Stop reading texts in meetings
Manchester, England – The boss of JP Morgan has put a ban on staff reading texts or emails in meetings. CEO Jamie Dimon wrote in his annual letter to shareholders that office etiquette needed to improve, stating that checking notifications and personal texts or reading emails in meetings is “disrespectful” and “wastes time”.
Kate Palmer, Employment Services Director at Peninsula says, “The shift to remote working and virtual meetings could be attributed to a change in the previously held ‘norms’ of meeting etiquette. When employees were not physically in the same room they may have found it easier to multi-task and complete other work whilst in a meeting.
“With the shift back to office working picking up pace, some individuals have found it hard to revert back, while others may have no experience of in-person meetings at all. Whether the meeting is virtual or in-person, understandably employers want to ensure the time is being used as effectively as possible.
“Ultimately, what this looks like in practice will vary from business to business and role to role. However, to combat poor meeting etiquette, employers should set clear rules on what they expect. For virtual meetings, this could be a requirement for all cameras to be on, while for in-person meetings you could implement a ‘no phones’ policy. Anyone not complying can then be managed through the relevant company procedures.
“It could be hard to limit the use of laptops in meetings, however ensuring calendars are well managed and accurate will not only allow attendees to plan their time effectively but will show them as unavailable to other employees. This can minimise the amount of contact individuals receive during this time, making them less likely to be distracted by incoming emails and messages.
“Additionally, employers should ensure that meetings are scheduled effectively, bearing in mind workload, and are relevant to the participant. Having a culture of ‘meetings for everything’ may see attendees lose engagement and feel their time could be best used elsewhere. It’s a fine balance, however, well structured, and relevant meetings, accompanied by clear expectations of attendees should see the time being used efficiently.”
