Is analogue the new digital?
Let me contextualise. When it comes to meetings in the workplace, is there a move back to meeting in person and away from meeting online?
Recent findings from LinkedIn suggest that UK workers prefer in person meetings for activities including creative brainstorming (62%), review meetings (62%) and planning meetings (57%). Survey respondents indicated that in person meetings result in stronger relationships (45%), higher engagement (43%) and faster decision making.1
There’s certainly evidence that online meetings offer unrivalled flexibility, however a survey of over 1,000 UK workers found that 55% were easily distracted during online meetings, whereas 16% reported the same during in person meetings, indicating that in person meetings generate greater focus and attention.2
Research published in Public Relations Review suggests that employee still prefer face to face communication and, when the frequency of in person interaction increases, so does satisfaction with internal communication and engagement.3There’s no doubt that in person meetings offer numerous benefits for collaboration, creativity, relationship building and critical conversations, and even Gen Z workers seek a balance of virtual and in person interaction, with 89% polled agreeing that relationships built through face-to-face contact are important for confidence and career growth.4
What does this mean for the spaces and environments we create for in person interaction in our workplaces? It means that investing in high quality resources to foster human relationships, collaboration is a wise and sustainable investment.
A long time ago I started referring to those who attend meetings and conferences as “participants” rather than “delegates” or “attendees”. At the time this was transformative to me, as the term participant indicates engagement rather than passivity. This made me completely re-think how I designed meetings.
The same also applies to how we think about meeting materials. The term “materials” is easily understood, but to me it also suggests a lack of animation and dynamism. If we consider meeting materials as “meeting methods” we can easily visualise participants working together with kit including pinboards, flipcharts, markers, paper and a range of meeting kit that fosters in person collaboration, trust and innovation.
My challenge to any business is to reflect on whether the spaces created for people to work together, such as meeting and training rooms, truly reflect the organisation’s ambition. There’s little point in aiming for big goals if the tools to make it happen are second rate.
Coming back to my question. Is analogue the new digital? There’s solid evidence that in person interactions are not just good for business but critical for business. And yes, there’s a place for online meetings, including status updates, team check-ins, information sharing and presentations. That won’t change.
Therefore, the question becomes threefold…
· What is the purpose of this conversation?
· Which format will create the greatest outcome?
· Will our meeting environment enable this to happen?
1 UK employees ‘want meaningful in-person collaboration’ over mandated office days. March 2025. HR Review.
2 People say they are more distracted by online meetings rather than those carried out in person. January 21, 2025. workplaceinsight.net
3 The internal communication paradox: Balancing digital convenience with face-to-face satisfaction. September 2025. Public Relations Review.
4 Gen Z wants more face to face interaction in the workplace. February 2025. CEO World.
