Choosing a meeting space that suits you

A meeting room serves more purposes than simply holding a number of people in the same space. It’s a platform for future leaders, an incubator of ideas, a safe space for colleagues. What you use the space for, can have an impact of the type of environment you chose, location, the time of day you book and the people who will join you. And, because of this, choosing the right space is sometimes just as important as what goes on in there, too.

It’s worth considering a number of factors before you choose a space for your next meeting and, while proximity and accessibility might be some elements that sit high on the agenda, there are many other things that come in to play when finding the perfect meeting environment.

Innovation

Work spaces have evolved. They’re now more than just desks, chairs and PCs, they’re hubs for innovation and facilitating productivity. The same can be said for meeting spaces. If you’re seeking a meeting space that will help your team or clients remain engaged and enthused, their surrounding environment contributes to their experience, just as much as the content and the people they’re joined by.

Meeting spaces that inspire innovation and creative thinking can transform a session from dull to dynamic. If you’re looking for somewhere to meet minds, generate strategies and plan, seek contemporary meeting spaces that have been designed with innovation at heart – innovative thinking, innovative doing and innovative industries – all in purpose-built spaces.

Ideas

Inspiring new ideas and collaborating for ideation takes more than a breakout session; it needs dedicated time, space and people to work together and fuel thoughts. Sometimes this means a break from the same four walls or building, and allocated time to conceptualise and visualise new approaches. Find a light and airy space that can deliver on getting those ideas onto paper – with large areas for mapping out plans and plenty of space to lay out paper – is a must!

Whether completely in-person, or hybrid, find a provider that can accommodate the way you do business, so you can focus on what matters most. Place-based in-person meetings (see previous blog) have many advantages for meeting minds and natural workflow, but having virtual communication with wider teams across the country or globe, can help the decision-making process.

Individuals

In-person meetings mean nothing without people. When choosing your meeting space, consider the individuals you’re inviting along. If you’re looking to impress a new client, go for a site that has that wow factor and can deliver on those extra touches, like good coffee, strong WiFi and a space to work once the session is over. Looking into convenient transport links might also be a bonus!

For interviews with perspective candidates, it’s crucial to chose somewhere that aligns with the whole culture of your business, while addressing the practicalities like privacy, space and size – it can sometimes be intimidating for candidates to enter a huge empty room for interviews, something intimate and welcoming will give a good impression.

Impressions

If you’re looking to make a good first impression, a dated hotel foyer or conferencing suite won’t quite cut it. Modern meeting spaces consider more than just the fundamental needs of providing a space, they deliver on all those added extras too!

Find somewhere that has considered the finer details like; parking, in-house catering, front of hour services and welcoming waiting spaces. Meeting space providers who can make your life that bit easier, will make your time better spent with your client and (hopefully) lead to a successful client pitch/ catch-up!

Invite

Whether seeking a space for internal team gatherings or global client catch-ups, Elsie Whiteley Innovation Centre has a whole host of meeting rooms and facilities to make your day (or half day) that extra bit better.

All our meeting rooms are based on the ground floor, for accessibility, and right next door to our in-house café and front of house reception team. So whether you need a coffee or connection to WiFi, we’re here!

Become part of our community and book your next meeting with us, today!