How to Maximise Meeting Room Collaboration
Collaborating can lead to some great outcomes which might not be reached if done alone. Luckily, there’re many ways you can encourage people to participate in your meeting.
The Importance of Collaboration in Meetings
The Wright brothers worked together to invent, build and fly the world’s first aeroplane. Without their teamwork, aviation might look very different to how it does today. This is proof that working with others allows you to elaborate on their ideas to create something amazing.
There’re many other skills which are effective when done as a team like:
- Problem solving: Some complicated situations can’t always be solved by an individual and some help may be needed
- Decision making: A range of opinions can be used to create an informed decision
- Time management: Some tasks can take time to complete, but working with others can help you meet deadlines
How to Choose the Right Meeting Room
No meeting room is the same, so you need to find one which works best for your business. Every office space comes with a different layout. Each of these has a range of benefits and varying ways of enhancing collaboration. Some examples include:
- Boardroom: This style of room will have a long table and chairs along its sides. This layout is good for formal discussions where important decisions need to be made. Because participants face each other, this can encourage interaction
- U-shape: This style of workspace is ideal for presentations and training sessions. The presenter can walk around the U-shaped table arrangement, making it easier to engage with attendees
- Round table: This is where people sit around a circle shaped table. Everyone will be seated near each other, which makes discussing important matters or brainstorming sessions easier
The atmosphere of your room is also something to consider. If your office is dark, tight on space and doesn’t have enough seats, then people will feel uncomfortable. This could lead to attendees not wanting to participate. The atmosphere you want to create might depend on the type of session you’re having. Important business discussions with clients might be best in a more formal space. More relaxed meetings might work well in a space with plants and light-coloured furniture. Features like these create a tranquil feel.
Best Practices for Collaboration
Your collaborative space will come with certain amenities. If you want to encourage interaction among attendees, using these will be a huge help. For example, a whiteboard can be used to brainstorm ideas as a group. Notebooks can be used to make notes which can be discussed later in the session. Don’t forget to check what amenities your office comes with before the day begins. Every meeting room is different so don’t assume what you’ll find inside.
Most meeting rooms come with technology. Video conferencing and phones allow you to call people outside of the office. This opens your meeting to those who are unable to travel to your session. Screens can also be used to display presentations and anything relevant. If you are planning on doing a presentation, consider adding questions to your slides to get people talking.
Overcoming Collaboration Challenges
If participants in the office don’t know each other, it’s a good plan to begin with icebreakers. If attendees can create conversation during an icebreaker prior to the meeting, they may be more confident to contribute. This could simply be to say your name and a fact about yourself. Also before the session starts, establish any goals you want the group to achieve. This could be to come to a final decision about something or to brainstorm a specific number of ideas. By doing this, you can provide direction for your session.
Sometimes when collaborating, people can become frustrated if they have strong opinions. Something like an anonymous voting system can work well when people have varying views. Remember that everyone has different ways they like to work. Some people may prefer to brainstorm independently and then come together as a group. Ask people what they’d prefer to do so they feel more comfortable taking part.
Discover the Best Meeting Rooms with Spacepool
At Spacepool, we have a range of collaborative spaces to explore so can you find one that works for you. Each comes with different amenities, layouts and facilities and you can use our filtering tool to find anything specific. Find a meeting room which is perfect for you and your business today!