Efficient Meeting Rooms: How to Design and Get the Most Out of Your Space
Having the right meeting room is a key part of any company, and curating the perfect space is a common dilemma for many Business Headsets customers. They allow your team to come together with clients or customers, be productive and share ideas effectively. The best meeting rooms will help your company to be more productive, lead to better outcomes and foster a positive culture within your organisation. But how do you achieve this? There are many factors that can make or break the success of a meeting room within any business. Whether you have brand new space, or need to renovate existing one, read on for some great advice on creating beautifully designed, efficient meeting rooms in your office space.
Good lighting is essential
Lighting is one of the most important parts of a room, and yet it’s very easy to overlook. This is because you are not only there temporarily, but it’s not something you think about the same way you do about chairs or tables or the carpet. The thing about lighting is that it can actually change your mood. A room with good natural light can foster a more positive mood than a room that is dimly lit. And this can have a huge effect on your productivity. A room with natural light also doesn’t have to be so bright that it is straining your eyes to read the screen. Artificial light is great for when you need a certain mood. If you are going to have a meeting at night, or you need to create a mood like for an interview, you can change the lighting to create the right mood.
Be thoughtful about where you place rooms
The placement of your meeting rooms is important for a lot of reasons. The first thing to think about when you are deciding where to put your meeting rooms is whether you should have them inside or outside of your office. It’s easy to assume that all the rooms will go in the office, but you don’t have to put them all there. In fact, if you have a beautiful outdoor space, you might want to consider putting one of your rooms there. If you have a few rooms, be thoughtful about where they go. If they are in a central location, they will be more easily accessible to more people. If they are in a more isolated part of the office, they might not get used as often. If you have a lot of meeting rooms, be thoughtful about how you arrange the space so that you can walk between rooms easily without having to go through other offices.
Everyone should be able to see and hear well
You don’t want anyone to feel like they are in a fishbowl when in your meeting room. It’s no secret that when something is on the internet, it can live on for years and years. Make sure that everyone in your meeting room can see the camera so that you can record the meeting and ensure everyone has access to the information shared during the meeting. Be sure to also have extra mics and headphones handy in case someone has a hearing impairment and needs to use them. You don’t want anyone to feel like they are being left out of the meeting. Be sure that there are plenty of light bulbs in the room so that everyone can see their notes, the computer screen, and each other even if it is dark outside.
Video Bars and Screens
If you have a video bar, you can use it for both audio and video. Alternatively, you can place your televisions on a video bar where they will be easier to control, as you won’t be fumbling with the remote control while also trying to keep your meeting going. Another option is to use a big screen, which can really bring your meeting to life. You might want to consider a projector screen or maybe putting a projector onto a wall. Make sure that you have plenty of lights behind the screen so that the image is not too dark, and everyone can see it clearly. If you’re using a computer, you can also use things like windows, videos or software like GO Zoom to make your computer show more interesting. This is especially helpful if you’re presenting information that might be a little bit boring when not formatted in an engaging way, such as a lot of raw statistics. A little bit of extra visual interest can go a long way towards making your meeting more engaging and interesting.
Webcams
If anyone in your meeting is in another location, make sure that they have a webcam so that you can see them. Be sure that they have a microphone as well, so that they can be heard as well as be seen. If you have a lot of people in your meeting, you might want to get a few extra webcams so that you can show as many people as possible. This will make the meeting feel a lot more inclusive, especially if there are people at the meeting who might feel left out otherwise. If you are meeting with people outside of your company, you might want to consider getting your own domain so that when people log into your meeting, they see your company name and logo. This way, they know that they are on the right meeting without having to be confused about where they are.
Portable speakerphones
Make sure that you have a portable speakerphone handy if you are meeting with someone outside of your company. You can use this for any meeting that requires you to talk to someone outside of your office, or even if you want to talk to someone in your office from your computer. This will make sure that you can be heard clearly and that your interlocutor can hear you. Make sure that you know how to use the speakerphone before you need it, as it can be a lot more challenging to troubleshoot if you don’t know what you’re doing. You might want to practice using it a few times before you actually need it. This ensures that you know how to use it properly, and you don’t feel too stressed out when you need it.
Space matters, too
When you are designing your meeting room, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the furniture and the tech. But don’t forget to think about the space itself. Is it big enough for your needs? Is there enough natural light? Is it close to other parts of the office? Does it have a good temperature? All of these elements play a role, and sometimes you can’t change them all. But you can take steps to make the room as comfortable and inviting as possible. If you don’t have a lot of space, consider squeezing a couple of smaller rooms together. This will give you a bit more breathing room, and it will make it easier for people to walk between the rooms. You can also look at the lighting and temperature and see if you can make any small adjustments to improve the room’s feel.
Add in comfortable seating and collaboration spaces
When you are designing your meeting rooms, think about the furniture that you are using and whether it suits your needs. Are there enough seats for all of your meeting attendees? Is there some seating that is more for just lounging or relaxing? If there are tables, are they the right height for everyone in the room? Do you have enough space for people to move around and put their laptops or notepads on the table? It’s also really important to think about whether there are any collaborative spaces in your meeting room. Is there enough space for people to move around and work together? Is there a place for people to put their laptops so that they can be easily seen by everyone? There should also be enough plug sockets for all the laptops and other devices that might be brought into the room.
How to make your meeting room more productive?
To make your meeting room the most productive it can be, you have to think about the room’s design, but also the meeting itself. A lot of meeting productivity has to do with the way that the meeting is run. If you want your meeting room to be as effective as possible, follow these tips to make the most of your space:
– Send out Agenda and Notes in Advance – This gives everyone an opportunity to be prepared for the meeting, and it gives people enough time to get their questions answered before the meeting. It also gives everyone a chance to look over any materials that might be discussed at the meeting.
– Open the Meeting with a Kick-off – This sets the tone for the meeting and shows that the meeting is important. It’s also a good way to get everyone on the same page and set expectations for the meeting.
– Make Sure Everyone is Engaged – This can be a bit tricky, but it’s important. If you have people who just sit at the meeting and don’t contribute, it can make the meeting more difficult and less productive.
– Close the Meeting with a Round-up – This helps to summarise the meeting and gives people a chance to cover any questions or concerns that they might have.