FischTank PR, a public relations and marketing firm spanning sustainability/cleantech, health care/biotech, and B2B technologies, announced the findings of a study designed to highlight the negative impact of meetings on American employee productivity.
Notably, 90 percent of respondents reported they want less meetings in the workplace to enhance their productivity and cut down on wasted time.
The survey polled 685 professionals working in traditional office roles, virtual or in person, but omitting anyone such as a retail or restaurant worker, front line worker, and other jobs that require travel or brick and mortar presence.
Notable findings include:
- Almost 90 percent of respondents concluded they would benefit from one day without any scheduled calls or meetings
- 44 percent of participants reported having 2-3 scheduled calls or meetings a day, and 20 percent reported 4-6
- Overall, about 30 percent of employees reported the biggest challenge for scheduled calls and meetings was attendee punctuality, with the second biggest challenge reported as meeting fatigue (25 percent)
- When a meeting is necessary, 48 percent of participants reported preferring in-person meetings compared to video (35 percent) or phone meetings (16 percent)
Since the beginning of the pandemic and the transition to remote working, professional and personal lives have been blurred. Remote work has introduced a slew of new challenges for office culture and productivity, with most communications taking place virtually and the number of meetings increasing for many. Terms such as “Zoom fatigue” and “meeting fatigue” have become commonplace in the current environment, and as a result, company morale and efficiency have taken a hit.
During the pandemic, employee burnout reached an all-time high. In fact, a recent study from Robert Half revealed that 44 percent of employees say they are more burned out on the job today compared to a year ago, and FischTank’s study is evidence the amount of meetings is making things worse — but it also offers a solution to help alleviate employee stress.
The simple act of having one day without any meetings can make all the difference for employees, which can result in improved office culture. For instance, FischTank has implemented a program in which Wednesdays are meeting-free, with great success. It provides team members one day a week to catch their breath and be productive – free of any interruptions. It also helps team members feel more engaged on days when they have meetings as they are not as worried about falling behind on other tasks.
To view the study’s findings, visit: https://fischtankpr.com/blog/meeting-fatigue-survey/
