What is the reasonable length for a meeting? This is a question that does not have a definite answer. Meetings are usually convened for different reasons. One of the reasons company hold meetings is to give employees a chance to sit down and discuss as a group important or pressing issues that affect them as a group. Meetings are also held as a get-together away from routine work, giving everyone an opportunity to help in decision making and sharing information on the way forward. Before deciding on what is the reasonable length for a meeting, it is imperative that all the attendees know the reasons for attending a meeting.
A meeting, to be precise should not be too short neither too long. Meetings should take at most, if possible one hour. If, for various reasons a meeting has to take long, depending on the issues at hand, it should not exceed one and a half (1½) hours. When a meeting takes longer than necessary it looses its effectiveness, and the people’s attention begin to wonder. Meetings should be arranged in away that there are breaks in between for purposes of socializing. When members loose focus, then a meeting has no effectiveness and is not productive at all.
Meetings are a binding point for all members of the team, whether present or not. The Chairman is required to bring the issues at hand for discussions, consider each others opinion before making a final decision. Some meetings are so heated and if not handled properly, members are deemed to walk out before resolutions are made. Whatever kind of meeting being held, the length of time is an important factor and the issues at hand must be brought out clearly and distinctly.
Meeting conveners need to cut the length of a meeting through reduction of the discussion period and by introduction of other activities that make the meeting interesting. A meeting is best scheduled in two sessions, the stand-up session and the sitting session where notes are taken and serious issues are discussed. Meeting should not take longer than necessary and members’ satisfaction is best achieved when members are prepared for the meeting beforehand.