Introduction
While having a remote engineering team has many benefits, such as increased flexibility and tapping into a bigger talent pool, it also has unique challenges, such as ensuring collaboration and communication and aligning team needs.
That’s where team meetings come into the picture. Conducting team meetings is essential to keeping effective collaboration and communication in place. But much like any other practice, too many meetings can have a detrimental impact on work.
So, the question is - should a remote engineering team have no meeting days? How would this affect their productivity? Will the cost outweigh its benefits? In this blog, we will explore the pros and cons of no-meeting days for remote engineering teams, as well as how you can implement one for your team
The Facts and Figures: What The Statistics Reveal
Consider the following statistics:
- According to Microsoft Workplace Insights, the remote work concept has increased the weekly meeting time by 10 percent. 70 percent of employees also reported a 70 percent increase in their meetings after introducing remote work.
- A recent survey found that 67 percent of employees say too many meetings reduce productivity.
- Another survey reported that 45 percent of senior executives say that limiting meetings to only one day a week can increase productivity.
The statistics above show the impact of meetings on employees’ productivity. And all of them tell us that instead of achieving effective team collaboration, too many meetings for any team, including remote engineering teams, can decrease productivity and overall work quality.
What Is A No Meeting Day?
A no meeting day is exactly as the name suggests - a day uninterrupted by any meetings. It is a day when everyone gets to focus on their work without worrying about meetings interrupting their flow. That means there would be no team meetings or one-on-one meetings.
Companies like Facebook and Atlassian have implemented the concept of no meeting days with immense success. According to a study by the MIT Sloan Management Review, having even a single no-meeting day in companies that were surveyed resulted in a 35 percent increase in productivity. The productivity doubled and reached 71 percent for companies with two no meeting days.
These benefits can be extended to remote engineering teams as well. A dedicated day without meetings can help the team members focus on individual tasks and work without interruptions or distractions. It will also give them more freedom over their schedule and even prevent burnout in the long run.
Advantages Of No Meeting Days
The goal of any business is not only to drive profitability but to drive it sustainably. It is essential to improve your employees’ lives and enable them to work in peace when necessary.
No meeting days can help achieve both of them. Here are some other advantages of having a no meeting day.
Increase Focus
Imagine scheduling a 30-minute meeting for your remote engineering team. While the meeting may only last for 30 minutes, the actual time it will consume will be much more than that. At least 10 minutes winding up the task they were doing before. Another 10 minutes preparing for the meeting. Then, after the meeting, 15-30 minutes to wrap up the meeting work and focus on the previous task.
So, a 30-minute meeting can easily occupy an hour of the day. A day with no meetings means the team does not have to focus on anything except their work. They do not have to postpone their work to attend meetings and can spend the day concentrating on their task.
Reduce Context Switching
Context switching refers to moving and hopping between different tasks and projects. Context switching harms the productivity and mental health of the employees. A University of California study found that people repeatedly interrupted for 20 minutes reported high stress, frustration, and pressure. Research also suggests that it takes around 25 minutes to get back to the same level of productivity people were at before getting interrupted.
A no-meeting day ensures that your remote engineering team can have an uninterrupted work day and focus on deep work. It will also significantly reduce the need for context switching, thus also ensuring their well-being.
More Freedom
The MIT Sloan Management Review mentioned earlier also found that one of the most significant impacts of no-meeting days is that it results in increased freedom, satisfaction, and communication. No meeting days offer team members greater autonomy and control over their work schedule. This is especially important for remote workers who may have personal responsibilities to attend to.
Boost Productivity
No meeting days can have a substantial impact on productivity. This is because meetings can be a significant interruption and distraction for individual team members. It can also disrupt their ability to focus on deep work and essential tasks.
No meeting days reduce the number of meetings remote engineering teams must attend in a week/month. They also reduce the need for context switching and promote focus, thus also increasing their productivity.
Improve Morale
Having meetings throughout the day can take a large chunk of your team’s work day and leave them feeling unproductive and not accomplishing anything. This will also impact their morale and make them feel drained.
Having a no meeting day will allow your team to catch up or get ahead of work. This can significantly decrease their stress and allow them time to feel accomplished. And a boost in morale can work wonders for their productivity and efficiency.
Increase Engagement In Meetings
As per a report by Atlassian, 91 percent of the attendees daydream during meetings, 73 percent do other work while in one, and 45 percent feel overwhelmed by the number of meetings they have to attend.
Giving your remote team a day or more with no meetings can actually motivate them to be more engaged during meetings. This will also drive productivity as the team will strive to reduce the number of pointless meetings and make the most of the ones they have.
Streamline Meetings
In an office setting, employees often tend to take breaks while working. The breaks can be a short walk to the meeting room or the coffee machine. In a virtual setting, these breaks are reduced to zero, and employees attend back-to-back meetings without moving from their places.
A no meeting day is beneficial in streamlining remote meetings. It helps cut down meeting fatigue and screen exhaustion while also enabling setting a proper schedule. Another benefit is that this allows the team to find innovative tools to facilitate communication.
Prioritize Employee Well-Being
A no meeting day allows your team to prioritize their well-being. They can take the time that generally goes to meetings to do other work or spend it with their family. This allows you to assure your employees of your commitment to their well-being.
By reducing the number of meetings, team members can get more time and flexibility to balance their work commitments with their personal lives. This can ultimately lead to better well-being and increased job satisfaction.
Implementing A No Meeting Day For Your Remote Engineering Teams
Now that you know the countless benefits of no meeting days for your remote engineering team, here’s how to implement one.
Discuss and Get Feedback
A successful no meeting days strategy can only be implemented with the support of all your employees and teams. So, the first thing you should do is build a case for why you want to implement the policy. Make your case by providing the innumerable benefits of no meeting days.
Showing data as evidence goes a long way. Therefore, use data to show how excessive meetings impact productivity. Remember, you may not be the only one to feel the stress of unnecessary meetings in your organization.
On the other hand, if you are in a leadership position, don’t just lay down the policy. Discuss it with your remote engineering teams. Listen to their feedback and concerns. Based on their feedback, figure out a plan. This will also help build trust in your team.
Decide The Day
Now that your team members are onboard, the next step is to determine a day. Take inputs from the team members. Some questions you can use to decide the day includes - which day is the heaviest in terms of work? Which days have the maximum number of meetings? Are there days when you cannot avoid meetings?
The answers to these questions may help you determine a day that suits the team's needs. In most organizations, Fridays are famous for no meetings. As it is the end of the work week, it allows your team members to finish their day feeling productive and accomplished. Another popular day is Wednesday. At mid-week, your employees get a break from meetings and catch up on their work.
Implement It
Now that you have picked out the day, implement it. If you are implementing the policy only for your remote engineering team, there’s a fair chance other departments or teams may try to schedule meetings with them. Therefore, ensure that your team members schedule essential stuff during the day to avoid getting bombarded with meeting requests.
One way of doing this is to use smart tools that can help you prioritize important work and schedule them in your calendar automatically. Also, communicate this policy with other departments and encourage them to do the same.
Improve Active Meetings
No meeting days are amazing. However, they also mean that you have to improve your active meetings. Set clear agendas for meetings and make sure they are productive. Also, rethink the meetings already scheduled. See which ones are wasteful and can be discussed via email or chat.
It is also crucial to be flexible. All departments and teams do not operate as the remote engineering team may do. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritize and be flexible about the meeting schedule whenever necessary.
Strategies To Make Your Team Meetings Successful
Implemented the no meeting day policy? Great! Now, the next step is to ensure your present team meetings are successful. Here are some tips you can use to make your active meetings productive and successful.
Set Agenda
Your meeting should have a clear agenda. That will help you keep the meeting short and to the point.
Promote Collaboration
Encourage team members to ask queries during the meeting. Remember to share the agenda beforehand and give the members to prepare for the meeting.
Rotate Responsibilities
Meetings can get incredibly monotonous, especially if they are normal check-ins or status calls. You can break the monotony by rotating responsibilities.
Manage Expectations
Remote meetings have their fair share of problems, including awkward silences, easy distractions, and apparent disinterest. Take your team’s comfort into consideration and try to maintain a certain degree of excitement.
Take Feedback
Always take feedback after a meeting. Feedback can help improve regular meetings and enable employee satisfaction.
Think Before Scheduling A Meeting
Always consider whether a meeting is necessary. Only schedule one if the agenda cannot be discussed over email or chat.
Conclusion
Having no meeting days is a valuable strategy for remote engineering teams to increase productivity, reduce stress, enhance freedom, and improve work-life balance. However, remember that it will not solve everything. Sometimes, it may backfire and end up creating more stress. Therefore, it is crucial to be flexible in your approach and consistently take feedback from the team.
Balance the benefits of no-meeting days with the need for effective communication and collaboration among team members. Establish clear guidelines, use chat, email, or project management software to keep team members in the loop, and monitor and adjust the days as needed. With the proper implementation, you can unlock the full potential of your remote engineering team and drive success in their projects.
FAQs
Are No Meeting Days Beneficial?
Yes, no meeting days are beneficial in improving productivity, boosting morale, and increasing focus.
Can No Meeting Days Solve All Issues Related To Employees?
No, no meeting days cannot solve underlying issues. For example, if the reason behind employees’ inefficiency is unrealistic deadlines, it cannot be solved by a no meeting day.
Which Tools Can Make No Meeting Days More Successful?
Tools like shared calendars, chat applications, and project management tools can aid communication and collaboration and make no meeting days successful.
Do No Meeting Days Increase Productivity?
Yes, many surveys have found no meeting days successful in increasing productivity.
