Meeting Room Etiquette: 8 Rules For Conference Rooms
Who this micro-class is for
* Employees, managers, and professionals
What you’ll learn
* How to appropriately book, use, and leave meeting rooms
* How to avoid the most common meeting rooms bad manners
Resources
* Less than 5 minutes to complete
About this micro-class
Effective meeting room management contributes to a more organized and productive work environment and an efficient meeting culture within their organization.
Meeting Room Etiquette
1. Appropriate Use
Use meeting rooms only for meetings, discussions, or calls. Otherwise, leave the meeting room free.
Avoid occupying a meeting room for your personal use, even when the room is vacant. Don’t move into a meeting room to concentrate or work from there.
Don’t eat in a meeting room.
2. Reservations
Always check and reserve meeting rooms in advance using your company’s booking system. If a booking system is not available, leave a note on the door with the time and the subject of the meeting.
Before booking a meeting room, make sure that the room is of the appropriate size for hosting all the meeting attendants.
If you no longer need the room, cancel the reservation promptly.
3. Punctuality
Be on time for meetings. If you’re running late, inform the team in advance.
Wrap up meetings on time to avoid inconvenience for the next group.
4. Materials and Equipment
Bring any necessary materials (e.g., notes, laptops, chargers) to avoid disruptions.
Provide handouts or electronic copies of relevant documents in advance.
Ensure that there are enough chairs for everyone.
5. Technology
Familiarize yourself with the meeting room technology in advance.
Test audio, video, and presentation tools before the meeting starts.
Mute microphones when not speaking to reduce background noise.
6. Noise Level
Be mindful of noise levels when entering or leaving the room.
Keep conversations at an appropriate volume to avoid disturbing neighboring meetings and coworkers.
Avoid side conversations and distractions on electronic devices.
7. Confidentiality
Ensure confidentiality and privacy during meetings when they involve confidential or privileged information.
Close the door and windows during meetings.
If you are projecting slides with sensitive information, make sure that they can be seen only by the meeting attendants.
8. Tidiness
Return the room to its default setup after the meeting (for example, tidy up chairs, and clean whiteboard).
If you rearrange furniture, put it back the way you found it.
Clean after yourself. Clear any cups and glasses. Wipe any food or beverage spills.
Meeting Room Etiquette Worst Mistakes
Overbooking
Avoid booking multiple meeting rooms simultaneously unless absolutely necessary.
Ignoring Time Limits
Respect the allocated meeting time to avoid delays for subsequent bookings.
Disruptive Behavior
Refrain from disruptive actions, such as loud conversations or unexpected room changes.
Neglecting Technology Issues
Report any technology issues promptly to ensure they are resolved for future meetings.
Unauthorized Access
Don’t enter a meeting room without a reservation or when it’s already occupied.
Resources and useful links
- Etiquette references: office etiquette, meeting etiquette, workplace sustainability practices
- Interesting reads and resources: Building a smart meeting room – From infrastructure to the video gap researchgate.net