New Ways of Working Network

An article in the Wall Street Journal highlights the growing trend for standup meetings. The idea: Cut back on meeting time by making them more energetic (and uncomfortable?).

A 1998 study by Allen Bluedorn from the University of Missouri found that standing meetings were about a third shorter than those held sitting down. The quality of decision-making remained the same, regardless of meeting mode.

VersionOne, a company that makes agile-development software, did a survey of global tech workers last year and found that 78% of the respondents held daily stand-up-meetings.

Companies that are spearheading this trend: 

• Atomic Object, a software development firm: This group not only requires standing up during meetings but it discourages having meeting tables. "They make it too easy to lean or rest laptops," explains a company representative. Meetings at Atomic Object usually last five minutes.
• Microsoft. To determine who gets to speak next, participants toss around a rubber chicken.
• Facebook. One group holds 15-minute stand-ups at noon. The proximity to lunch serves "as motivation to keep updates short," says Mark Tonkelowitz, an engineering manager at Facebook.

Some companies play music to get people in the meeting mood. Song titles mentioned included Bob Marley's "Get Up, Stand Up," Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire,” and  to Elvis Presley's "A Little Less Conversation."

According to the article, office furnishing companies are beginning to design work spaces to accommodate standing meetings. They mentioned Steelcase’s “Big Table,” a large standing-height table designed for speed meetings.

Members: For more about the health advantages of standing as opposed to sitting, see our forum topic: Office as gym