By Claire Hughes, HR Business Partner at Totalmobile
Recent research shows that one in ten UK workers spends more than 15 hours each week in meetings. In reality, the true figure is likely much higher. Since COVID, virtual meetings have exploded, and many people now spend their working days moving from one call to the next. Diaries are full, leaving little room for deep focus work. It simply means they are busier, but are we really more productive?
More than lost time
The impact of meeting overload goes well beyond wasted hours. It can sap energy, reduce morale, and stifle innovation. When every decision requires another meeting, it could highlight a deeper problem: a lack of clarity over decision-making and trust.
Meetings should be for collaboration, not control. Yet too often they become an exercise in seeking permission, attending for information or “just in case”, looking busy or even meetings to decide on further meetings. This erodes energy as well as company culture.
For juniors, it’s hard to break in; they can’t always get time with seniors, and may not feel confident asking for people’s time. For leaders, diaries become so packed there’s little room left for thinking. Both ends of the scale lose out.
The impact on wellbeing, engagement and productivity is massive. Endless video calls mean hours at a desk with little chance to recharge or carry out other tasks. The to-do list gets longer after every meeting. Burnout creeps in. Job satisfaction declines. Even the highest performers struggle when meetings consistently dominate their day. And when people go from one meeting to the next without time to prepare, they lose inspiration and can feel that they are not achieving. Microsoft’s research shows most of us have two natural peaks of performance each day, but one is typically wiped out by meetings.
Changing culture, not just calendars
Fixing meeting overload isn’t just about better diary management; it’s about shifting culture.
If we hire capable people, clearly define the outcomes expected, and trust them to deliver, the need for constant meetings will then naturally decrease. People need clear direction and to be empowered with decision-making authority.
Practical steps can help too. For instance:
- Audit the meetings already in place and cut those with no clear purpose.
- Set basic standards: every meeting should have an agenda, shared information, clear actions and accountability.
- Keep meetings short and focused: don’t default to filling a full hour when 15 minutes would do. Go for 25/55 mins rather than 30/60 mins.
- Role model from the top: decline unnecessary or unclear invitations, delegate decisions, and show that it is acceptable to say no or respectfully interject when a subject diverges or someone dominates/derails the meeting.
- Respect different time zones and personal boundaries. Avoid defaulting to late-night calls and utilise the delay email function when sending emails across different time zones.
- Make use of AI tools to capture notes and summarise actions, so employees can focus on the discussion itself.
- Empower people to make decisions and provide clarity via a decision-making authority matrix.
I’ve witnessed companies experiment with “no-meeting Fridays.” In reality, the pressure often leads to meetings piling up Monday to Thursday or worse, those slots being filled again. The principle is right: leaders must take responsibility for setting boundaries and respecting people’s time and commitments, but the reality is that we need to address the root cause. Why do we need so many meetings in the first place?
Finding the right balance
There is no one-size-fits-all solution. A strict rule, such as two meetings per day, may sound attractive, but in practice, that’s unlikely to be effective. People need to be empowered to find the right balance for themselves; different teams require different rhythms. What matters is clarity, respect, and a culture that allows people to push back and empowers them to use their own judgment when it comes to their dairies.
Time for change
The cost of meeting overload is not just financial. It’s cultural. Tech companies and fast-moving organisations in particular rely on innovation and creativity, yet these are the very qualities most at risk when people spend their days in back-to-back meetings.
Reducing meeting overload is about more than saving time. It is about building workplaces based on trust and autonomy. When meetings are used with purpose – to connect, collaborate and decide – they become a tool for connection rather than control. That’s how we’ll build resilient, people-first cultures that keep talent inspired and engaged.