When

GENERATIONSmeet

Theproductivitypotentialofmultigenerationalmeetings

DrDanielJollesandDrGraceLordan

TheInclusionInitiative,LondonSchoolofEconomics

Sponsoredby

BACKGROUND

Mostlargeorganizationsnowbringtogetherfivegenerationsintheworkplace.Althoughgenerationaldiversityhasthepotentialtodeliversignificantproductivitygains,ithasreceivedrelativelylittlestrategicattention.Toraisetheimportanceofthisissue,

welaunchedtheGENERATIONSHUBatTheInclusionInitiative(TII)attheLondonSchoolofEconomics(LSE)inJanuary2024,sponsoredbyProtiviti,aglobalconsultingfirm.Ourlaunch

report,GENERATIONS:Unlockingtheproductivitypotentialofa

multigenerationalworkforce,showedhowalackofcollaborationbetweenemployeesofdifferentgenerationsundermines

productivity,highlightingtheopportunityforintergenerationalinclusiontounlockgreaterproductivitywhileenhancingthe

overallemployeeexperience.

Thisreport,WhenGENERATIONSmeet:Theproductivitypotentialofmultigenerationalmeetings,marksthefirstannualreportinamulti-yearresearcheffortbyTheInclusionInitiative,sponsored

byProtiviti.Theaimofthisinitiativeistohelpleadersharnessthebenefitsofmultigenerationalteamstoraiseproductivityintheirorganizations.

WhenGENERATIONSmeet:Theproductivitypotentialof

multigenerationalmeetingsdetailsconcreteactionsthatleaderscantaketohelptheirteamsrealizegreaterproductivityinmeetings

andmorebroadlyintheorganization.

WhenGENERATIONSMeet:TheProductivityPotentialofMultigenerationalMeetings2

‘Ourresearchdemonstratesthattheproductivityofmeetingsatalllevelsoftheorganizationisunderminedbyalackofgenerationalrepresentationandvoice,generationalfrictionsandnon-inclusivebehaviors.Iamnot

surprisedbythis.Theevidencewepresenthereonunproductivemeetingsalsosuggeststhattherearesignificantproductivitybenefitstobehadbygettingbetterrepresentationinworkplacemeetingsacrossgenerations.Evenmoregainsaretobereapedbyensuringeachgenerationisequippedwiththerightskillsandbehaviorstomakemeetingsinclusive.’

DrGraceLordan

FoundingDirectorofTheInclusionInitiative

Thisreporthighlightstheimportanceofharnessingtheproductivitypotential

ofgenerationsatthepointatwhichkeyoperationalandstrategicdecisions

arebeingmade—inmeetings.Thefinancialimpactofwasteanddamageto

organizationscausedbyunproductivemeetingsrunsintohundredsofbillions

ofdollarseachyear.Ourdatafindsthatoveronethird(35%)ofmeetingsare

consideredunproductive.Weestimatethatthecosttoorganizationsofthese

unproductivemeetingsisapproximately$259billionintheUnitedStates

and$64billionintheUnitedKingdomforprofessionalstaffalone.1Aswellas

wastingvaluableemployeetime,unproductivemeetingscanstifleorganizations’creativityandpreventteamsfromaddressingkeyorganizationalchallenges.

Forindividualteammembers,unproductivemeetingscanbeasourceoffrictionandstress,underminingtheiroveralljobsatisfaction.Bettermeetingsarekeytobetterworkplaces,witheachgenerationhavingaroletoplay.

Meetingsarecentraltothefutureofworkbecausetheyprovidethevehicle

forcollaboration,innovation,problemsolvinganddecision-makinginour

increasinglyremoteandhybridorganizations,acrossgeographiesandcountries.Meanwhile,anagingglobalworkforcemeansthatthefutureofworkwillsee

lowerlevelsofyoungertalentinthepipelineandlongerworkinglives.Theresult

isincreasinggenerationaldiversityacrossorganizationsandinmeetings.Thepresence(orabsence)ofeachgenerationinmeetingsaffectstheexperience

ofeveryemployee,ineveryroleandateverystageoftheircareers.ForThe

InclusionInitiativeatLSE,ourworkattheGENERATIONSHUBbuildsona

commitmenttobringingtogetherteaching,researchandpracticetobuildmoreinclusiveworkenvironments.

Byincreasingrepresentationacrossgenerationsandcreatingmoreinclusivemeetings,organizationscanexpecttosignificantlyincreaseproductivitybenefits.Inthisreport,weprovideactionablestepsforleaderstorealizethesebenefits.

‘Importantdecisionsgetmadeinmeetings,yetunproductivemeetingsarea

frequenttopicofworkplacefrustration.Generationallyinclusiveworkpracticesimpactworkplaceproductivityandareanimportantstepforwardforallofus

inthecorporateworld.Butgenerationalinclusionisnottakenasseriously

asotheraspectsofdiversity.Havingincreasedgenerationalinclusioninthe

workplace(andspecificallyinmeetings)canpositivelyimpactorganizations’performanceandenhancetheoverallemployeeexperience.Morediverse,

inclusivemeetingscanresultingreaterteamcohesionandnotonlybridge

generationalgaps,butalsoassistorganizationsinretainingemployeesbecausetheyfeelmoreincludedandtherebygainagreatersenseofbelonging,increasingtheircommitmenttotheorganization.’

MattDuncan

ManagingDirector,Protiviti

Allreadersofthisreportareinvitedtobecomeinvolvedwithfuture

GENERATIONSHUBresearch.FinddetailsofhowtotakepartinTheInclusionInitiative’sGENERATIONSGlobalAnnualSurvey,sponsoredbyProtiviti,andattheendofthereport.

,GenerationaIIyincIusiveworkpracticesimpact

workpIaceproductivityandorganizationaI

performanceand

enhancetheoveraII

empIoyeeexperience.

Theyareanimportant

stepforwardforaIIofusinthecorporateworId.I

1Allfiguresarein$USD.FurtherdetailscanbefoundinTable1.

WhenGENERATIONSMeet:TheProductivityPotentialofMultigenerationalMeetings3

WhenGENERATIONSMeet:TheProductivityPotentialofMultigenerationalMeetings4

EXECUTIVESUMMARY

Theresearchfoundthatmanymeetingslackgenerationaldiversity.

Italsorevealedthatdiversegenerationalrepresentationisassociatedwithconsiderablereductionsinunproductivemeetings,andthat

achievingproportionategenerationalrepresentationcanhelptodecreasethefinancialcostofunproductivemeetings.Specifically:

?35%ofmeetingsareconsideredunproductive;thisisconsistentacrossgenerations.

?Theannualcostofunproductivemeetingsamongprofessionalsisestimatedat$259billionintheUnitedStatesand$64billionin

voicefromGenZ.Andaroundhalf(48%)ofexecutivemeetingsdo

notincludeavoicefromeitherGenZorBabyBoomerandSilent

Generations(theyoungestandtwooldestgenerationsrespectively).

Theproductivitypotentialofgenerationaldiversity

Inthisresearch,weaskedemployeesaboutthelastmeetingthey

attendedwhereimportantdecisionsweremade.2Weaskedseveralquestionsabouttheirexperience,includinghowproductivethey

perceivedthemeetingtobeandtheproportionofteammemberspresentfromeachofthegenerations.

Meetingsenablecollaborationandthedevelopmentofprofessionalrelationshipsacrossgenerations.However,meetingscanalso

beasourceofgenerationaldivisionandstress.Drawingondata

frommorethan3,400professionalemployeessurveyedacross

theworld,ourresearchdemonstratestheproductivitypotential

ofincreasinggenerationalrepresentationandinclusivebehaviors

inmeetings.Despitethepotentialtoreducethewasteassociated

withunproductivemeetings,manyorganizationsmissoutonthe

benefitsofgenerationaldiversityinmeetings,especiallyatsenior

levels.Threeinfour(75%)executivemeetingsdonotincludeasingle

2SpecificdetailsofthismeasurecanbefoundinAppendixB.

theUnitedKingdom.Foralargeorganizationemploying2,500people,thisrepresentslossesofupto$9.6millioneachyear.

?Achievingrepresentationinmeetingsthatisproportionatetothe

generationalrepresentationactiveintheUSworkforcetodayreduces

unproductivemeetingsfrom35%to29%.Thismeansthatachieving

proportionategenerationalrepresentationinmeetingscouldreduce

thecostofunproductivemeetingseachyearbyanestimated$28billionintheUnitedStates,andby$13billionintheUnitedKingdom.Toan

averagelargeorganizationof2,500employees,thisrepresentsasavingofupto$1.8millioneachyear,or$35millionperyearforalistedcompanyof50,000employees.

?Youngerwomenexperiencethelowestmeetingproductivity.40%of

meetingsarereportedasunproductivebyGenZwomen,comparedtojust27%ofGenZmen.Thisgapclosesto37%unproductivemeetingsforwomenand31%formenamongMillennialsbeforedisappearingforoldergenerations.

?Manymeetingshavelittlegenerationaldiversity:71%donotinclude

anyonefromtheBabyBoomerorSilentgenerations.57%donotincludeGenZ,while10%ofmeetingsarelimitedentirelytoasinglegeneration.

Beyondcostreduction,diversegenerationalrepresentationinexecutivemeetingsislinkedtobetterorganizationalperformance.Specifically:

?82%ofexecutiveswhoreportproportionategenerationalrepresentationinmeetingssaytheirorganizationisoutperformingthecompetition,

comparedtojust41%ofexecutiveswhoreportnogenerationaldiversityinmeetings.

?Greatergenerationaldiversityinexecutivemeetingsisassociatedwithhigherlevelsofknowledge,skillsandnetworksamongemployees.This,inpart,explainshowdiverserepresentationhelpsorganizationsto

outperformthecompetition.

Whospeaksmostinmeetings?Andwhataretheproductivityimplications?

Forthebenefitsofgenerationaldiversitytoberealized,itisessential

thatthereareopportunitiesforallgenerationstohaveavoice.Weaskedprofessionalstotelluswhospokethemostandleastinthelastimportantmeetingtheyattended.

Wefoundthatthegenerationofthepersonwhospeaksmostcaninfluencemeetingcontributionsandproductivity.Specifically:

?GenXarereportedtospeakmostin59%ofmeetings,eventhoughtheyrepresent41%ofmeetingattendees.

?GenZhavetheleastvoiceinmeetings;despiterepresenting10%of

meetingattendees,theyoungestgenerationspeakstheleastin24%ofmeetingsandthemostinjust3%ofmeetings.

?Whenoldergenerationsspeakthemost,itcanhave‘cascading’effects,lesseningcontributionsfromyoungergenerations.WhensomeonefromGenXspeaksmost,GenZworkersreportspeakingasmuchormore

thanotherteammembersinonly51%ofmeetings,comparedto84%ofmeetingsinwhichafellowGenZcolleaguespeaksmost.

Towardsmoreproductivemeetingsforeverygeneration

Weexploredtheeffectofspecific,inclusivemeetingbehaviorsonthereportedproductivityofmeetings,identifyingthosewiththehighestimpact.3

Ouranalysissuggeststherearethreekeybehaviorsleaderscantaketomakemeetingsmoreinclusiveandproductive:

1)Ensurethatallcontributionsarevalued.

2)Leverageeveryone’sinsightstoavoidgroupthink.

3)Beopentonewideas.

$9.6million

—estimatedannualcostofunproductivemeetingsforalargeorganizationemploying2,500people

3FurtherdetailsofthesebehaviorscanbefoundinTable3.

WhenGENERATIONSMeet:TheProductivityPotentialofMultigenerationalMeetings5

Promotingthesebehaviorstocreatemoreinclusivemeetingscouldreducetherateofunproductivemeetingsfrom35%to15%.

Reducingunproductivemeetingstojust15%wouldsaveorganizationsanestimated$136billionintheUnitedStatesand$37billionintheUnitedKingdomeachyear.Toanaverageorganizationof2,500employees,thismeanssavingsofupto$5.8millioneachyear,or$115millionforalistedcompanyof50,000employees.

Generationaldiversityispartofwhatenablesmoreinclusivemeetings.Forexample:

?Inmeetingswithnogenerationaldiversity,27%ofteammembersreportthatothersinthemeetingarenotopentohearingnewideas,comparedtojust14%ofteammembersinmeetingswithproportionalgenerationalrepresentation.

Leaderscantakepracticalstepstobolsterinclusioninmeetings,including:

?Bringingeveryoneintotheroom(whethervirtualorphysical).Hybrid

meetingsimmediatelysplitteammembersbetweenthose‘intheroom’and‘outsidetheroom’,unlikefullyremoteorface-to-facemeetings.Around

55%ofremoteandface-to-facemeetingsareinclusive,butthisdropsto48%forhybridmeetings.

?Limitingtheteammembersattending;38%ofmeetingswith10or

moreteammembersarereportedasunproductive,comparedto33%ofmeetingswithlessthan10teammembers.

Ouranalysisshowsthatjustoverhalf(54%)ofmeetingscanbeconsideredinclusive.Inclusivemeetings,thoseinwhicheveryonefeelsincluded

regardlessofgeneration,areassociatedwithbetteremployeeperformanceandbetterorganizationalperformance.Specifically:

?Executiveswhofoundthattheirlastimportantmeetingwasinclusiveweremorelikelytoreportbetterfinancialperformanceattheirorganization

comparedtotheircompetitors(69%inclusive,55%non-inclusive)andbetterenvironmental,socialandgovernance(ESG)performancethancompetitors(66%inclusive,40%non-inclusive).

?86%ofemployeeswhoreportedthattheirlastimportantmeetingwas

inclusivesaidtheywerehappyintheirjob(comparedto56%non-inclusive),and60%saidtheywereunlikelytolookforanewjobinthenext12months(comparedto36%non-inclusive).

?51%ofemployeeswhoreportedthattheirlastimportantmeetingwasinclusivereportedbeinghighlyproductiveintheirjobrole,comparedtojust28%ofemployeeswhoreportedtheirlastmeetingasunproductive.

Overall,thisresearchdemonstratesthatachievinggreatergenerational

representationinmeetingsislinkedwithincreasedmeetingproductivity.Thisdiversitycanalsoenablemoreinclusivebehaviorsinmeetings,withinclusivemeetingshavingarangeofassociatedbenefitsforemployeesandthewiderorganization.Inadditiontoreducingthewasteassociatedwithunproductivemeetings,generationaldiversityinmeetingsislinkedtohigherlevelsof

knowledge,skillsandnetworksamongemployees.Theseadvantagescanhelporganizationsperformbetteragainstthecompetition,withthepotentialof

thisbenefitlimitedonlybyeachorganization’suniqueindustryfactorsandgrowthpotential.

WhenGENERATIONSMeet:TheProductivityPotentialofMultigenerationalMeetings6

WhenGENERATIONSMeet:TheProductivityPotentialofMultigenerationalMeetings7

GENERATIONSBACKGROUND

GENERATIONS:ProductivityPotential

Populationsaroundtheworldarelivinglongerandhavingfewer

children.Currentlytherearefivegenerationsworkingtogether

inmostlargeorganizations.4Withmoregenerationsrepresented

intheworkplace,leadersmusttapintothediversestrengthseach

groupbrings.Yet,theglobalslowdowninproductivityaccompanyinganagingworkforcesuggestsafailuretocapitalizeonthepotential

benefitsofthisdiversegenerationalrepresentation.5,6

Ourlaunchreport,GENERATIONS:UnlockingtheProductivity

PotentialofaMultigenerationalWorkforce,showedhowalack

ofcollaborationbetweenemployeesofdifferentgenerations

underminesproductivity.Forexample,employeeswithmanagersmorethan12yearstheirseniorwerenearly1.5timesaslikelytoreportlowproductivity.

Thisresearchalsodemonstratestheproductivitypotentialofintergenerationallyinclusiveworkpractices,including:

?Makingiteasyforpeoplefromdifferentgenerationsto‘fitin.’

?Developingandadvancingemployeesregardlessofage.

?Demonstratingcommitmenttohiringandretainingagenerationallydiverseworkforce.

?Effectivelymanagingpeoplefromdiversegenerationalbackgrounds.

4OECD(2023),“LaborMarketStatistics:Laborforcestatisticsbysexandage(Edition2022)”,OECDandLaborMarketStatistics(database),

/10.1787/43f81975-en

.

5Goldin,I.,Koutroumpis,P.,Lafond,F.,&Winkler,J.(2024).Whyisproductivityslowingdown?JournalofEconomicLiterature,62(1),196-268.

6Jolles,D.,&Lordan,G.(2023).Whyoldertalentshouldbeaconsiderationfortoday’sinclusiveleader.LSEBusinessReview.

Overall,thereportfoundthat25%ofemployeesself-reportedlow

productivity,butthisdroppedtojust13%ofemployeesinorganizationswithintergenerationallyinclusiveworkpractices.

Majoroperationalandstrategicdecisionsaremadeatmeetings;theyarekeyvehiclesforharnessingtheknowledge,skillsandconnectionseachgenerationbringstodeliverorganizations’productivitygainsandacompetitiveedge.

Generationallydiverserepresentationinmeetingshasthepotentialtoinformbetterdecision-makingandboostmeetingproductivity,whichmorebroadlyincreasestheknowledgeandnetworksavailabletoemployeestosolve

problemsandgrowthebusiness.

GenerationsDefined:GenerationZarethosebornbetween1997and2004,Millennialsarethosebornbetween1981-1996,GenerationXarethosebornbetween1965-1980,andBabyBoomersarethosebornbetween1946-

1964.Thosebornbefore1946areknownastheSilentGeneration.7,8

Approach

Tounderstandtheproductivitypotentialofmultigenerationalmeetingsaccordingtothegenerationsthemselves,TheInclusionInitiativeatLSEgathereddatafrom2,970professionalemployeesand460executives

globally.Thisgaveusmorethan3,400responsesfromacrossthe

generationsfromwhichtobetterunderstandemployeeexperiencesin

meetingsandassessmentsofproductivityandinclusion.Theseresponseshavehelpedustoidentifythecommonfactorsthatdriveproductive

meetings,aswellasgenerationalnuancesinthewaymeetingsareexperienced.

GenerationsDefined

GenerationZ

1997-2004

Age-27andyounger

GenerationX

1965-1980Age-44-59

SilentGeneration5-6

Before1946Age-79+

Millennials

1981-1996Age-28-43

BabyBoomers

1946-1964Age-60-78

7Thereisnoofficialtaxonomyofgenerationstartandenddates;however,thesedateshaveshapedpopularunderstandingandoriginatewiththePewResearchCenter,aUSThinkTank.Seemoreat

/short

-reads/2019/01/17/where-millennials-end-and-generation-z-begins/

8Datawascollectedin2024.AtthetimeofcollectionGenerationZwasaged27orunder,Millennialsaged28to43,GenerationXaged44to59,BabyBoomersaged60to78,andtheSilentGenerationaged79+.

WhenGENERATIONSMeet:TheProductivityPotentialofMultigenerationalMeetings8

Generationallydiverse

representationin

meetingshasthepotentialtoinformbetterdecision-makingandboostmeetingproductivity,whichmorebroadlyincreasesthe

knowledgeandnetworksavailabletoemployeestosolveproblemsandgrowthebusiness.

50countries39%US37%UK

DEMOGRAPHICS

employees

460executives2,970professional

ExecutivesEmployees

Gendersplit55%men43%women51%men48%women9

Employees

Executives

Generationsplit

GenZ

Millennials

GenX

BabyBoomers

12

08

years(average)

withorganization

years(average)inoccupation

CompletedemographicattributesofparticipatingemployeesandexecutivescanbefoundinAppendixA.

9Amongexecutives,2%chosenottorevealtheirgender.Amongemployees,1%reportedanothergenderidentityand1%chosenottorevealtheirgender.CompletedemographicattributescanbefoundinAppendixA.

Firmsize

27250to2,500

<250

employees

2,501to10,000employees

%

employees

10%

36

10,000ormore

%

employees

27%

Peoplemanagers

90%executives60%elal

WhenGENERATIONSMeet:TheProductivityPotentialofMultigenerationalMeetings9

WhenGENERATIONSMeet:TheProductivityPotentialofMultigenerationalMeetings10

THECOSTOFUNPRODUCTIVEMEETINGS

inclusiveofdiverseperspectives,whichencompasseshearingvoicesacrossallgenerationsthatareintheroom.10

Attheirworst,meetingsareawasteoftimeandasourceofstressthatcanerodeemployeewell-beingandprovokegroup-based

divisions.11Theyareaplacewhereteammemberscanexperience

exclusion,interruptionsandbeingtalkedover.Thereisevidence

thatthewasteanddamagetoorganizationscausedbyunproductivemeetingseachyearrunsintohundredsofbillionsofdollars.12Gettingmeetingsrightisthereforeanopportunitytoreducecosts,boost

productivityandincreaseemployeeengagement.

Whyweneedbettermeetingsthatincludeallgenerations

Attheirbest,meetingsareanopportunityforprofessional

relationshipstobeformedacrossgenerations.Theyprovidea

valuablesourceoflearning,developmentandconnection,enablingcollaborativeproblem-solving,creativityandinnovation.Theyalsoprovideanopportunityformanagerstodemonstratethattheyare

10Perlow,L.A.,NoonanHadley,C.,&Eun.,E.(2017)Stopthemeetingmadness:Howtofreeuptimeformeaningfulwork.HarvardBusinessReview,94(4),62-69.

11Romney,A.C.,Allen,J.A.,&Heydarifard,Z.(2023).Meetingloadparadox:Balancingthebenefitsandburdensofworkmeetings.BusinessHorizons.

12Economy,P.(2019,January11).ANewStudyof19MillionMeetingsRevealsThatMeetingsWasteMoreTimeThanEver(butThereIsaSolution).I.

$259billion

intheUnitedStatesand

$64billion

intheUnitedKingdom

--estimatedcumulativeannualcostof

unproductivemeetingsamongprofessionals

Employeesofdifferentgenerationsareoftenthoughttohavedifferingviews

aboutwhenandhowmeetingsshouldtakeplace(remotevsface-to-face,shortvslong,etc.).Toreduceperceivedwaste,someorganizationshavedrastically

cutmeetingsfromworkdaysorintroduced‘no-meeting’daypoliciestofree

employeestofocusonindividual‘deep’work.However,meetingscanplay

avaluableroleinshapingtheworkplaceexperienceforemployeesofall

generations,13andthereisnoevidencethatthesestepstoreducethenumberofmeetingscreateacultureofmoreproductivemeetingsorbenefitthe

organization’sproductivitymorebroadly.Althoughmuchdebatepersistsaboutwhichpracticesmightmakeformoreproductivemeetings,littleattentionhasbeenpaidtohowmeetingscanbemademoreproductivebyconsideringthe

needsofworkersofdifferentgenerations.

Overall,meetingsarekeytoharnessingtheknowledge,skillsandconnectionsthateachgenerationbringstotheorganization.Attheexecutivelevel,this

meansbetterstrategicdecision-making.Attheoperationallevel,thismeanssolvingproblems,coordinatingdifferentgroupstowardscommonobjectives,andprovidingspacesforemployeestoengageanddeveloptheskillsto

becomefutureleaders.14

Inthisreport,welookathoworganizationscancreatemoreproductivemeetingsthatfulfilltheseaimsandunlocktheproductivitypotentialofamultigenerationalworkforce.

Thecostofunproductivemeetings

Employeesreportthat35%ofmeetingstheyattendareunproductive,

withlittlevariationbetweenthegenerations.Forexecutives,unproductivemeetingsareslightlylesscommon(31%)thanforallotheremployees(36%).Inotherwords,foreveryemployeeofeverygeneration,aroundonethirdofmeetingscanbeconsideredawasteoftimeandapotentialsourceofstress.

Basedonaveragesalaries,weestimatethecostoftheaveragemeetingtobeapproximately$402intheUnitedStatesand$392intheUnitedKingdom.15However,giventhehighersalariesexecutivestypicallyearn,thiscostis

likelytobemuchmoreforexecutivemeetings.16Ourestimatessuggest

thecumulativeannualcostofunproductivemeetingsamongprofessionals

aloneare$259billionintheUnitedStates,and$64billionintheUnited

Kingdom(Table1).17Atanorganizationlevel,thismeansthatalargecompanyemploying2,500peoplecouldloseupto$9.6millioneachyear

tounproductivemeetings(Table2).

13Allen,J.A.,&Lehmann-Willenbrock,N.(2022).Thekeyfeaturesofworkplacemeetings:Conceptualizingthewhy,how,andwhatofmeetingsatwork.OrganizationalPsychologyReview,13(4).

14Clifton,J.(2014).Smallstories,positioning,andthediscursiveconstructionofleaderidentityinbusinessmeetings.Leadership,10(1),99-117.

15Allfiguresarein$USD.Theaveragemeetingcostisbasedonmeannumberofteammembersattendingmeetings(11attendeesintheUSand13.6intheUK),meannumberofhoursworkedperweek(43hoursintheUSand39hoursintheUK)incombinationwithaveragesalariesforprofessionaloccupations.AveragesalarydataforprofessionaloccupationsintheUSisbasedonmedianusualweeklyearningsoffull-timewageandsalaryworkersbyoccupation(notseasonallyadjusted)takenfromthe

UsualWeeklyEarningsofWageandSalaryWorkersSecondQuarter2024

fromtheBureauofLaborStatistics.AveragesalarydataforprofessionaloccupationsintheUKisbasedonannualfull-timegrosspayforprofessionaloccupationstakenfromthe

EmployeeearningsintheUK:2023AnnualSurveyofHoursandEarnings

fromtheOfficeforNationalStatistics.FurtherdetailscanbefoundinAppendixC.

16Theaveragemeetingcostisbasedontheproportionaterepresentationofexecutives(managers,directorsandseniorofficials)andprofessionalemployees(professional,associateprofessional,andadministrativeandsecretarialoccupations)fromthe

BureauofLaborStatistics

(US)and

OfficeforNationalStatistics

(UK).Therefore,executivemeetingscanbeexpectedtohaveahighermeansalarythantheaverageusedhere.FurtherdetailscanbefoundinAppendixC.

17Allfiguresarein$USD.DetailscanbefoundinTable1.FurtherdetailscanbefoundinAppendixC.

WhenGENERATIONSMeet:TheProductivityPotentialofMultigenerationalMeetings11

Estimatingthecostofunproductivemeetings

Table1:TotalestimatedcostofunproductivemeetingsinUnitedStatesandUnitedKingdom

UnitedStates

Executives

Executivessurveyed

223

92

%Unproductivemeetings

30%

34%

Averageannualsalary(USD)*

$89,492

$62,824

Averageweeklymeetings^

7

7

Averagemeetingduration(minutes)

67

79

Averagetotalmeetinghoursperweek

7.8

9.2

Averageunproductivemeetinghoursperweek

2.3

3.1

Totalhoursworkedperweek

45.9

45.8

Unproductivemeetingsas%oftotalhoursworked

5%

7%

Annualcostofunproductivemeetingsperemployee(USD)

$4,480

$4,306

Totalexecutivesemployed*

23,89