What makes up an efficient meeting room environment? (2)

Layout of meeting spaces

You have a lot of choice when it comes to meeting room layouts. You don't have to stick to a traditional meeting room set-up, with a table around chairs. In fact, you can even keep the space flexible.

There are many layouts to choose from. As meeting rooms are often used in a variety of ways, you may want to keep the space flexible. Before we get into furniture and flexibility, let's look at some layout styles to consider.

U-shape: Usually used for small or medium-sized meetings. This type of layout allows the speakers to easily move around the room and interact with everyone. You will also see this style for more group participation.

Classroom: This style is very popular and is often used for seminars. Ideal for trainers and those using laptops and smart devices for note taking during meetings.

Theatre: As the name suggests, it has a similar set-up to that found in a cinema. Here, the seats are arranged in rows, which makes it easy to fit more seats in the space. This style is often used for conferences, seminars etc. where people are mostly listening and not taking notes.

Furniture and equipment

Next, you need to consider the furniture in your meeting space. If your room is used in a different way, then you will want to keep the furniture simple and flexible. This way, you can set up your meeting room according to one of the different layouts described in the previous section.

We have already looked at chairs, but please don't forget tables. Rather than using one long table, consider using 2-3 (or more as required) shorter tables. The shorter tables can be set up as one long table or placed in a different location, depending on the layout style you choose. This makes your space more flexible and usable. Look for tables that are easy to fold and easy to move around.

In addition, you may want to include one or two sofas in the room as well as a coffee or coffee table. This will give the room a friendly, relaxed feel and add seating if needed.

With regard to equipment, think again about how you will use your room. You may need equipment for virtual meetings, a screen for presentations, the ability to use a printer and so on. And don't forget that you need excellent Internet connectivity for your meeting room. 

As you can see, meeting rooms are multi-purpose spaces, ranging from traditional meetings to spaces for eating and brainstorming. Remember that your staff need a comfortable, ergonomic space to help them stay focused and energised. Remember to keep the room tidy and avoid using the meeting room as a storage room. You will soon find that your meetings are not boring, but energising and a way to run a successful business.