Arbeitszeit: Teuer und ineffizient? So viel hat Ihr letztes Meeting gekostet

In Germany, an estimated 64 billion euros per year are wasted due to inefficient meetings, according to Doodle's "State of Meetings Report 2019". After accounting for inflation, this figure rises to about 80 billion euros, as calculated by the Handelsblatt. The Handelsblatt now offers a calculator to determine the cost of meetings, including an estimate of their inefficiency.

The number of participants is the key factor in assessing meeting inefficiency, with a study by Microsoft researchers suggesting that meeting inclusiveness and efficiency are strongly correlated. In a well-run meeting, the perceived inclusiveness of the meeting tends to match its actual efficiency. However, once the attendee count exceeds 15, only one-third of participants feel included, and only a quarter consider the meeting efficient.

Smaller meetings have a higher success rate, as they provide clearer reasons for participation and greater opportunities for individual involvement, leading to higher satisfaction. Some companies have established strict rules regarding meeting sizes. For instance, Jeff Bezos of Amazon advises against meetings with more than eight people, while Bayer follows a similar principle.

Moreover, Nisha Mahendrarajan, a Bayer team leader for meeting culture, emphasizes the importance of leaving meetings early if one cannot contribute or gain value from them. Many employees were surprised by the potential savings, estimating a weekly reduction of one hour in meetings could save 124 million euros annually. Factors like having an agenda and punctual start and end times also contribute to meeting efficiency.

Companies such as Microsoft have adapted their meeting guidelines based on these insights, and Bayer is developing a similar set of guidelines for its workforce. However, the meeting calculator provided by the Handelsblatt should not be considered an absolute truth, as it merely offers scientific backing to the common question of whether a meeting is truly necessary or if a simple email would suffice.