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| Meeting - Tuesday, 3pm. You free? | Meeting - Tuesday, 3pm. You free? |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The best time for a workplace meeting is 3pm on a Tuesday, according to a study. Why? | The best time for a workplace meeting is 3pm on a Tuesday, according to a study. Why? |
| Too early in the day | Too early in the day |
| A meeting? First thing on Monday? For many office workers that's a little early, an intrusion into time reserved for a hurried coffee, checking e-mails, steeling yourself for the working week, and, well, getting stuck into some actual work. | |
| But by 3pm, the day is well under way, and many staff are better able to take the change of pace and focus that a meeting can bring. Begin any later, and wage earners will start to clock-watch. | |
| A new study says 3pm on Tuesday is the best time to call a meeting as most prospective attendees will be free. The hour in question is an office diary sweet spot - representing a confluence of employee availability, motivation and willingness, say those responsible for the finding. | A new study says 3pm on Tuesday is the best time to call a meeting as most prospective attendees will be free. The hour in question is an office diary sweet spot - representing a confluence of employee availability, motivation and willingness, say those responsible for the finding. |
| "It's psychological - 3pm is coffee break time. People can see themselves talking over a coffee," says Keith Harris, of online scheduling service When Is Good. | "It's psychological - 3pm is coffee break time. People can see themselves talking over a coffee," says Keith Harris, of online scheduling service When Is Good. |
| I'd hesitate to call a meeting at 3pm, it's quite late in the day for some people Stephen Overell, Work Foundation | I'd hesitate to call a meeting at 3pm, it's quite late in the day for some people Stephen Overell, Work Foundation |
| "Anecdotally, our users wanted to put off meetings until the last possible time. They want to reserve the morning for their own tasks." | "Anecdotally, our users wanted to put off meetings until the last possible time. They want to reserve the morning for their own tasks." |
| He has analysed 100,000 responses to 34,000 meeting requests sent by When Is Good users, and 3pm - particularly on a Tuesday - is the time which has the most acceptances. Conversely, the worst time to plan a meeting is at 9am on a Monday. Then, just one in three people will readily accept, compared with about half for an afternoon meeting. | He has analysed 100,000 responses to 34,000 meeting requests sent by When Is Good users, and 3pm - particularly on a Tuesday - is the time which has the most acceptances. Conversely, the worst time to plan a meeting is at 9am on a Monday. Then, just one in three people will readily accept, compared with about half for an afternoon meeting. |
| And staff are more receptive to lunchtime meetings than Mr Harris expected. "There was a slight dip [in acceptances], but people are prepared to work over lunch." | And staff are more receptive to lunchtime meetings than Mr Harris expected. "There was a slight dip [in acceptances], but people are prepared to work over lunch." |
| But there is more to a good meeting than just availability. And one expert in workplace consultancy is sceptical about the 15:00 ideal. | But there is more to a good meeting than just availability. And one expert in workplace consultancy is sceptical about the 15:00 ideal. |
| A lunchtime meeting means no break | A lunchtime meeting means no break |
| "I'd hesitate to call a meeting at 3pm, it's quite late in the day for some people," says Stephen Overell, associate director of the Work Foundation. | "I'd hesitate to call a meeting at 3pm, it's quite late in the day for some people," says Stephen Overell, associate director of the Work Foundation. |
| Because a meeting will be most productive if those attending have time afterwards to act on the agreed aims. If it ends too close to clocking off time, the momentum is lost. | Because a meeting will be most productive if those attending have time afterwards to act on the agreed aims. If it ends too close to clocking off time, the momentum is lost. |
| "The point of a meeting is to agree something as a group, and then act upon it - so 3pm is slightly late in the day." | "The point of a meeting is to agree something as a group, and then act upon it - so 3pm is slightly late in the day." |
| But Mr Overell agrees that afternoons are generally more suited to meetings. | But Mr Overell agrees that afternoons are generally more suited to meetings. |
| "People on the whole tend to be more creative and better at problem solving in the morning. Afternoons are better for collaborating and team work. | "People on the whole tend to be more creative and better at problem solving in the morning. Afternoons are better for collaborating and team work. |
| "But I'd schedule a meeting for 2pm. A meeting helps focus minds again after lunch, and the adrenaline and interactivity can help ward off postprandial sleepiness." | "But I'd schedule a meeting for 2pm. A meeting helps focus minds again after lunch, and the adrenaline and interactivity can help ward off postprandial sleepiness." |
| A drawback of a post-lunch meeting | A drawback of a post-lunch meeting |
| The risk of napping may, of course, rise if the meeting involves sitting in a darkened room watching a presentation. | The risk of napping may, of course, rise if the meeting involves sitting in a darkened room watching a presentation. |
| As for which day to choose, Mr Overell says there is a trend for meetings to be held in the first half of the week, in part because staff given the opportunity to work from home often do so on a Friday. | As for which day to choose, Mr Overell says there is a trend for meetings to be held in the first half of the week, in part because staff given the opportunity to work from home often do so on a Friday. |
| But in some organisations - or the higher up the hierarchy one is - the timing of a meeting does come down to availability. | But in some organisations - or the higher up the hierarchy one is - the timing of a meeting does come down to availability. |
| "A lot of people with managerial positions have a lot of meetings, all through the day," says Mr Overell. "And some organisations seem to be hooked on meetings - they cannot make a decision without gathering together a group of their highest paid individuals." | "A lot of people with managerial positions have a lot of meetings, all through the day," says Mr Overell. "And some organisations seem to be hooked on meetings - they cannot make a decision without gathering together a group of their highest paid individuals." |
| Instead of asking for comments, the Magazine will be hosting a live virtual meeting today at... no prizes for guessing the time... 3pm. Click here, to join us at 15:00 to discuss, fittingly, what is the optimum time for a workplace meeting. | Instead of asking for comments, the Magazine will be hosting a live virtual meeting today at... no prizes for guessing the time... 3pm. Click here, to join us at 15:00 to discuss, fittingly, what is the optimum time for a workplace meeting. |