Businesses have never been so prepared to accommodate remote working arrangements, with email, instant messaging, and video conferencing becoming the default means of communication in most industries.
But even the most sophisticated tech can’t replicate the value of meeting face to face.
Cvent's 2024 Internal Meetings Impact Report in partnership with The Harris Poll shows business leaders agree. The survey of 250 U.S. C-suite executives, company presidents, CEOs, and founders determined that over 3 in 4 (78%) believe in-person meetings are ‘absolutely necessary’ or ‘very important’ within their companies. As companies continue to navigate return-to-office and hybrid work policies, nearly 9 in 10 (89%) also say internal meetings are an important part of the future workplace.
So, here’s how dedicating the time and space to host your meetings in person can help your business succeed.
For casual catchups, a quick phone call is a relaxed and efficient way to get your point across. When the stakes are higher - say you’re pitching to investors or recruiting new talent - meeting in person immediately establishes a tone of professionalism for you and your business.
Inviting your guests to a stylish office environment presents the right image, winning you their respect before the meeting even begins. A serviced office makes it quick and easy to nail this first impression by providing an impressive aesthetic space and reception service.
See also: Serviced office: what it is, how it works, and its benefits
Also, it can be hard to win people over with ‘e-charisma’ alone. Building rapport and gaining trust is much easier when you can greet your guests at the door and have a chance to chat informally.
Home or remote offices come with unpredictable distractions for hosts and guests alike. It’s all too easy for minds to wander to whirring kitchen dishwashers or piles of unfolded laundry.
When cameras are off and participants aren’t held by eye contact, the temptation to secretly multitask grows, and it’s hard to know whether others are paying attention. In fact, according to a recent survey of 2,800 Zoom users, 43% admit they join calls from their car, 25% say they attend from bed, and 14% while out and about on a walk or a jog.
When you arrange to meet in person, you guarantee that everyone is fully present and invested in the work at hand, free of disruptions from the outside world. Research from Stanford Graduate School of Business proves this, showing that those who work together in person are far more productive, generating 15-20% more ideas than their counterpart virtual teams.
Not only does meeting in person eliminate distractions, but it also helps people to build relationships and understand one another more effectively.
According to Zoom’s data, 42% of call participants don’t put their cameras on, and when combined with perpetually muted mics, this can leave you guessing how others are reacting to what you’re saying.
Face to face interaction gives us more social context and a better ability to ‘read the room’ than you have online. According to Albert Mehrabian, a leading authority on body language research, communication is 55% nonverbal, 38% vocal, and 7% words only. This ‘nonverbal’ element comprises everything from facial expressions to hand gestures, eye contact, and posture.
Meeting in person is the only way to get this full scope of communication cues, greatly improving your chances of being understood, your passion coming across and your guests’ chances of engaging.
Why not host your next meeting at 71-75? We’ve got you covered with meeting rooms you can book as and when required, reception services to greet your visitors, and daily cleaning services to keep your workspace fresh.
Located just three minutes from Covent Garden Station, our serviced offices offer a communal, fully-stocked kitchen, a business lounge, all-inclusive fees, top-of-the-range tech, and much more. Take a guided tour or contact enquiries@71-75.co.uk to learn more.
