The business meeting is one of the most commonly-employed tools for trading information and ideas amongst employees and management in the corporate world. Whether reviewing statistics and figures, discussing projections or projects or just building staff morale, nearly every company calls assemblies of some sort on a regular basis. Knowing which kind of conference will benefit a business the most is all part of effective management, and under the advice of industry professionals like Rob Kelly, more and more leaders are utilizing the small group approach to better their staff’s productivity.
What Types of Business Benefit from Small Group Interaction?
It may seem that only large companies that otherwise might lack interpersonal interaction could see a benefit from small group sessions. However, it’s a known fact that people do their jobs more effectively with teams of people they know well and trust to cooperate well with them. Building this team dynamic is part of the reason smaller groups are excellent ways for coworkers to collaborate.
Gatherings of employees and management should be kept restricted to those to whom the information being shared is relevant. Management conferences and entry-level seminars are two very separate events, and the focus of smaller groups is to maintain this distinction. Rather than exclusive – as this technique may sound at first blush – this helps employees to feel included in the dialogue and exchange of ideas that are most relevant to their position, and allows them to contribute, directly. Rather than being stuck in a meeting
that has no bearing on their actual workday, participants are fully engaged from the start of the session to the end.
Finding the right balance of technology and technique in presentation for conferencing can be a sticking point. Especially for employers who have previously only called assemblies of their entire staff to review all topics, focusing one a single objective or project in each group can be an unfamiliar experience and one with which they struggle. It is important to seek professional help in outfitting a business with the best tools and training for conducting any type of conference.
The best approach is to find a company that offers instruction in huddle audiovisual communication. According to Mike Michalowicz, a huddle is defined as a more focused, intimate meeting which takes less time away from the workday and allows employees to concentrate on the matters at hand more completely. This concept has been modernized with the advent of audiovisual technology which makes these sessions possible even from remote locations. Companies such as BlueJeans provide huddle solutions to meet the needs of nearly any business.
Huddle Solutions for the Modern World
Not every company employs their entire workforce under a single roof. In fact, many of today’s leading corporations have staff members all over the country, or even located internationally. This introduces the need for long-distance communication among coworkers, and can make attending live meetings difficult.
Technology can be a huge asset to these companies. In a world where streaming video and audio is commonplace for entertainment and journalistic purposes, these same resources can now be put to work in the corporate world. Professional versions of many streaming sites and services are now widely available, but regardless of which one is chosen, it’s important to know how to best utilize it for a company’s individual needs.
Some ways that the inclusion of audio and video streams in professional applications can benefit users include:
- Attending meetings at any time, from anywhere. Even when an employee is enjoying a morning coffee at a café or sitting in their living room late at night, they can attend huddles and stay up to date with company proceedings. This is a big advantage for businesses with international clients, sponsors or team members who might not be able to join meetings during their regular working hours.
- Saving on travel costs. When participants don’t have to travel to attend events, the companies who would otherwise be responsible for their accommodations, mileage and other associated travel costs save money, as well as the time an employee would need to be absent from regular work.
- Face time, any time. It isn’t always possible to interact directly with other employees, especially remotely. However, when huddle rooms and the technology in them can facilitate this live conversation, ideas can be communicated more effectively and productivity rises. This is beneficial for everyone involved in development and implementation of projects.
There are many reasons why the huddle meeting has replaced the large and impersonal seminars of previous decades. By collaborating directly, employees make a bigger difference in the output of their workplace at a faster rate, and employers enjoy less overhead cost for facilitating this communication. Making the huddle a digital affair has only furthered this purpose, and made the businesses of tomorrow better and more efficient. It’s a trend that will only continue to see growth as the marketplace becomes more global in the years to come.
