Walk and talk - meetings on the move
by Adele Taylor
Are you on board?
With the introduction of activity tracking devices, it seems that everyone is now talking about the ‘walk-and-talk’ meetings!
Walking meetings allow for light exercise and are a great way to achieve those 10,000 steps each day.
But they also have other great benefits for the organisation.
Serious benefits!
Standing meetings tend to be shorter - which means you get them done more efficiently.
Physical movement helps people think. Research supports the connection between movement and cognitive processing and that moderate exercise increases the number of brain cells.
Walk and talk meetings spur creativity. The outside world is more inspiring than your conference room and creative thinking is critical to nearly every business function.
Walking together removes walls and silos. Employees often share their ideas more openly without the trappings of conference room seating arrangements or the boss’s office.
Healthy employees are more productive. Keeping employees moving tends to keep them healthier and happier and that’s good for your business as well as your company culture.
How to make it work
If you’re planning to have a conversation or brainstorm with one or two other people, the walk and talk meeting is ideal.
However, it will not work when you have to meet with a large group or if you’re incorporating any sort of presentation or complex technology.
You may also wonder how to take notes while walking and remain safe from traffic. Plan your walking meetings in parks or in offices where you can weave your way through hallways or stairwells.
Encourage your colleagues
Stop sitting for eight or more hours every workday! Your lower back hurts. Your shoulders are stiff. Your metabolism slows.
Encourage your colleagues to find the time to get up and get moving. Even a few minutes taken to jog up and down the stairs is better than sitting all day.
Persuade your colleagues to go on walking meetings even if they have the ingrained idea of what a meeting should entail.
You know you should be squeezing more exercise into your life and with a small structural change that influences people in a really positive way, staying healthy at work has never been easier.
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For further information, contact Adele on 9629 9999 or email: ataylor@dixonappointments.com.au