The staff of organizations and companies regularly need to hold meetings to discuss new plans and other issues which may be concerning them. It has often been noted that staff has more than one topic to discuss in any particular meeting. To ensure that none of the topics are ignored and the time limit set for the meeting is not extended the staff will be advised to prepare a staff meeting agenda. They just need to mention the topics which need to be discussed in the agenda as well as the time allotted for every topic to give their meeting and organized appearance.
Staff working in any company usually anticipate their meetings and are prepared with the questions or suggestions they intend to make. However, their employer’s may not be anticipating the meeting and may not set aside the time needed for the same. Delays in holding a meeting often lead to the main topic being forgotten or ignored.
A staff meeting agenda will ensure that the topic for the discussion remains on paper even if the meeting is delayed or canceled for any reason. The agenda will prove beneficial for the staff to remember the topics as and when the company decides to allow time for the meeting.
Staff who decide to have a meeting with their employers for any reason must be treated as individuals and not as a group. Every individual is likely to have a concern, or suggestion to make and trying to hold the meeting without an agenda will lead to utter chaos as every individual looks forward to providing his or her point of view at the same time. The meeting will have an unorganized appearance and in most likelihood not deliver any results. Having a staff meeting agenda will allow the employees to list out their thoughts on paper and also have time allotted for the same after prioritizing the issues.
The staff meeting agenda is always written to the management of the company or institution from where the staff has decided to schedule the meeting. The agenda provides the management sufficient time and information to prepare for the meeting and receive any suggestions or complaints made by the staff which could be for or against the benefit of the company.
Agendas prepared by the staff are mostly concentrating on financial issues, working hours, conditions, and other concerns. Not attending to them appropriately will in most cases be detrimental to the company. On the other hand, paying appropriate attention can make the staff happy and even leave them motivated to work harder for their employer’s.
The staff of companies and organizations usually have a leader representing them in most matters related to their employment. The staff meeting agenda can be written by the leader or designated even to a subordinate who may list down the points of concern raised by the staff. As the requirements of all staff are not similar, it is but natural for the agenda to be written according to the needs of a particular group or individual.
The member writing the agenda must consider the various issues which may be confronted by the staff before listing them down for a discussion with the management. As the staff members will also be present during the meeting the agenda must be provided both to members of the staff as well as the management. Care must be taken to list the topics after they have been prioritized and a proper time frame has been allotted for the discussion of every subject.
Points to consider while drafting Staff Meeting Agendas
- The date, time and location of the meeting should be mentioned on the agenda.
- The issues which are concerning the staff members should be recorded by prioritizing them in order of importance.
- The management must be requested to provide a certain timeframe for every subject to be discussed.
- The language used in the staff meeting agenda must be formal, and the appropriate salutations must be included wherever necessary.
The staff meeting agenda should be a method of initiating a dialogue without making any attempt to instill fear in the minds of the management. The management must be motivated to provide the staff the time requested because it will be beneficial for all concerned.
Example of Staff Meeting Agenda 1
PEI Home And School Federation Brainstorming Session
[Date:]
[Location]
Draft Agenda.
6:30 PM — Welcome & help yourself to refreshments.
6:45 PM — the process of introductions.
6:55 PM — brainstorming – generation of issues, topics & ideas.
7:20 PM — vote – colored dots.
7:30 PM — a discussion on the above subjects.
8:15 PM — wrap up – actions.
8:30 PM — thank you for coming
Notes.
A record of the discussion recorded on a flip chart will be circulated.
The introduction to the brainstorming will also be provided.
Example of Staff Meeting Agenda 2
UH, Staff Morale Survey by [name of the individual].
Group activity by [name of the individual]
Administrative and finance updates by [names of the individuals].
Progress card by [name of the presenter]
What Is Driving Staff Attitudes?
Obstacles To Performance Top-Five
1. Interruptions by other people.
2. Rules and procedures.
3. Other employees.
4. Conflicting demands on the job.
5. Inadequate assistance from others.
The HR department often conducts meetings to understand the progress made by new and existing employees or to decide whether they should begin the hiring process for the benefit of the organization. Meetings conducted by the HR department usually have some things to discuss and therefore having an appropriate staff meeting agenda will prove beneficial in helping them to make the right decisions. Agendas for staff meetings do not necessarily mean they are an attempt by the staff to create problems for their organization. They also have the potential to prove beneficial when the organization decides to accept the view of their staff and participates in the meetings with an open mind.