become overly exhausted or restless.
- Limit the number of participants. Focusing and staying on task will be made simpler by this.
- To capture any thoughts that come to you while you’re walking, bring a notebook and a pen with you.
5. Use Technology to Enhance Your Meeting, Not Replace It
Consider using technology to enhance the awesomeness of your in-person meetings. But keep in mind that it should be used to complement your gatherings rather than to replace them.
Here are a few ideas:
- Try video conferencing to bring in expert keynote speakers from around the world
- Use social media to crowdsource ideas and get input from a wider group of people
- Try online tools to help with the logistics of planning and executing a successful get-together
- Use a meeting management app to keep track of action items and deadlines
- Tyr a digital whiteboard to brainstorm ideas and take notes during the discussion
In-person Meeting Vs Virtual
If you meet with your team frequently, you may be considering whether it’s better to hold some meetings in person or online. When deciding between in-person and online meetings, follow the recommendations listed below. virtual decision.
- Consider the nature of the meeting
- Follow gathering guidance
- Consider the complexity of the meeting subject
- Determine which will be more inclusive
- Confirm that the host is prepared
Final Words on In-person Meeting
As it turns out, there are many valid arguments in favor of in-person interactions even though digital communication is equally as convenient. One benefit of meeting in person is that it allows you to establish a rapport and mutual trust.
It’s also a great way to read nonverbal cues and learn more about the other person. Finally, face-to-face meetings simply facilitate better communication in general. As a result, the next time you consider skipping a meeting, think about how important it is to build relationships with others and go ahead and make the appointment.
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