Meeting rooms are always a part of office layouts. They are crucial to having an agile workplace. They offer spaces where employees may discuss ideas, get answers to their questions, or go over reports with one another. Meeting rooms should be flexible enough to meet different employee needs. Another choice is to use large spaces where teams may meet and brainstorm.

Meeting room etiquette refers to how you interact with your coworkers and manage the meeting spaces at your office. It involves being mindful of and considerate of other employees who use the same resources you do to do your task. The following list of meeting room etiquette is for your consideration as you and your colleagues move around the office.

Do’s for Meeting Rooms

The following points clearly summarise what you should and should not do when reserving meeting rooms:

• Install a system for booking rooms: Have a mechanism for booking meeting rooms as workers head back to the office. Employees will find it simple to book, locate, and use meeting rooms on the days they are on-site. It lessens the annoyance of the staff when several people or teams use a conference room at once.
• Reserve early to ensure confirmation. Don’t wait until the last minute when planning for a conference room if you work in a busy office. Booking early guarantees the location and gives competing teams plenty of time to reschedule or find an alternative meeting spot.
• Keep to the schedule: Conferences and meetings can run late and last longer than expected. Likely, you’re also holding other meetings if the conference room is in a busy office. One of the rules of business is to end meetings on time. If you realise that you must proceed, move to a public area or reschedule at a different time or date.
• Be prompt with any cancellations: Even though we try our best to stick to the schedule, things may not go as planned. It also applies to meetings. If you must cancel, don’t wait until the last minute or, worse yet, forget to do so. Making sure you cancel your bookings as soon as you learn of any impending modifications to the plan is one of the most crucial conference room dos and don’ts.
• Prepare in advance: If you’re the host or a key player in the gathering, be ready before the other attendees show up there. It includes, among other things, checking the wires, setting up your laptop and projector, and making sure the air conditioning works properly. By giving yourself enough time to prepare, you can address any technical problems as they come up and avoid needlessly extending the meeting.
• Get the management on board. An employee monitors room reservations in larger offices and co-working spaces in general. If you’re having trouble with a reservation, call in the experts rather than attempting to fix it yourself.
• Be accommodating: At times, other meeting groups could need the location right away for a crucial meeting. If it helps your colleagues, you can offer to reschedule your conference. Try to end the meeting early to help your colleagues and keep things on track.
• Be sure to close the door: You are free to dispute a suggestion or vent about your new plan, but not at the expense of upsetting the harmony at work. It is necessary and advised to use prudence when discussing private topics. Make sure the doors are closed. Some firms install “Keep Door Closed” signs on training room doors for added security.
• Keep your phone off at all times. Using mobile phones during meetings is one of the most significant conference room etiquette rules that businesses post in meeting spaces. To avoid upsetting the group, leave the room discreetly if you must answer a call.
• Be considerate of other people’s needs: If your colleagues have requested that you switch conference rooms because your team is small and needs a larger space, meeting request etiquette dictates that you give up the room. It encourages people to make reservations in line with their needs, whether connected to infrastructure or group size.
• Restore the infrastructure to its original setting: After using the space, leave it clean, organized, and prepared for usage, just as you would want to see it if you were to use the room next. Clean the whiteboard, close all the open screens, and place all the equipment in its original place.
• Make sure to only occupy the area appropriately. Unquestionably, the open or wide conference room tables can be alluring enough to persuade you to spread out your work. However, when you are in a co-working setting and sharing a conference room with staff members from other organisations or even the same company, exploiting the workplace to your advantage will appear impolite.
• Only use the conference room if you have a reservation: Any corporate meeting room policy or meeting etiquette guideline that requires reservations must be followed. It is polite to have your own space so you can hold important meetings without being pushed aside or interrupted. You can also use the room’s technology if you routinely make reservations.

Don’ts for Meeting Rooms

• Avoid leaving a mess behind: Avoid leaving trash, paper scraps, or empty water bottles on the floor in the conference room. It’s not appropriate to leave chairs unattended. Imagine walking into a room for a meeting with your important clients only to find that the previous group left a massive mess behind. Moving it would be challenging and ugly. One of the fundamental rules of office etiquette is to have a tidy and appealing workspace.
• Avoid taking food inside: Refrain from taking food inside the conference room, whereas beverages like water, coffee, and tea usually pass the test. In addition to being disruptive, having someone eat during an important meeting is sometimes seen as impolite and inconsiderate by other attendees.
• Do not take matters into your own hands: Always leave any accommodation issues to the workforce assigned to a meeting room.
• Do not stay overtime without a purpose: Don’t waste other people’s conference room time by casually chit-chatting or debating the agenda. Take a break and quickly debrief in the coffee shop instead.

FAQs on Do’s and Don’ts for Meeting Rooms

Can a conference room be reserved for more than one day?

According to the availability of your preferred meeting location, it is possible to reserve a room; however, this should be confirmed with the service provider.

How much time in advance should I book a meeting room?

It is preferable to give at least two weeks’ notice when reserving a meeting space. You can be sure that you’ll have the time and space you need to meet your specific requirements if you do this.

Can you bring food or drinks inside the conference room?

Drinks like tea, water, and coffee are typically OK, but avoid bringing food because it is rude to eat at a formal meeting. Additionally, there is a danger of spilling and polluting the area.

What do I need to remember before I leave the conference room?

Don’t leave trash, paper scraps, or empty water bottles on the Conference room floor. Additionally, it’s improper to leave chairs unattended.

Why is it crucial to observe proper conference room etiquette?

The way you handle and share the meeting rooms at your place of business with your coworkers is known as meeting room etiquette. It means showing consideration for and awareness of other employees that utilise the same areas as you do to complete their tasks.

Although they have been around for a while, meeting rooms are being used in new ways at the office. If everyone is aware of appropriate meeting room etiquette and respects their coworkers, everyone will benefit from having a successful and pleasurable experience at work. The proper usage of conference room etiquette shows that you have regard for your coworkers.

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Read More:

• How Do You Organize a Meeting Room? | A Detailed Overview
• Important Factors that You Should Establish Before You Choose a Meeting Room

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