If your company is to realize its goals, vision, and mission, having all team players on the same page is crucial. Moreover, one of the best ways to do this is by holding all-hands meetings regularly. Done right, an all-hands meeting keeps all employees updated on what is going on in the company and keeps everyone aligned with the mission and vision. They give everyone a voice and make them feel valued as part of the bigger picture. In addition, it brings everyone together to celebrate wins, which fosters a positive company culture in the organization. However, if you are to see results, it is important to ensure effectiveness and efficiency in your all-hands meetings. To do this, here are five best practices that you should start implementing.
Determine the agenda, time, and schedule
If you don’t have regular all-hands meetings in your organization, sending blind invites might cause speculations among the employees. Make sure that you state the agenda of the meeting in the invites to give them an idea of what the meeting is all about. Moreover, if all-hands meetings are a regular occurrence in your company, this will help them prepare themselves with questions as well as answers to questions that might be thrown at them. Additionally, specify the date, time, and location of the meeting and make sure to communicate it to the employees well in advance. It is also important to have a schedule prepared early. This will help you ensure that you don’t leave anything out. It will also help you to stay on track with the agenda and not waste time on other things that don’t add value to the meeting.
Make it inclusive
The purpose of all-hands meetings is to keep everyone aligned with each other and company goals. That is why it is critical to have all employees included in the proceedings. This might mean deciding on the best teleconference platform for employees who work remotely. In addition, if you have a global workforce, providing language support for employees who speak a different language is paramount. Ensure that you provide translation for all visuals and slides for those attending. Moreover, make use of translation equipment for the interpretation of the proceedings. Consider investing in your own translation equipment rather than hiring every time you need to hold an all-hands meeting. You can find collapsible interpreting booths that you can keep stored away when not in use. You just need to set them up and find interpreters from different translation services companies when you need to use them.
Find ways to keep employees engaged
Most people have a short attention span. If they don’t find something interesting and engaging, their minds are likely to wander away. For your meeting to be effective, it is important for everyone to hear what is being discussed. That is why you have the task of keeping everyone glued to the proceedings. Here are some tips:
- Stay focused on content that is relevant to the organization
- Switch things up by inviting different people to present
- Engage with the employees through polls or ask for live feedback
- Include fun activities during the meeting such as music breaks, employees’ performances, and the like
- Make use of videos, graphics, pictures, and other visuals to capture peoples’ attention
Have a Q&A session
All-hands meetings shouldn’t only be about the employees hearing from the leadership. They are more likely to feel like part of the team if you give them an opportunity to air their questions and get answers on the same. So, when preparing the meeting schedule, slot a time for questions and answers. Inform everyone in advance that there will be a Q&A session during the meeting and encourage them to prepare their questions. You can also have them send in questions in advance, either with their names attached or anonymously. This gives you an idea of what to expect from your team.
Have a moderator
It is bound to be chaotic if everyone is running the meeting. Having one person control the meeting proceedings brings order. A moderator ensures that everyone feels welcome. He or she also guides people through the meeting, inviting speakers and facilitating the Q&A sessions. This ensures a fair share of the airtime so that no one feels sidelined.
Conclusion
All-hands meetings are one way to provide the direction that the company is taking towards the realization of the set goals and objectives. Thus, it is paramount that they are effective. Consider having everyone on board and remember to take care of inclusivity needs such as language. In addition, prepare the employees by giving them the agenda, schedule, and time as well as inviting them to send in their questions. Also, plan for a moderator and find ways to keep everyone engaged.
