Free Guide: How to Improve Online Meetings
If you feel like every week is an Olympic marathon of Teams calls, Zoom calls, catch‑ups, check‑ins, stand‑ups, follow‑ups and “quick chats” that are never quick… you’re not alone.
In 2026, SMEs are spending more time in virtual meetings than ever, and the collective result is predictable:
- Meeting fatigue
- Shorter attention spans
- Lower productivity
- Higher stress levels
- A genuine fear of the words “Can we jump on a quick call?”
The good news?
With a few simple tweaks (and some smart use of the tools you already have), your business can dramatically reduce meeting overload and improve the quality of the meetings that actually matter.
Let’s fix this.
🧠 Why We’re All Tired of Online Meetings
1. Everything became a meeting
What used to be a 10‑second desk conversation is now a 30‑minute scheduled video call.
2. People invite the entire company
Because “they might want to know.”
Spoiler: They don’t.
3. No agenda = chaos
A meeting without a clear purpose becomes a waffle‑fest.
4. Everyone multitasks
If you’ve never answered emails during a Teams call, congratulations — you’re a unicorn.
5. Too many platforms
Teams for one client, Zoom for another, Google Meet for one supplier… it’s a circus.
🎯 How to Run Better Online Meetings (That People Don’t Hate)
Here’s the practical, real‑world guidance your teams will actually benefit from.
1. Default to “No Meeting” unless it truly needs one
Before booking a call, ask:
- Can this be a Teams chat?
- Can this be an email?
- Would a recorded Loom/Clip video be faster?
- Is there already documentation we can refer to?
If yes — skip the meeting.
2. Make every meeting title descriptive
“Catch‑up” tells nobody anything.
“Finance system rollout — risks & next steps (15 minutes)” gets instant clarity.
3. Keep meetings short by default
Teams now allows 25‑minute & 50‑minute defaults, and they work brilliantly.
Long meetings don’t make better decisions — they make tired people.
4. Use Copilot in Teams to summarise discussions
Instead of rewatching entire recordings or manually typing minutes, use Copilot:
- “Summarise key decisions”
- “What were the action items?”
- “Highlight risks raised during the call”
It saves hours every week.
5. Assign responsibilities live, not afterwards
The moment someone says “we should do X,” ask:
- Who?
- By when?
- What’s the next checkpoint?
Vague tasks = guaranteed failures.
6. Don’t invite everyone — invite the right people
If someone doesn’t speak in a meeting, they probably didn’t need to be there.
Use the rule:
“If the meeting wouldn’t change without them, don’t invite them.”
7. Record meetings when appropriate
Many SMEs resist recording meetings because it feels “formal.”
But for training, onboarding, and handovers, recordings are gold.
And for anyone who couldn’t attend, it’s far better than a 14‑email recap chain.
8. Use shared documents instead of talking for 20 minutes
Open a live Word or PowerPoint document and collaborate during the meeting.
Typing beats rambling.
9. Set a “No Back‑to‑Back Meetings” rule
Humans need breaks.
Encourage 5–10 minute gaps.
It massively improves energy and focus.
10. End meetings the way pilots land planes: smoothly and intentionally
Before closing:
- Recap the key points
- Confirm owners of each action
- Clarify deadlines
- Decide if a follow‑up is actually required
If not, you’ve saved everyone time.
More Insights?
For practical research on combating meeting fatigue, Harvard Business Review has published excellent insights: https://hbr.org/2021/02/how-to-fight-meeting-fatigue
Useful?
We hope this info is useful and helps make your meetings shorter, sharper, and far more productive.
