Meetings get a bad rap

There are few workplace experiences that unite employees quite like complaining about meetings. Ask almost anyone what frustrates them at work, and somewhere on the list will be the meeting that could have been an email. We’ve all been there. Thirty minutes scheduled for a simple update somehow turns into an hour. Half the attendees don’t need to be there. Someone shares their screen for ten minutes trying to find the right document. The meeting ends with everyone wondering what was actually decided.

It’s no surprise that organizations are looking for ways to reduce meeting fatigue. Every hour spent in a meeting is an hour that isn’t spent serving customers, solving problems, writing reports, or completing projects. As calendars become increasingly crowded, employees often find themselves working longer days simply to catch up on the work they couldn’t accomplish because they were in meetings.

The obvious solution seems simple: hold fewer meetings. In many cases, that’s exactly the right answer. Routine updates, policy reminders, project status reports, and information that doesn’t require discussion can often be shared through email and chat platforms. Not every piece of information deserves everyone’s calendar.

But eliminating meetings altogether would create a different problem, especially as more organizations embrace hybrid and remote work.

Meetings are not just about exchanging information. They are one of the few remaining opportunities for colleagues to build relationships.

Years ago, workplace relationships formed naturally. People chatted while making coffee, walked together to lunch, or caught up while waiting for the photocopier. New employees learned office culture simply by being present. Small conversations built trust that later made difficult conversations easier.

Remote work has changed the way workplace relationships develop. Employees can spend an entire day working alongside colleagues they have never met in person. Instead of chatting while grabbing a coffee or passing each other in the hallway, nearly every interaction is scheduled with a specific purpose. Conversations begin with, “Can everyone hear me?” and end with, “Thanks everyone, have a great day.” There is very little room for the casual moments that make people feel connected to the team.

That may explain why many virtual meetings begin with a few minutes of personal conversation. Someone asks about a child’s hockey tournament. Another shares vacation photos. A colleague introduces a new puppy to the camera. These conversations aren’t necessarily distractions. They help recreate the informal interactions that disappeared when offices emptied.

The challenge is finding the right balance.

When relationship building takes over every meeting, employees begin to feel like their time isn’t respected. When meetings become purely transactional, teams can start feeling disconnected. Neither extreme is particularly healthy.

Instead of allowing relationship building to happen randomly, organizations can become more intentional about it.

One simple strategy is to build a few minutes of social connection into the beginning of regular team meetings. Five minutes to ask what everyone did over the weekend or what they’re looking forward to can satisfy much of the team’s desire to connect before shifting into business. Because everyone knows there’s dedicated time for conversation, it’s often easier to transition into the agenda without feeling abrupt.

Some teams rotate lighthearted opening questions. Others celebrate birthdays, work anniversaries, or project milestones. Some recognize employee achievements before moving into operational updates. These small rituals help maintain team culture without allowing the social aspect to consume the meeting.

Leaders also play an important role by setting expectations. An agenda distributed beforehand signals that the meeting has a purpose. Starting on time demonstrates respect for everyone who arrived prepared. Identifying who is leading each discussion helps avoid awkward pauses and repetitive conversations. Ending with a summary of decisions and next steps ensures employees leave knowing exactly what they are expected to do.

None of these practices make meetings feel rigid. They simply provide enough structure that conversations remain productive.

It is also worth asking a simple question before scheduling any meeting: What decision needs to be made?

If the answer is “none,” there may not need to be a meeting at all.

Meetings are most valuable when people need to solve a problem together, make a decision, brainstorm ideas, or discuss something that benefits from real-time conversation. If the goal is simply to distribute information, there are usually faster ways to accomplish that.

Another helpful practice is inviting only the people who genuinely need to attend. Employees often find themselves sitting through discussions that have little relevance to their work because someone didn’t want to leave anyone out. While the intention is kind, the result is often frustration. Sharing meeting notes afterward can be a far more respectful use of everyone’s time.

Remote meetings also benefit from acknowledging that people process information differently online. Long presentations are exhausting over video. Breaking discussions into shorter segments, inviting participation throughout the meeting, and occasionally using polls or collaborative documents can help maintain engagement. Nobody enjoys watching one person speak over a slide deck for an hour while everyone else silently answers emails.

Organizations should also consider creating opportunities for social connection that aren’t attached to operational meetings. A monthly virtual coffee break, an optional team trivia session, or a quarterly in-person gathering gives employees space to build relationships without forcing every project meeting to carry that responsibility. When teams know there are other opportunities to connect, they often feel less pressure to turn every meeting into a social event.

Of course, not every employee enjoys extended workplace socializing, and that’s perfectly reasonable too. Some people draw energy from conversation while others prefer to focus on their work. Respecting those differences means creating opportunities for connection without making participation feel mandatory or judging employees who simply want an efficient meeting and a chance to get back to their work.

The most effective meetings recognize that work is accomplished through both tasks and relationships. Organizations need decisions, accountability, and clear communication. They also need trust, collaboration, and a sense of belonging. Those goals don’t have to compete with one another if meetings are designed thoughtfully.

Perhaps the real question isn’t whether a meeting could have been an email. It’s whether the meeting accomplished something that an email never could. If it helped a team solve a problem, make a decision, build stronger relationships, or leave with greater clarity than they had before, then the meeting was probably worth having. If it simply repeated information that everyone could have read in two minutes, then the calendar may have won while productivity lost.

Like most workplace challenges, the answer isn’t choosing one extreme or the other. It is recognizing that people’s time is valuable, relationships matter, and the best meetings make room for both.

Tory McNally, CPHR, B.Sc., vice-president, professional services at TIPI Legacy HR+ (formerly Legacy Bowes), is a human resource consultant, relationship builder and problem solver. She can be reached at tmcnally@tipipartners.com