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ProudPA #28 - 3 Benefits of Off-Site Meetings

ProudPA #28 - 3 Benefits of Off-Site Meetings

|By AmyMarsden|16 May 2016
ProudPA #28 - 3 Benefits of Off-Site Meetings
PA Amy Marsden shares 3 benefits of taking corporate meetings off-site and away from the noise of the office to add greater value to the organisation.   The Proud Assistant is a blog by experienced & Award Winning PAs, EAs, Networkers & Bloggers. Follow the conversation using hashtag #ProudPAAmy Marsden Fun | Educational | Revealing | Impactful   Amy Mardesn is an experienced Executive Assistant of 8 years and is currently EA to Hank Uberoi, CEO of Earthport. You can follow Amy on Twitter @MissAmyMars  

3 Benefits of Off-Site Meetings

In a budget conscious business world, it can be challenging to find the funds to hold essential events and conferences, let alone justify having smaller team meetings off-site. However, there are numerous reasons why spending the money on taking a team out of the office is a good investment. The returns are not always obvious or immediate, but in the long-term it can certainly be beneficial.  

The practical case

Businesses do not necessarily grow at the same rate as their free space increases! Confidential meetings, team meetings, training sessions, sales pitches, and important board/executive meetings all require meeting room space. If you find that your staff numbers have outgrown your office space, rather than battling with colleagues over who’s meeting is more important or which one of you needs the video conferencing system, book an external space. Surprisingly the cost of standard rooms and equipment can be reasonable. Similarly, rather than burdening your administrative and IT teams with meeting support duties (greeting and registering guests, making tea/coffee, setting up AV systems, recording presentations), book a space at which you have on-site assistance. This will not only reduce the stress of preparing for a meeting, but it will increase the capacity of your staff to focus on other key tasks or be involved in the actual meeting taking place. Let an external team handle the finer details! Think about the location of your main site and how accessible it is;  
Would it make sense to move the annual board meeting to a more central location?  
If you have several external attendees, find out where they are travelling in from. It can be a huge time saver to schedule meetings close to main transport hubs or central access points. Off-Site    

The productivity case

There can be many distractions and interruptions in the office, which can impact on our focus. Taking a team out to a new and fresh space can encourage concentration by removing disturbances.  
Why not book a full day out of the office to plough through some project planning without interference from desk drop-bys, phone calls and other commitments?  
By taking a solid amount of time away from your desk, meeting in a new environment, your team can devote their attention to the task at hand. Conversely, our office environment can become so familiar that we are stuck in dull routine, uninspired and comfortable. Nothing boosts creativity like a new, different, environment. The range of unique spaces available for meetings is extensive; a design team looking to mind-map ideas might respond well to an unusual building or unconventional space, an executive team facing some tough decision making might benefit from a more relaxed setting full of natural light. Don’t just think about the practical needs of your group, consider the objective of their meeting; what type of space would revitalise? Promote new perspectives? It is worthwhile investing in a setting, which fosters productivity.   [Tweet "Nothing boosts creativity like a new, different, environment"]  

Morale

Employees always enjoy getting out of the office. Every member of staff takes something different from the experience. By spending money on holding a meeting off-site, staff are likely to feel valued. Some employees rarely spend time with colleagues face-to-face, and by having people attend a meeting in-person your business is supporting team building and camaraderie in the simplest way. It could also be an excellent opportunity to schedule a team dinner or drinks tagged on to the end of an off-site day, or book a group breakfast prior to the meeting in a new restaurant you have been meaning to try. Social interaction is invaluable.  

Eventopedia Says...

Thanks to Amy for your 2nd blog and some very useful advice for those looking to hold off-site meetings.  Eventopedia is a free and independent resource that allows you to search for off-site meeting venues, filtered according to your specific requirements.  The community provide their expertise and tips to help via reviews, which ensures an unbiased and democratic method for searching for the right venue to fit your event brief.