How Can I Boost Attendance and Engagement in Our Monthly HR Meetings?

Hello Friends,As an HR representative, I have a responsibility of coordinating Monthly Meeting every month. I am conducting it from last one year and we discuss various departmental briefings, general agendas, Suggestions, ideas, announcements like Employee of the Month, Monthly titles etc in the meeting. Initially team-members were very enthusiastic and they used to participate a lot in the meeting. Now my concern is that the interest levels of members have decreased and thus their participation and attendance also reduced over the period of time. Another major concern is that team-members even do not come up with new suggestions or ideas. What steps you people suggest to increase team-member's attendance and participation in the meetings? With Warm Regards, Niharika

Hi Niharika,

To make the session interesting and to encourage a good number of employee participation, you need to think differently. Discuss something new with the employees. Is there any fun team in your organization? If yes, that's great. If not, then please consider creating one. :)

Thank you!

Hi Niharika,

I completely agree with Pravita. Try something new and present this in a different manner. Conduct fun activities during these sessions.

Hi,

Thanks to both of you. I don't have any separate fun team in my organization. Can you suggest any fun activity that can be conducted in the monthly meeting?

You can arrange for games like Housie and Shayari. You can also organize different groups and ask them to play skits. The winning team or department can receive a gift. Since you mentioned arranging meetings every month, you can complement them with dinner parties. However, the success of these events depends on employee participation.

Thanks,
Sam

Dear Niharika,

Make sure that you are giving positive feedback to the ideas generated by members during the meeting. Encouragement and support for new ideas give more energy to come up with new ideas.

If possible, try to give a gift for the innovative idea of the month among the group. This time, plan the meeting in a different place. Arrange the monthly meeting over lunch in any restaurant.

If you feel that is a costly affair, make it internal. Conduct some games, arrange some snacks, tea, coffee, etc.

Thank you.

You might want to try a small prize for coming up with ideas. How about short entertainment from a magician to liven up the meeting or even open the meeting.

Josh

• Make each department make a PowerPoint presentation (5 minutes) on HR-related issues in their department during the month.
  
• You will make your own presentation at the end.
  
• Meetings should be short, say 30-40 minutes.
  

Review whether

• Participants spend too much time explaining background that everyone else knows.
  
• Given an opportunity, do members sidetrack onto some other issues?
  
• Is there any issue that can be better discussed individually with each of the participants?
  
• Can interruptions be avoided?
  

You can have potpourri arrangements in every meeting. Each and every member will make some dish from home and will share it in a group. That is potpourri.

Rgds,
Pratibha 😊

Dear,

You should try something new. Sometimes, shift meetings to a new place; even a field area is better. You know people always want something new. Make them compulsorily participate in the discussions. Give each one of them 5-10 minutes to speak out. This will enhance interest levels as well as participation.

Good luck.

Cheers,
B. Dakshina Murty