The Pros & Cons of a Paperless Agenda
Paperless agendas are a way to cut down on the paper used in meetings. Companies use digital versions of the agenda that meeting participants can call up on their laptops, tablets or smartphones. Occasionally, a projector is used to show the agenda to everyone. Paperless agendas work best for office meetings with co-workers, rather than meetings with clients.
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Pro: Environmental Message
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Agendas are often thrown away or recycled after the meeting, which is a waste of paper. Although the few pages saved by the paperless agenda won't add up to a significant impact on the environment, it sends the message that the company is committed to environmental sustainability in all its operations. If your company has adopted a sustainability policy, a paperless agenda can be a useful reminder to employees.
Pro: Flexibility
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Sometimes meetings become dominated by the agenda, constraining the flow of conversation and the creativity of the group. Since paperless agendas are not as visible or tangible as a piece of paper on the table, the time restrictions on discussion for each topic can be relaxed, and the conversation can flow as needed. If a great idea emerges, it won't be cut off by time-keeping the agenda.
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Con: Time Management
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Agendas have two purposes: list the items for discussion and dictate the time allotted for each. No one wants a meeting to run late, but without a piece of paper in front of everyone, sometimes the conversations can veer off topic. A chairperson can facilitate discussion and alleviate this problem without resorting to strict time-keeping, but the chairperson must be willing and able to take on an active role.
Con: Topic Changes
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If an agenda isn't immediately tangible, people might feel it is subject to change. Debating the agenda before the meeting can be useful to identify important topics, but debating the agenda at the meeting wastes scarce time. Agendas are useful reminders of what items are up for discussion, and a piece of paper can be a visual reminder for people tempted to digress.
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References
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