Arbeitszeit: Teuer und ineffizient? So viel hat Ihr letztes Meeting gekostet
Corporate Deutschland sitzt und redet. Doch viele Meetings liefern wenig Output. Der Handelsblatt-Rechner hilft Ihnen, Kosten von Meetings besser zu schätzen – und diese effizienter zu führen.
German companies lose around 80 billion Euros annually due to inefficient meetings, according to a 2019 report by meeting software company Doodle. When adjusted for inflation, this figure rises to approximately 64 billion Euros per year. A new calculator from the Handelsblatt enables users to estimate the cost of meetings, including an estimated measure of their inefficiency.
The key factor influencing meeting efficiency is the number of participants, with studies showing a strong correlation between perceived inclusivity and efficiency. Meetings with fewer than six participants are considered inclusive by over 90% of attendees, while those with more than 15 participants see this percentage drop to 67%.
Meetings with less than 15 participants are perceived as efficient by around one-third of participants, while the feeling of being left out is most common in meetings with more than 15 attendees. Lev Tankelevitch, one of the study authors, notes that while fewer people do not necessarily make for a better meeting, it is crucial for each participant to understand their reason for attending.
Smaller meetings provide clearer reasons for participation, leading to higher satisfaction. Companies like Amazon and Bayer have implemented strict rules regarding meeting sizes, with Amazon limiting meetings to eight people (about the amount of people that can be fed with two pizzas) and Bayer focusing on ensuring individuals can contribute or benefit from a meeting, allowing them to leave early if necessary.
Many employees were surprised to learn that cutting one hour from weekly meetings could save the company 124 million Euros. Therefore, efficient meetings are crucial. Other factors influencing meeting efficiency include the presence of an agenda and punctual start and end times. Microsoft has aligned its meeting guidelines with these findings, while Bayer is developing a similar set of guidelines for the entire company.
However, the meeting calculator does not provide a definitive answer on the necessity of a meeting; instead, it aims to support a well-known question with a scientific foundation: Is this meeting truly necessary or could a simple email suffice?
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
