A recent survey found that 78% of employees are so bogged down by meetings that it’s tough to get their real work done, and 51% say they have to put in extra hours a few days a week just to catch up because of all the meetings. It’s no surprise that this is causing frustration and hurting productivity across the board.

This is where internal communications (IC) pros can make a big difference. By pushing for smarter, more streamlined communication practices, they can help cut down on unnecessary meetings and improve overall efficiency. Plus, it’s a great way for IC teams to show their value and impact.

A good place to start is by knowing when to use real-time (synchronous) communication and when to go for something less immediate (asynchronous). Getting this balance right can help teams collaborate more effectively, reduce meeting fatigue, and get more done—without adding to everyone’s stress levels.

Choosing the Right Communication Channel

Internal communications (IC) professionals play a vital role in helping organizations determine when meetings are truly necessary. IC pros can drive more efficient communication practices by guiding teams to ask a set of critical questions before scheduling.

Here’s how these questions can help streamline decision-making:

1. What is the specific objective of the meeting?

IC professionals should guide teams to clearly define the purpose of every meeting, ensuring that it has a specific and actionable goal. A well-defined objective is crucial for keeping the meeting focused and relevant to current project priorities. For example, if the purpose is to align team members on a project's scope, roles, and responsibilities, a meeting might be essential to facilitate real-time collaboration.

This approach is in line with Priya Parker's insights from her book, The Art of Gathering, where she emphasizes the importance of intentionality in meetings. Parker argues that gatherings without a clear purpose can waste time and energy, and that defining the "why" behind a meeting helps create more meaningful and productive interactions.

2. Who needs to be involved? how crucial is their real-time input?

IC professionals should emphasize the importance of only including key decision-makers or contributors. If someone’s input is not crucial in real time, they can provide their insights before the meeting or be included as an optional attendee. This not only reduces meeting fatigue but also ensures meetings stay focused on essential discussions.

3. What is the role of each participant?

Defining participant roles in advance is essential for ensuring a productive and focused meeting. IC professionals should work closely with teams to clarify each attendee’s role—whether they are there to make decisions, provide feedback, or give approvals. This helps ensure that only those necessary to the discussion are included and reduces unnecessary involvement and potential time-wasting.

Clearly defined roles and responsibilities are key to effective meeting management and help maintain structure and focus on objectives and outcomes.

4. How urgent is the issue?

What would be the impact of not holding the meeting? IC professionals can collaborate with leadership to assess the urgency of a given issue and ensure that it aligns with the organization’s strategic priorities. If the matter is time-sensitive or has the potential to significantly impact a key project or client relationship, a meeting may be necessary to secure leadership’s buy-in and make swift, informed decisions. However, if the issue is less urgent or can be addressed through a report or written communication, IC professionals should guide the team to consider alternative approaches. This helps to avoid unnecessary meetings and ensures that leadership’s time is focused on high-priority, impactful decisions.

Preparing for Effective Meetings

Alternatives to Meetings

Asynchronous communication methods offer a flexible and effective alternative to traditional meetings, enabling team members to engage with content on their own time, without the pressure of coordinating schedules. IC professionals should actively promote these methods as part of a broader strategy to reduce meeting overload and increase productivity.

For instance, tools like Slack’s video clips or Loom allow users to record updates, share documents, or explain feedback visually, enabling team members to review the information when it fits their schedule. This not only saves time but also ensures that employees can engage thoughtfully with the material without being tied to a live meeting.

By advocating for these tools, IC professionals can help their organizations shift toward more intentional communication practices. Asynchronous communication reduces the need for unnecessary meetings, freeing up valuable work hours for more focused, deep work. This shift supports a more balanced work environment, allowing teams to collaborate effectively without constant interruptions.

Encouraging teams to ask the critical questions before scheduling a meeting—such as whether the discussion can be handled asynchronously—ensures that meetings are only held when absolutely necessary, and when they truly contribute to advancing organizational goals.

Meeting Tips & Considerations

To challenge the default urge to schedule meetings, it’s important to foster a culture where everyone asks, “Is this meeting really necessary?” One way to do this is to always think about alternatives first. Could you send a message, record a quick video update, or share a document instead of pulling everyone into a meeting? Setting clear guidelines, like requiring a specific agenda for every meeting, can help teams decide if real-time collaboration is truly needed.

It’s also a good idea to regularly review how useful your meetings are—both the one-off ones and the recurring ones.

Here are a few ways to assess meeting effectiveness and help your team work smarter to make meetings truly count:

1. Make Time to Review: Every few months, take a step back and ask, “Do we still need this weekly meeting?” Sometimes a meeting that made sense at the start of a project loses its purpose over time, and written updates can take its place.

1. Ask for Feedback: Get feedback from your team. Ask them questions like, “Was this meeting useful?” or “Could we have handled this another way?” Their insights can help you tweak or even eliminate meetings that aren't adding value.
2. Track Results: Keep an eye on what’s getting done in meetings. Are they leading to decisions, clear action items, or next steps? If not, it might be time to rethink the purpose of the meeting or move the conversation to a different format.
3. Lead by Example: When leadership actively reduces unnecessary meetings or opts for shorter, more focused ones, it sets a great example. Encouraging async communication where possible—like sharing a Loom video instead of scheduling a meeting—shows the team that efficiency is a priority.

IC professionals have a unique opportunity to lead the charge in reducing unnecessary meetings and creating a more efficient workplace. By asking key questions about each meeting’s purpose, urgency, and participants, and by encouraging the use of asynchronous tools like Slack and Loom, IC pros can help teams work smarter, not harder.

It’s also crucial to regularly review recurring meetings to ensure they’re still relevant and productive. By gathering feedback and tracking outcomes, you can continuously improve your organization’s meeting practices. Take a proactive role in monitoring and refining these guidelines as your organization’s needs evolve.

Now is the time to lead the change. Encourage your organization to adopt these strategies and make sure every meeting is purposeful and adds value.

Are you ready to rethink how your organization handles meetings? Start implementing these guidelines today to make a real impact.

How are your organizations communication practices? Let us know if you want to chat about ways to shift the culture at your org.