[Image by Alexey Marcov of Pixabay]
If you’ve ever attended a town hall meeting you may have found it to be rather tedious and you probably didn’t get much out of it. Unfortunately, that’s the norm. It’s anything but…the talk of the town. Here are my suggestions to make your next town hall meeting just the opposite.
- What is a town hall meeting? It’s a gathering of employees to learn company updates, ask questions, meet peers, and celebrate milestones or achievements.
- How frequently are town hall meetings scheduled? Each company is different so you’ll want to find a meeting schedule that meets your needs…but do so consistently. Therefore, if for example, you opt for quarterly meetings be sure to schedule them every quarter either at the beginning or the end of the period. An alternative is to decide that town hall meetings will be scheduled as necessary so time isn’t wasted (there may be slower months when there isn’t as much to say).
- What are benefits of holding town meetings? There are several benefits which include: better cross-communication enabling one department to learn from another, improving staff morale, and giving employees a voice in certain matters.
- What are effective ways to conduct a town hall meeting? It’s vital to determine what your town hall meeting will achieve, consider location, best time of the day (especially if staff are in differing time zones) and if you can access reliable technology and know how to use it.
- What are ways to engage staff in a town hall meeting? Many choices are available but it helps to recall that the more opportunities you offer for engagement, the better it is and you’ll likely get more involvement. Engagement can occur before, during or after a town hall meeting. When staff are engaged, they feel they’re part of something!
- Is it wise to have periodic icebreakers? Absolutely! Using icebreakers adds some humor and gives people a welcome respite from day-to-day routines.
- Is it a good idea to have a summary? It’s a great way to remind staff of the content of the town hall meeting and also a way to show inclusion if some were unable to attend the town hall meeting. Everyone benefits from a recap.
Now that we’ve covered some town hall meeting basics, you’re well on your way to crafting a town hall meeting that promises to be the talk of the town…what are you waiting for?