As growing businesses make do with smaller teams until the economy turns around, people are stretched for time. That means meetings tied to strategic communications must be especially productive. Here are five signs that a meeting could be a time waster, according to Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam:

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1. Everything but the kitchen sink is being covered. It’s wise to have an agenda, but keep it brief and make sure it’s relevant to all the attendees.
2. It’ll take more than an hour. You often lose people after 60 minutes. To keep people engaged, consider snacks, interactive elements, multiple speakers, or just keeping things short.
3. The attendee list goes on and on. An extensive participant list may signal an overly ambitious meeting, or one where people are invited as a courtesy. Be sure to list people as “optional” if their presence isn’t required.
4. There’s a large PowerPoint presentation involved. Visuals are useful for reinforcing information, but you could share much of that information prior to the meeting. Use your gathering to field questions or highlight the most important data.
5. It’s a habit. Routine meetings can become, well, routine. Think about whether regular gatherings are necessary or could be held less frequently.

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