How to avoid meeting delays ?
Choose the right time
To get all your attendees in line, it’s best to stack all the odds in your favour.
The first rule is to define a reasonable agenda that is good for the majority of participants.
This helps avoid limiting excuses based on “traffic jams” or “alarm clocks not going off”. Ideally, a start at around 9:30 to 10am in the morning or 2 to 2:30pm in the afternoon are the recommended slots for peak creativity!
How to avoid meeting delays?
If punctuality was considered "the politeness of kings" by Louis XVIII, it’s not always the case for meeting participants.
Delays in the schedule are often commonplace, disrupting everyone’s plans and reducing overall efficiency.
Do you have unruly or chronically distracted people among your ranks? To ensure all your future meetings start on time, Accor experts offer these proven methods. After all, punctuality really is the politeness of kings.
To get all your attendees in line, it’s best to stack all the odds in your favour.
The first rule is to define a reasonable agenda that is good for the majority of participants.
This helps avoid limiting excuses based on “traffic jams” or “alarm clocks not going off”. Ideally, a start at around 9:30 to 10am in the morning or 2 to 2:30pm in the afternoon are the recommended slots for peak creativity!
Communicating the objectives and challenges of your meeting is essential to motivate attendees. They will feel more involved and more inclined to make an effort to be punctual.
Also, remember to define the date and time well in advance. Participants will have plenty of time to organize themselves to make sure they can be there on the big day and at the appointed time, even if they come from far away.
Why not take the chance to also mention that the meeting will start precisely at the stated time? A word to the wise… a brief email reminder the day before the event is also recommendable.
No meeting facilitator is immune to unforeseen events such as technology not working right or an emergency phone call, etc.
However, they must always set an example by starting the meeting exactly on time, if only out of respect for the attendees who have made the effort to be punctual (or are naturally punctual).
Once the rules are defined, they have every right to then enforce them and be firm with latecomers.
Whether a latecomer is negligent, unmotivated, or just looking to cause a fuss, several reactions are possible. It’s up to you to choose the one that best suits the context, their personality, and yours:
– Highlight their late entrance by making a comment loaded with humour or irony,
– Show total indifference.
Another effective tip is to systematically assign latecomers a certain task, such as writing the minutes for the meeting. This will soon become known. For punctual attendees, on the other hand, the “rewards” of coffee and sweets at the start of the session are appropriate.
Exceptional circumstances and force majeure do exist. If someone is always late, don’t hesitate to discuss it directly with them.
This will help you identify the cause and work with them to find a way to improve their punctuality. However, they must also be made aware of all the inconvenience they have caused!