I recently noticed that there had been a drop in attendance and productivity in routine business meetings, with staff members complaining that the meetings are a waste of time. Here in this blog I will collect major complaints from staff about current meetings, analyze all of them and address meeting etiquette to encourage their participation.

It is always a good idea to find out the reason for the non-attendance. Here are three main reasons for non-attendance:
1. The member received little induction or support when they first joined and is finding it difficult to participate effectively.
2. Meetings are not purposeful or productive so the member does not see much point in attending.

3. The member is busy and attendance at the management committee meetings is never a priority.

My solutions for each complaints are straightforward and mostly designed for the Chair.

For first complaint, the Chair could reassure the member that his experience and skills are very much needed and organize a belated induction program. The Chair could also arrange for a more experienced member of the committee to be his mentor and facilitate their participation at management committee meetings.

For second complaint, the management committee should review their practice in planning their meetings & utilize an agenda to formalize the meetings structures. 

For third complaint, if meetings never or rarely become a priority for a Management Committee member, the Chair needs to tell him that it is time to step down.

Before the end, I need to state that the meeting attendance is important for everyone. 

Board members have a legal and ethical responsibility to be involved in overseeing the organization that their board oversees.

Boards can’t function at their optimal level if people don’t show up. Bylaws usually mandate how many people are necessary to establish a quorum on decisions needing to be made.

Organizational effectiveness begins with the board. A nonprofit could have the best CEO and staff in the world, but they still need the support and guidance of a board to drive the organization on towards fulfilling its mission.