5 Apps That Are Great Alternatives To Meetings

Sometimes meetings are useful. At other times, they feel like a waste. Thankfully, there are plenty of apps out there that are great alternatives to meetings.

According to a survey of executives by 3M Meeting Network, 25 to 50 percent of the time spent in meetings is wasted. Upper management spends an average of 50 percent of their time in meetings. Mid-level managers spend 35 percent of their time in them. If up to half of work hours are spent in meetings and up to half of that meeting time is a waste, that adds up to a lot of squandered time.

Today, technology offers us a way out of unproductive gatherings and can even make work time outside of meetings more productive. Here are five of the top apps that can take the place of those unnecessary meetings.

Check out these five apps that are great alternatives to meetings:

1. ScribblePost

ScribblePost gives you a super quick and efficient way to take notes and keep track of all the things you need to get done. And, better than a simple app or to-list platform, ScribblePost lets you share and track work with others.

You can capture and oversee all of your personal and work tasks in one place, making the platform ideal for busy professionals who are fed up with meeting after meeting not resulting in any action.

The platform is simple and clean, making it easy to use and distraction free, so you can focus on the tasks that really matter. Better yet, you can even monitor or share tasks with others using the @name feature, and conduct conversations withg team members right there inside ScribblePost.

Why take time out for a meeting if what’s agreed isn’t able to be shared and tracked afterwards?

2. Slack

Perhaps the best-known workplace chat app, Slack is a central place for you to organize all the digital conversations going on in the office. You can create group chats, directly message an individual or contact them with a voice or video call.

You can create “channels” for departments, projects, topics, teams or anything else, which helps keep everything organized. Slack also allows you to upload files, including images, PDFs and spreadsheets.

Slack offers a free version, as well as standard and plus plans that provide you with access to the app’s full capabilities. The standard plan costs $8 per user per month, while the plus plan is $15 per person per month.

3. HipChat

HipChat is another popular employee chat app that offers a simpler platform and several integrations that can enhance functionality.

You can start private or open group chats, directly message coworkers and even invite people outside the company to a particular chat by sending them a link. You can also share files and make video calls within the app.

The basic version of HipChat is free, but for $2 per user per month, you get extra functionalities, like video chat, unlimited file sharing and screen sharing.

4. Flow

Flow is an app designed to help businesses manage their projects and organize their tasks. You can organize everything that needs to get done in a calendar, see who’s working on what and track a project from start to finish.

The calendar feature lets everyone see what’s going on at the company and what’s supposed to be done when. You can then get more in depth with each project by creating to-do lists and checking off tasks when they’re done.

For $53 a month, six people can use the Flow app. The company also offers a pro version that comes with extra features.

5. 15Five

15Five is like a personal social media app for your company. It has a “weekly check-in” option that could take the place of a weekly meeting.

It also has dedicated spaces for asking questions, providing feedback and recognizing coworkers for a job well done. You can also set objectives and mark them as complete when you accomplish them. This app is designed to create a more open, communicative workplace, while building morale and keeping everyone on the same page.

The basic version is $7 per person per month. Plus will cost you $14 per person per month. The company will even build you an enterprise version custom-made to fit your company’s needs.

With these apps, you can eliminate unnecessary meetings and become more productive in the process. You might also decide to host digital meetings by starting a group chat within the app of your choice.

These products are designed to help keep your company organized and communicating effectively. If you’ve found your company’s meeting are often no longer doing you any good, try using one of these apps instead.