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Is the current meeting space a little too boring? Are employees having trouble staying engaged during meetings because they’re uncomfortable or uninspired? A change in how the meeting space looks and is arranged can completely change how meetings are done and the overall attitude towards meetings. Use the following tips to design a new meeting room that’s more engaging and helps inspire more effective meetings.
1. Create a More Spacious Room for Meetings
How much space does everyone have? It’s important for people to feel comfortable, not squished, when they’re in a meeting. Try a larger area to meet or remove and adjust furniture to provide the illusion of more space. The ideal meeting room space has plenty of room for everyone, more comfortable furniture, and is somewhere the employees are going to be happy to be. Reconsider the large center table surrounded by chairs and think about smaller tables, a variety chairs, and alternatives for posting information.
2. Make the Space More Relaxing
It may sound counterintuitive to make the meeting space more relaxing, but it can help inspire creativity and encourage the employees to be more engaged. When they’re uncomfortable, they’re likely going to just think about when the meeting is going to end and why it’s taking so long. By using more comfortable furniture and making sure employees can relax during the meetings, they can be far more productive because the workers will be more engaged and more willing to participate.
3. Make the Space More Interactive
Interactive whiteboards are often used in classrooms today, but they’re excellent for offices, as well. Information can be displayed on the whiteboard from the computer, changed as needed, and then written on by simply writing on the whiteboard over the display. An interactive whiteboard is very flexible, so it works for almost any office situation. In addition, there are numerous sizes, so it’s possible to choose a large one that’s the perfect size for the meeting space.
4. Add Color to the Room
Color adds a lot to a workspace and makes it far more comfortable to be in for a meeting. Consider adding art to the walls that can inspire creativity with workers or add some plants that are perfect for an office setting. Live plants offer a number of benefits besides just adding more color and will help make the entire meeting space a more relaxing place for employees. When attendees are more relaxed, they have the opportunity to be more creative and can help come up with unique and effective solutions.
5. Personalize the Room
Adding personalization can give a meeting space the extra little bit it needs to inspire more to get done. Add in the company name or logo, create artwork that includes company colors, or otherwise personalize some of the space. Avoid being too overpowering with the personalization, however, as too much can cause workers to be distracted during the meeting.
Meeting spaces from yesterday weren’t comfortable and weren’t often places that inspired creative thinking from employees. They were simply spots used to share information. Today’s meeting spaces can be so much more, as long as the right steps are taken to make it a more comfortable and inviting place to be. Consider using the tips here when designing your next meeting place to ensure employees are ready to use it.
