What Are Walking Meetings?

Advantages of a Walking Meeting

In an office, it’s very common to sit at a chair for hours at a time. However, too much sitting has been linked to health issues such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. That’s why many managers, team supervisors, and clients have embraced the walking meeting as a beneficial way to convene and share ideas. Instead of being confined to a conference room or common area, participants take the discussion to the hallways—or even outdoors for a refreshing stroll in the sun.

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This simple shift in setting can have profound effects on the dynamics of a meeting. By getting the blood flowing, those who are active can feel more stimulated, leading to improved creativity and better problem-solving capabilities. Studies have shown that walking releases chemicals that help relax the brain, which in turn allows us to focus on tasks without adding to stress.

Stepping away from a computer screen can also cut down on distractions from alerts like incoming emails. The mere act of walking can keep participants actively engaged in the details of the meeting and the need to keep up pace. This can be especially helpful to those who work better as multi-taskers.

Finally, walking side by side can break down barriers between team members, supervisors, and other stakeholders. Compared to sitting across a table, a more relaxed and informal atmosphere can foster open communication, help team members feel more comfortable expressing thoughts and ideas, and strengthen relationships among colleagues.

How to Conduct a Walking Meeting

While a walking meeting can benefit its participants, it can potentially be disruptive to those who aren’t involved. Therefore, when organizing a walking meeting, find spaces that aren’t populated with colleagues who are focusing on their work, and keep your voices at a respectable volume. Recording devices and apps can be especially effective at retaining the information being discussed without being disruptive.

Choose a route that’s appropriate for the time you need for the meeting. Avoid a route that might be challenging or unfamiliar—you don’t want to get lost in the office! If you’re going outside, check the weather conditions first and ensure that it’s not raining or too windy. It can also help that a walking meeting can end in the same place it starts, so you can get back to your desk without having to navigate more routes.

Walking meetings are most effective with smaller groups, so it’s important to find out who is involved in the conversation and limit the invitations to necessary participants. Walking meetings can become distracting if there are people who need to be teleconferenced in, so it’s better to get face time with a limited number of individuals.

Because of the physical nature of walking meetings, it’s best to keep them short: even though walking is a low-impact activity, participants can easily get tired. If a walking meeting needs to be extended, consider ending the route at a conference room, a common space, or even a coffee shop so you can cover everything you need in the meeting.

Walking meetings offer a refreshing and health-conscious alternative to traditional office gatherings, especially if your project or your daily routine needs a shake-up. Consider similar tips to promote productivity and time effectiveness, such as employing takt time or boosting office morale.