Shopify Inc., the Canadian e-commerce company, has been on a mission to reduce unnecessary gatherings among its employees. In line with this objective, they have recently rolled out a calculator embedded in their calendar app that estimates the cost of any meeting with three or more people.
The Cost Calculator: A Tool to Put a Price Tag on Meetings
The new tool uses average compensation data across roles and disciplines, along with meeting length and attendee count, to put a price tag on the event. A typical 30-minute meeting with three employees can cost anywhere from US$700 up to US$1,600. Adding an executive, like chief operating officer Kaz Nejatian, can increase the cost even further.
Meetings are Like Weeds – They Sprout Back Up Unless You’re Diligent
Companies have been battling the scourge of meetings for decades. When Alan Mulally took over at Ford Motor Co. in 2006, he slashed unnecessary or unduly long meetings to speed up decision-making. Similarly, Bain & Co. found that a single weekly meeting of midlevel managers cost one organization US$15 million a year.
Why Meetings Matter and How They Affect Productivity
Research has shown that noncritical meetings waste about US$100 million a year at big organizations. According to Steven Rogelberg, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte who has studied meetings for two decades, companies have been trying to tackle this issue for years.
The Limitations of the Cost Calculator
While the cost calculator may raise awareness about the financial impact of meetings, experts argue that it is just a superficial intervention. Brian Elliott, an executive adviser on workplace issues, noted that "meetings are like weeds — they sprout back up, everywhere, unless you’re diligent." To make a real difference, companies need to couple this tool with training on best practices, feedback for middle managers, and buy-in from senior leadership.
The Concerns of Junior or Marginalized Employees
Another concern is that putting a dollar figure on meetings might discourage junior or marginalized employees from raising important issues up the chain. Steph Little, a senior consultant at workplace advisory firm Bright + Early, emphasized that "we have a ton of unnecessary meetings, sure, but we also have people who are left out of decisions."
Shopify’s Progress and the Broader Calendar Campaign
Despite these concerns, Shopify has seen some progress in reducing meeting time. Over the first five months of 2023, the average time spent in meetings per worker declined by 14 percent compared to the same period last year. This change is contributing to a projected 18 percent increase in finished projects this year.
The Need for Broader Changes in the Modern Work Environment
Chief Operating Officer Kaz Nejatian noted that "most of the modern work environment is broken." To address this issue, companies need to make fundamental changes rather than just implementing superficial solutions like the cost calculator. By working together and making a concerted effort, we can create a more productive and efficient workplace.
Conclusion
Shopify’s cost calculator is an interesting tool in their broader efforts to reduce meeting time and increase productivity. While it has its limitations, the company’s progress so far suggests that this approach may be effective. However, as experts note, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to this issue. Companies need to implement a range of strategies to tackle the problem of meetings head-on.
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- How Meeting Bloat is Killing Productivity: Learn how unnecessary meetings are affecting productivity and what companies can do to address the issue.
- Unrelenting Emails and Slack Messages Making Office a Grind: Discover how modern communication tools are impacting employees’ work experience.
- Shopify Tells Employees to Just Say No to Meetings: Explore how Shopify is implementing changes to reduce meeting time and increase productivity.
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