Meeting rooms have always been incredibly versatile spaces, whether you need to host a management meeting, present to a new client, interview a prospective new employee, or have a weekly sales meeting where everyone can get together. However, in the Spring of 2020 during the first COVID lockdown, ‘virtual meetings’ were everywhere and for a few short weeks, it seemed entirely possible that we might never set foot in a meeting room again.

A new kind of meeting…

Since that time however, meeting styles have simply become more diverse than ever. Whilst some people still prefer ‘face-to-face’ meetings, ‘virtual’ meetings and ‘hybrid’ meetings have become increasingly popular, so spaces have had to change and adapt, often incorporating screen sharing technology and 4K super-wide video conferencing cameras as standard. In recent years, upholstered ‘meeting pods’ and fully enclosed ‘cell-pods’ (that offer even more privacy) have becoming very popular – Either style can sit within an open-plan office and will typically be far more cost-effective than all the various costs associated with building and furnishing a new meeting room.

• Whether it’s a traditional conference room or a more intimate meeting area, such spaces often need a wall-mounted TV screen for presentations, video applications, and virtual meetings. Every meeting space should also have a good, reliable Wi-Fi connection, or else, hard-wired data points which can offer faster transfer speeds. Likewise, presentations can be made using a screen mirroring application such as ‘click-share’, or alternatively, via a discrete HDMI connection.
• Individuals should have sufficient space for everything they’ll need, which might include laptops, notepads, mobile phones, drinks, as well as refreshments. A good quality conveniently placed coat-stand might prove to be a thoughtful touch for visiting clients.
• Drinks and refreshments might be needed during longer meetings, or when you’re entertaining a client, so consider having a low-level cupboard in your meeting room – Apart from useful storage for notepads, pens, etc. it’s also somewhere to rest hot drinks in the middle of a busy meeting; It could be an ideal buffet area for your client’s lunch; or just somewhere to hide a small fridge, for serving cold drinks on a hot day?

Meetings, whether they’re ‘in-person’, ‘virtual’ or ‘hybrid’, are still considered valuable by most organisations, but in recent years, the way we meet has changed dramatically. Upholstered ‘meeting-pods’ and enclosed ‘cell-pods’ offer maximum flexibility and a new way of working, but anyone with older-style meeting spaces will need to bring them up to date if they’re to remain relevant and fit-for-purpose.