A study was carried out by IFOP (French Institute of Public Opinion) in 2014 in partnership with Wisembly on executives and how they conduct meetings. The results revealed that French executives have not been managing their meetings well. Meetings were found to last an average 1 hour and 19 minutes, whilst the average concentration time of executives is only 52 minutes. That equates to 29 “lost” minutes.

How do standing meetings improve productivity?

The concept of the stand-up meeting is based on a very simple fact: standing up for long periods of time is uncomfortable. That is why a meeting in this position can considerably reduce the length of the meeting and improve the clarity of the information discussed: being in a dynamic position fosters clear and concise communication. In addition, people are more focused when standing up. They are not tempted to look at their emails or work on something else. It is also much more difficult to drift off or talk nonsense when standing upright on two legs.

An American entrepreneur put this to the test, and noticed a significant increase in productivity. He explained, as published on the Forbes website (original article), that his meetings, that typically lasted around 50 minutes when held sitting down, were cut by a quarter when they were run standing up.

Stand-up meetings do not require a meeting room. They simply need enough space for the group to stand in a circle. This configuration also removes hierarchical structures: the boss is no longer at the head of the meeting table. Problems are thus likely to be brought to light more quickly.

The bonus: standing is better for your health

The stand-up meeting enables us to break away from our work habits and normal routine which are ultimately bad for our health. Indeed, standing releases endorphins which improve alertness and boost energy!

 

How about you – are you ready to leave your meeting chair behind?