By Samantha Higgins

The manner in which your Business Conference Room is organized will make or break many of your company’s key meetings. Productive conference rooms minimize distractions and maximize meeting productivity. Every detail of the room needs to be set up to accomplish this.

If you’ve ever sat in a meeting that spiraled unexpectedly out of control and didn’t know why, perhaps it was due to a poor or inefficient conference room layout. In this article, we’ll teach you the do’s and don’ts of creating a highly productive conference room.

Let’s take a look.

Do consider the image of your company

A business’s overall image is an aspect that’s often overlooked in conference room set-up strategies. Consider how often you have meeting attendees who are experiencing who you are and what you’re about for the very first time. What impression does your conference room make on them?

It’s vital that you’re able to make a solid first impression on first-time visitors. Their experience in your conference room will likely be that initial impression.

Consider the things you want the room to convey about your company. Do you consider yourself a more traditional business? Has your business been around for decades and you’re the go-to solution? In this case, use the room to express a muted tone of professionalism with a custom conference table and other items that express your solid dependability.

If your company is more of the creative, innovative type, build on that persona by being bold and bright. Funky and unique furniture, along with loud statement colors could be the best way to create that powerful first impression.

Don’t crowd the your space

Nobody enjoys walking into a crowded meeting room and bumping into the people sitting next to them while they try to get more comfortable or take notes. When people are productive in meetings, they’re able to type, write or sift through handouts without the distractions of an overly-crowded space.

When chairs are bumping into each other and attendees are getting distracted by their elbows constantly hitting their neighbors’, the meeting isn’t going to be as productive as you had hoped.

Don’t crowd meetings into a space that’s too small or has too many chairs crammed into it. Before the meeting starts, take into account exactly how many attendees are coming. Then organize the room in a way that everyone has more than enough space to move.

It’s also important that you set up your layout to allow for the most collaboration possible, and that it doesn’t create any inequality.

Do use current, functioning equipment

This point is probably one of the most important ones we’ll discuss. Using (or not using) equipment that’s current and up-to-date can make or break any meeting. If you’re using out-dated electronics in your meetings, you’ll give the impression that your business is unprofessional and outdated.

But even worse, you’ll also tend to waste a lot of time. How often does old equipment fail during a meeting? This sucks up time and disengaged attendees. It stops the flow of a meeting dead in its tracks while creating an instant atmosphere of boredom and frustration.

Don’t even begin inviting people to a meeting until you have the most up-to-date equipment you can get your hands on.

Don’t let distractions derail a meeting

Distractions can come in any number of forms. You might end up battling:

-Loud air vents

-Noisy, squeaky chairs

-Flickering lights

-Loose cords

-Distracting outdoor views

Any of these create productivity killing distractions that are hard to avoid.

Colors and decorations that clash, uncomfortable chairs or extreme room temperatures also distract attendees because their attention is on things other than work.

These problems are often overlooked, but simple to solve. Repair any disturbances that are loud. Tie up any loose cords. Ensure that the room temperature and furniture are comfortable. Replace the ceiling fan that’s not properly centered.

These simple steps will help everyone better focus on the reasons they’re in the meeting.

Enjoy more productive meetings

By paying attention to these do’s and don’ts for your conference room, your next meeting will be much more productive. Make these simple adjustments today, and start experiencing better meetings.

__________

Samantha Higgins is a professional writer with a passion for research, observation, and innovation. She is nurturing a growing family of twin boys in Portland, Oregon, with her husband. She loves kayaking and reading creative non-fiction.