When the pandemic hit workplaces across the world last year, it upended long-held rhythms of collaboration and communication in office parks and high-rises everywhere. Meetings went virtual, and conference rooms were replaced by colleagues assembled on laptop screens in Brady Bunch-style boxes.
Is it time to rethink how meetings are conducted in more fundamental ways? The Wall Street Journal spoke with management experts, technologists, academics and startup founders to hear their thoughts on how technology has the potential to transform meetings, far beyond video calls. Their vision is futuristic, but in some cases, the technology is already being piloted by its creators and by employers.
Proponents say that if the technology is properly applied, companies could gain greater insight into their workers, while also making meetings—a notorious timesuck—both more productive and more inclusive. Critics say elements of tools under discussion raise concerns about worker privacy and may face resistance as being too intrusive.
From heart-rate monitors for meeting participants to artificial intelligence that measures engagement, take a look at examples of what meetings might look like in the coming years.
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