We’ve counted the cost and audited the quality of your Workplace Meetings. Today, we finalise your meeting makeover with a concrete ‘Terms of Reference’ framework to use as a starting point – the rules of future meetings.
Introduction
It’s vital work meetings are set up correctly from day one. How you start will keep everyone on track and ensure the validity of your results. Almost everyone who has worked in a medium-to-large organisation has sat in a meeting that felt like a slow leak in a helium balloon: tiring, boring, and feeling deflated at the end.
To stop your meetings from turning into a pointless exercise, you need rules to avoid the issues we explored early in The Hidden Cost of Group Meetings. These rules are called the Terms of Reference which should be agreed before the first meeting starts. Your meetings going forward should be a blueprint for efficiency and productivity.
Below are some typical ‘rules’ for meetings that you can use as a starter template, then add your own too.
Terms of Reference
To ensure the meetings remain focussed and a high-impact group, we agree to the following:
1. Purpose
We exist to achieve [insert clear goal]. If an agenda item doesn’t serve that goal, it is removed.
No invitation to the meeting is sent without an agenda with items marked as follows:
- Priority: Items are ranked by impact
- Time: Every item has a maximum time limit allocated.
- Action: Is this item for information, discussion, or decision?
The timekeeper has the mandate to cut off any item that exceeds its timebox, moving it to a subgroup meeting (less participants, focussed subject,) or the next meeting.
By using this agenda rule, participants will know what is required of them and prepare in advance their own presentations/views/feedback.
2. Defined Roles
Chair: Controls the agenda and the clock. Their job is facilitation, not dominance.
Timekeeper: They move the group along regardless of who is speaking.
Scribe: Records decisions and actions only. No transcripts.
Attendees: If you don’t have a role or a decision to influence, you aren’t needed. Use the minutes to stay informed instead.
3. Behaviour
- The best idea wins, not the loudest voice.
- Attend on time, no pause for latecomers and no recaps.
- One person at a time with no interrupting or over-speaking.
- Openness: No hidden agendas. Disagree respectfully in the meeting, not in the hallway/chatrooms after.
- Five minutes before the meeting concludes, the Chair will invite all participants to raise a brief issue or point that hasn’t been captured. No one leaves unheard, but points must be concise—if they require a deeper discussion, schedule for the next session or take to a private meeting between those affected later.
4. Accountability
Every meeting ends with three clear responses to each agenda item:
- What needs to be done?
- Who is doing it?
- When is the deadline?
5. Keeping It Relevant
Completed agenda items are removed immediately.
Every three months the group considers whether the group meetings should continue – refer to point one above.
If not, change it or shut it down.
Before Invitations Sent
When scheduling meetings, consider the following:
- If a meeting is cancelled would the project fail, or would everyone secretly feel a sense of relief? If it’s relief, consider whether the meeting is necessary. Maybe group emails will be enough.
- Is this meeting for making something together (a decision, a plan, a draft?) If not, consider a chat tool instead? Slack or Trello for example.
- Does every meeting attendee have a specific role (timekeeper, expert, contributor, chair, notetaker?) Does everyone need to come to every meeting? If there for visibility or a political reasons, perhaps send the minutes/action points after.
Case Study: Lots of Participants Required
Twice I have implemented a new occupational health service for national companies. There were many stakeholders keen to have a say in how the service would 0perate on their sites (both had over 30 sites across the UK.) My bosses were keen to keep everyone engaged.
My strategy:
Company One: I sent out a ‘One Page Update‘ every month, detailing how the service was going, recruiting staff, problems arising, successes. I also asked for problems they foresaw and any feedback so far.
Company Two: I made a short video in PowerPoint with diagrams, bullet points and voice-over to be played at the next Manager’s meeting (or to be distributed with the minutes) with a request to let me know if there were any problems via email.
The result? Both companies felt fully informed, the project stayed on track, and I saved hundreds of hours and pounds.
The Path to Better Work
Reclaiming your professional life isn’t about working harder; it’s about collaborating smarter. By calculating the cost, auditing the value, and setting firm ‘Terms of Reference,’ you are doing more than just fixing a meeting—you are establishing a new standard for how we value time and expertise.
These tools are the foundation of Worklife Services: a commitment to bringing structure, intentionality, and respect back to our shared workdays.
Join the Revolution
I am currently deep in the process of writing my upcoming book, Worklife Services (working title,) which provides a map for looking after workers old style. Going back to basics and really thinking about work/life balance and providing the right environment at work to encourage this. It is a guide for those who are fed up with being too busy to do a good job; and for those who want to provide these services too.
If you want to go deeper into the Worklife philosophy, and get tips and insights as they happen, I invite you to join my community on Substack.
The Work Meetings Series:
Part 1: The Hidden Cost (with Calculator)
Part 2: Productive or Painful? (with Audit Sheet)
Part 3: Setting the Standard (with Terms of Reference)
