4 Reasons Why More Meetings Should Be Face-to-Face

Fostering trust. Facilitating meaningful interactions. Driving productive collaborations. We’re willing to bet that some of your main business objectives are encapsulated in at least one or more of those sentences. One of the key modes by which these objectives happen? Face-to-face meetings.

Forbes places an ‘immeasurable importance’ on in-person meetings, and we think your organization should, too. It’s easy to simply conference in to calls, conferences, webinars, and more. But the faceless communication that’s becoming the norm in businesses has repercussions. It might be tempting to do away with a mass national and global meeting for your distributed workforce. But here are some things to think about first.

4 Reasons Your Organization Needs Face-to-Face Meetings

1. It’s the best way to capture--and hold--attention
   We’re all guilty of it. You log into a webinar or web-based meeting with good intentions to listen and be engaged. But then you get an email or Slack notification. Or a text message. And, suddenly, you’ve missed the last ten minutes. Or more. Meeting in person brings people together and keeps their attention focused. Research also shows that people retain information more when they’re in an unfamiliar environment. Whether it’s a different conference room or a different country, foreign spaces make an impression in multiple ways.
2. Emotions can be contagious
   You know that feeling when you see others laughing, and it kind of makes you want to laugh, too? Positive emotions are catchy; it’s called the ‘emotional contagion,’ and it’s what a good speaker incites in their audience when they present with emotion, passion and interest. And, as you can probably guess, it’s much more effective in person.
3. In-person meetings build relationships
   It’s human nature: we thrive when we’re part of a community. And what is the best way to feel that you’re part of a community? Knowing and being with the people who share common goals and ideals. Meeting face-to-face is a great way to network and allows people to build real connections in ways that virtual meetings don’t.
4. Creating a culture of trust and empathy
   When people travel to be a part of a meeting, they have opportunities to chat before, during and after sessions. They can go to dinners, hang out at events, and be tourists together. These are the things that build relationships, particularly trust and empathy. They make friends. Having a organization of people who get along, and share connections, is a key part of successful business relationships.

Bringing People Together: National and Global Sales Meetings

If you’re looking for a compelling case study, contact our representatives at Carrousel. Time and time again, we’ve seen the positive effects that in-person meetings can have. The different location and new setting inspire employees, sparking important conversations resulting in recommendations and ideas that can launch even the most established companies even further into the realm of success.

These types of interactions don’t happen in a vacuum, and they rarely happen online. Bring your employees together to generate both goodwill and good ideas. And when you need help planning these types of events, Carrousel can help.  Contact Carrousel today!