7 meeting room etiquettes for a productive meeting 

Welcome to the meeting room! Let's start this meeting off on the right foot—or, actually, the right chair. Please find a seat and make yourself comfortable. And by comfortable, we mean don't fall asleep.

It's no secret that meeting rooms are a backbone of any workplace. They’re where ideas are shared, decisions are made, and teams collaborate. But with so many people using the same space, it's important to make sure everyone is following proper meeting room etiquette.

What is meeting room etiquette? 

Meeting room etiquette is a set of rules and guidelines that should be adhered to when attending meetings in a professional setting. It’s important to be mindful of your behavior and actions in order to create a positive and productive atmosphere for everyone involved. For example, if you’re leading the meeting you can:

• Start and end the meeting on time.
• Keep the meeting on track and focused on the agenda.
• Encourage everyone to participate and share their ideas.
• Summarize the key takeaways and next steps at the end of the meeting.

If you’re a participant in the meeting:

• Be prepared to discuss the topics on the agenda.
• Be respectful of the other attendees and their time.
• Listen attentively to what others have to say.
• Be open to different ideas and perspectives.
• Contribute to the discussion in a meaningful way.

Let's consider an example. John has scheduled a meeting with the help of his business calendar. We’ll observe how he conducts himself in this meeting and determine for ourselves whether his behavior follows meeting room etiquettes.

Meeting room etiquettes for a productive meeting 

1. How prepared is he?  

John has scheduled a meeting with a potential client to discuss their needs and how John’s products can help them. He collates his research, case studies, and testimonials into a brochure to be given as handouts during the presentation.

Make sure you're prepared for the meeting. Have all of the necessary documents and materials ready to go before the meeting starts.

2. Is he properly dressed? 

John wears a business suit with a dress shirt and tie and looks professional. His shoes are polished and his hair is neatly styled. He carries a portfolio containing papers and documents he may need to reference during the meeting.

It’s important to dress appropriately for the meeting. Make sure to check the dress code beforehand and adhere to it. If you're not sure what to wear to a meeting, just remember not to wear your pajamas!  

3. Does he respect others' time? 

John books the meeting room for an hour, but he arrives 15 minutes late. Even when he sees how annoyed the other participants are, he doesn't apologize or explain why he's late. The meeting runs over 30 minutes. The next group of people who have booked the meeting room are waiting outside, but John doesn't seem to be aware of the time.

Arriving late to a meeting can be disruptive and disrespectful to those who are already in attendance. Make sure to plan ahead and give yourself enough time to get to the meeting on time.

4. Is he too loud? 

John stands at the front of the room, and prepares to deliver his presentation. The room is quiet and everyone is paying attention. As he starts speaking, his voice is clear and easy to understand. The sound level is just right—not too loud and not too soft—even in his presentation slides.

Keep noise levels to a minimum in the meeting room. Avoid loud conversations, and try to keep your voice at a reasonable volume.

5. Does he respect the other attendees? 

After his presentation, John constantly checks his phone and initiates side conversations with other people. He also goes off on tangents and doesn't seem to be interested in what other people have to say.

Make sure to be respectful of everyone in the meeting. Listen to what others have to say and be mindful of their opinions. Avoid side conversations and distractions.

Moreover, if you find yourself nodding off, drink some water or excuse yourself to go splash some cold water on your face. You can also bring a healthy snack to the meeting, and don’t forget that water bottle. 

6. Is he considerate? 

At the end of the presentation, John takes some questions about the company's products. He takes one participant’s question who asks about their pricing. Then the same participant asks about their support. Though there are other people waiting to ask questions, John doesn’t manage his remaining time by limiting questions to one per participant. The Q&A session ends and the other participants leave frustrated because they couldn't get any answers for their questions.

Be considerate of others in the meeting. Don't monopolize the conversation and give everyone a chance to speak.

7. Does he clean up the space after? 

After the meeting, John quickly gathers his things and heads out the door without cleaning up after himself. He leaves his empty coffee cup on the table, his papers scattered around, and his chair pulled out. He doesn’t bother to turn off the lights or close the door behind him. As a result, the meeting room is left a mess. The result is that the next group of people who come in will have to clean up after John before they can start their meeting.

Meeting rooms are a shared space, so be respectful of the room and its contents. Clean up after yourself, don't leave a mess, don't move furniture around without permission, turn off the lights, and close the door.

Be mindful of meeting room etiquette 

Remember, meeting room etiquette should be like following the road rules when you’re driving. They're there to keep us all productive and moving in the same direction. Admittedly, if we all follow etiquette to the letter in every meeting, things may start to get a little bit predictable. So the next time you're in a meeting room, try to have a little fun with it. Break a rule or two. See what happens.

Just kidding. Don't actually do that.