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

In Germany, a staggering 64 billion euros are wasted each year due to inefficient meetings, according to Doodle's "State of Meetings Report 2019." After adjusting for inflation, this figure drops to around 80 billion euros, as calculated by the Handelsblatt. The newspaper has developed a calculator to help businesses determine the costs of their meetings, including a rough estimate of their inefficiency.

The primary factor affecting meeting efficiency, according to the Handelsblatt, is the number of participants. A Microsoft study, which analyzed online meetings, found that perceived inclusiveness and efficiency of meetings are strongly correlated. This study, one of the largest of its kind, suggests that meetings with two to three participants are perceived as inclusive by over 90% of participants, while meetings with six or more participants have a lower inclusiveness rating of 67%.

Meetings with more than 15 participants only see a third of participants feeling included and viewing the meeting as efficient. Lev Tankelevitch, one of the study's authors, explains that fewer people do not automatically make a meeting better, but it's crucial that everyone understands why they are participating. Smaller meetings provide clearer purpose for individuals, leading to greater satisfaction.

Additionally, smaller meetings offer a higher chance of active participation and increased perceived efficiency. Some companies have implemented strict rules for meeting sizes. Amazon's Jeff Bezos insists that no more than eight people should attend a meeting, which can fit on two pizzas. Similarly, Bayer adheres to this principle.

Nisha Mahendrarajan, from Bayer's core team for meeting culture, emphasizes a different principle: "If you cannot contribute to or gain from a meeting, you are allowed to leave it early." Many employees were surprised to learn how much money their company could save if everyone attended meetings for an hour less each week, estimating a potential saving of 124 million euros.

Efficient meetings are crucial not just for the number of participants, but also for factors like having an agenda, starting and ending on time. Companies like Microsoft have aligned their meeting guidelines with these insights and are disseminating similar guidelines within their organization. The meeting calculator cannot provide a definitive answer about the necessity of meetings, but it offers a scientific foundation for questioning the need for meetings. A possible alternative: an email.