Tips on getting people to come to staff meetings

jb2u, ASN, RN · Jul 20, 2006

change the word "meeting" to "beer fest", staff beer fest sounds a lot more fun than a staff meeting....ok, just kidding!

first, i say make it mandatory and pay the employees for attending. if it is part of the job, then it is part of the job and the staff has to accept that as much as they have to accept that they must be there on time, in uniform, etc.

second, as an employee, what i hear is that staff meetings are not important because 1) no new/useful info is put out, 2) management doesn't care about employees input anyway, and 3) they are inconvenient. SO...

1) make sure info that is put out is new/useful or at least explain why this is

useful to the staff.

2) staff can pick up on management that does not really care or management

that wants to "pat you on the back" because that's what some

management manual said "motivates employees to be more productive."

examples...tell everyone what a great job they are doing, but you don't

give out raises, OR you tell them how important it is to get meds out

ON TIME, but you do not staff adequately or you do not offer employees

double time when you try to call someone in because you are short staffed

(if meds on time is really important then you will pay double time in order

to insure that the floor is staffed adequately enough to have meds passed

on time!)

3)convenience - well that is self-explainatory. sometimes, esp. with today's

gas prices, even if you pay the staff for the meeting, it is not worth the

trip in to the hospital on their day off.

i think if these three problems are addressed, then you will see full attendance! best of luck.

sincerely,

jay

santhony44, MSN, RN, NP · Jul 20, 2006

Food! Breakfast, lunch, ice cream sundaes!

Little goodies like one poster mentioned would be nice, too.

I've also seen door prizes, like tape a piece of paper to the bottom of a seat and the person sitting there got movie tickets.

A designated, convenient parking place for the first person there, or the one attending the most meetings.

And finally, how necessary are they really? Can the information be spread some other way? Most places I've worked were in love with meetings, and the higher you go in management the more true this seems to be. It seems we have meetings about our meetings!! And honestly, most of them don't seem to accomplish much, or help anyone do his or her job better.

Of course I know that sometimes some management folks have it mandated from On High, "thou shalt have a staff meeting monthly."

catlady, BSN, RN · Jul 20, 2006

Of course I know that sometimes some management folks have it mandated from On High, "thou shalt have a staff meeting monthly."

I worked one place where if it was mandatory, staff was written up for not attending.

Not recommending that, just reporting it.

judy ann · Jul 20, 2006

Did anyone ever hear of video taping meetings and making the tapes available to staff. They must be signed out and a record of who watches them is made. Any questions regarding any of the meeting content is to be put into writing and submitted to the presenter. :yeah: :thankya:

SmilingBluEyes · Jul 20, 2006

Good suggestions thus far. I would also add you offer more than one time or date to attend. Where I work, there is only ONE time and day and it's not always too convenient or possible to attend that ONE meeting offered. Also: you COULD put the information/minutes in a communications book, one that is initialed by each and every staff member, and then hold them accountable for the info there. Just an idea.

madwife2002, BSN, RN · Jul 20, 2006

I would always attend meetings when I lived close by but when I lived 28 miles away I just couldnt spare the hour either way travelling.

Time back is a good thing, keep it in a book, it will add up by end of year to whole day.

Wise Woman RN · Jul 20, 2006

bleah... ours are monthly, and 3-4 hours long... attending is mandatory for all of them... at least we get paid for attending... :bugeyes:

SmilingBluEyes · Jul 20, 2006

jeez what is the POINT of a 3 hour meeting? Studies have shown time and again you "lose em" after about 30-40min. What a waste of time, everyone's time.

jannrn · Jul 21, 2006

hire a way-cool baby sitter for the kids, then it is not just the manager urging you to go, the kids keep begging, maybe even hire a clown!

food is good, coffee?

my problems have always been child-related, if it is in the afternoon, there is school out, sports practices, dinner....it is hard because it changes with the age of the kids. I've gone to 7:30 am ones but I was so tired from the night-shift I don't know if anything stuck.

Otessa, BSN, RN · Jul 21, 2006

bottom line-$$

if people didn't attend the required % of meetings they were automatically docked a # on their total score on their annual competencies.

The higher the # on your competencies the higher your raise.

you could get the minimum of 2% if you didn't meet the % of meetings

the max raise is 10% BIG difference......

this is across the board in the ENTIRE hospital not unit to unit protocol.

madwife2002, BSN, RN · Jul 21, 2006

I reckon you should beat them with a big stick :lol_hitti

wjf00 · Jul 21, 2006

The unit I work on has quarterly staff meetings. They are scheduled at 3 times, always 15 minutes after the end of shift. Food is always provided, and it is paid time. Since they often fall on days I work, I get OT for the meeting. I wish we had more meetings! As an option the meetings are taped and made available on line. A drawing is held at every meeting for a $10 gift certificate (usually Starbucks). Attendance is not required, but it may appear on annual eval, however we are union so no pay penalty is attached. Still, attendance is about 60% of staff. We share information with other staff members, who can't attend, so the information is disseminated very well. The only other incentive I see that works well is CE's. RN's in our hospital love CE's. I don't think it is that difficult to qualify a meeting for CE's.