The city of Leeds is one of the business, meeting and conferencing capitals of the UK, which makes it even more surprising that individuals and organisations still believe some of the most outdated misconceptions about meeting rooms in Leeds. Here are just a handful of these myths and misconceptions, and the real truth of what professionals can expect from Leeds meeting spaces…
- They’re just four walls and a table. This might have been the only option for meeting rooms in Leeds a few decades ago, but it’s far from the case now. Meeting rooms have become adaptive, stimulating, flexible and creative spaces, designed and set up to get the very most from the event and from each of its delegates. You can choose from many different layouts, take advantage of the latest technology and have access to a wide range of extended services, from lightning fast Wi-Fi and teleconferencing to hospitality and break rooms. Our blog post helps organisations and individuals to narrow down the many options available to them and find the perfect meeting room for their needs – take a look here.
- They have to be in the city centre to be convenient. So, you’re planning a meeting involving delegates from all corners of the country, or from even further away than the UK. You need to choose a venue that everyone can find and reach easily, so where do you look first? Major towns and cities are a good idea, but do you automatically look to the city centre of each place as the most convenient option? Many meeting organisers do, but this could actually be quite a big mistake. City centres have many drawbacks – for example, they are often places you can’t take your car, or can’t park your car, so delegates won’t be able to get to the venue directly. Public transport can involve several changes, with delegates having to get different buses, trams and trains in what can be quite a stressful and overcrowded journey. Plus, there isn’t the space in city centre meeting spaces that you get when you look further afield, although city centre facilities certainly cost more. The ideal solution is somewhere slightly out of the city centre, right next to major transport links, that you can drive straight to and park easily and for free. So, if you’re looking for meeting rooms in Leeds, look outside the city centre and get yourself a better value, more convenient solution.
In an article about the Evolution of the Office Building, CityLab cites a paper compiled by the business communications provider Mitel, which suggests offices will become more broadly distributed instead of being concentrated to merely city centres. Referring to the benefits of locating offices to the outskirts of a city and to suburban area, Mitel wrote:
“Suburban borders will blur and there will be a positive impact on transport networks, as congestion bottlenecks are eased and widespread uptake of homeworking or working in satellite offices dramatically reduces fuel consumption and carbon emissions.”
- They aren’t stylish, comfortable or attractive. If you think of meeting rooms as drab, grey and clinical, you’re using the wrong facilities. Times have changed, and meeting and conferencing providers have realised that businesses are looking for spaces that inspire them and match the innovative nature of their companies. You can now expect colour, cutting-edge design, exciting applications for technology and creative use of space – all of which makes a fantastic impression on anyone you ask to join you around the meeting table. For a closer look at how the design of meeting spaces is changing, take a look at the MTG PLNR meeting planner blog, which marvels at the trailblazing redesign of the Hyatt Regency Cincinnati in the U.S. and its own meeting and conferencing facilities.
- They’re all about getting down to business. You might be surprised to learn that the most effective meetings are those in which, alongside the crucial topics under discussion and the hard work being done, there is also a little down-time for relaxing, socialising and taking refreshments. In fact, in a fascinating piece on workspace design, Ben Waber, Jennifer Magnolfi and Greg Lindsay at the Harvard Business Review found that more break rooms and more time to spend in them actually boosts productivity amongst office employees. Like office workers, your delegates need to keep their energy and morale levels nice and high in order to contribute to the meeting in the way you’d like. Not all meeting rooms are set up just for the purely business element of the occasion – many also have refreshment facilities, from hot drinks to full catering and hospitality packages, as well as break rooms and beautiful gardens and grounds for delegates to use to recharge their batteries.
- The setup is set in stone. If you think that it is you that has to adapt to the setup in a particular meeting space, you’re using the wrong facilities. Good meeting rooms in Leeds will be able to adapt to meet your needs, and some are incredibly flexible and versatile. If you need particular equipment, extra space or a completely different layout, the facilities should be able to adapt to provide you with a bespoke setup. This is what businesses are increasingly starting to demand, and some of the best Leeds meeting spaces are recognising this. For tips on choosing the right meeting room layout and setup, EffectiveMeetings.com runs through all the options along with the benefits and drawbacks of each.
- Their technical equipment is pretty unreliable. It’s every speaker’s nightmare – to be faced with a blank screen or an error message when trying to run a presentation. It happens a lot, and it can ruin a presentation, not to mention your credibility and professional image. However, businesses looking for meeting rooms in Leeds don’t need to put up with this anymore, as - believe it or not – some meeting facilities do have technology and equipment that actually works properly. The most professional meeting spaces have equipment that has been tested with all different kinds of setups and crucially – checked just before each meeting to make sure everything’s working properly. This means that you can simply arrive, plug in your laptop or USB and start your presentation, making it all look really easy.
For advice on setting up meeting rooms or choosing the best facilities, subscribe to the Carrwood Park blog for the latest tips and information.
