After years dominated by virtual meetings, many organizations are rediscovering the unique energy and effectiveness of in-person gatherings. According to Future Forum, 25% of fully remote employees experience loneliness at work, compared to 16% of fully on-site workers. Additionally, 57% of non-executive employees want in-person meetings to collaborate with team members and build camaraderie.

"Zoom fatigue" has highlighted the limitations of virtual interactions, leading to a renewed appreciation for face-to-face meetings. These physical interactions foster spontaneous discussions, clearer communication, and a sense of camaraderie that's often missing online.

Why in-person meetings matter to workplace leaders

The shift during the pandemic to hybrid work fundamentally changed the way organizations think about office spaces and in-person collaboration. For workplace leaders, this transition created a balancing act between maintaining a strong company culture and optimizing costs.

The traditional, fully in-office model provided structure, spontaneous collaboration, and small talk, but remote work brought flexibility and autonomy, forcing leaders to rethink how they design and use physical spaces.

Unstructured or unnecessary meetings can create inefficiencies, but well-planned, purposeful in-person interactions can significantly boost productivity and morale.

Key considerations for workplace leaders:

• Redesigning office spaces for hybrid work: Leaders must rethink office layouts to encourage collaboration without the rigidity of assigned desks.
• Creating a clear meeting strategy: ​Incorporating insights from Dropbox's resources can enhance meeting efficiency. Their guide on running effective meetings offers practical suggestions to ensure productive use of time. A
• Supporting employee flexibility: While in-person meetings are valuable, organizations must balance them with employee preferences for remote work.

By integrating these strategies, workplace leaders can ensure that in-person meetings aren’t just a return to old habits but a meaningful tool for driving business success.

The benefits of in-person meetings, backed by data

1. Superior communication & collaboration

According to a 2024 study by Accor, professionals expect to generate 36% more revenue and close 37% more deals through face-to-face meetings.

Face-to-face meetings enable effective communication through body language, eye contact, and facial expressions. Subtle physical cues, such as nodding in agreement or maintaining eye contact, signal engagement and build trust between participants—key factors often missed in online meetings.

In business relationships, nonverbal cues often influence decision-making more than words alone, creating stronger rapport and increasing the likelihood of agreement.

Being physically present also allows for immediate problem-solving without the delays of virtual misinterpretation or lag. Teams can quickly read each other’s facial expressions, adjust their communication in real time, and refine strategies on the spot, leading to faster deal closures and more effective collaboration.

2. Engagement and team cohesion

​In-person interactions significantly boost engagement levels. Employees participating in face-to-face meetings often report higher morale and a stronger sense of belonging.

This physical presence fosters deeper connections, leading to more cohesive teams and a collaborative work environment.

A study highlighted by Business Wire shared that 95% of business leaders believe that impactful internal meetings drive employee culture, engagement, and productivity.

3. Trust, culture, and mentorship

Building trust is more straightforward when team members engage in face-to-face interactions. Physical interactions allow for genuine rapport, foundational for mentorship, follow-ups, and effective networking. In-person meetings also play a pivotal role in transmitting organizational culture, as employees can observe and internalize company values and behaviors firsthand.

Challenges of in-person meetings in a hybrid world

1. Bridge logistical and cost hurdles

Coordinating in-person meetings in a hybrid setup can be challenging. Aligning distributed team schedules, managing travel expenses, and addressing time zone differences require meticulous planning.

Remote meeting participants may face poor internet connections or environmental distractions that the in-person team members aren’t aware of.

Without strategic thinking, these can become significant obstacles.

Key Solution: Implement smart scheduling tools and leverage workspace analytics to identify optimal meeting times and locations and reduce travel inefficiencies and unnecessary costs.

2. Ensure inclusivity for remote team members

Hybrid meetings, where some attendees are in person, and others join remotely, can inadvertently sideline remote participants.

Without proper technology and facilitation, those dialing in might experience glitches or feel excluded, leading to disengagement and reduced contribution.

Key Solution: Invest in high-quality video conferencing technology and adopt meeting facilitation best practices—such as assigning a remote advocate to ensure virtual attendees have equal participation—to create a more inclusive experience.

3. Stay virtual when in-person isn’t the right choice

Not all meetings need physical presence. Companies should evaluate meeting goals, team distribution, and collaboration needs before deciding on the format.

Virtual meetings work well for routine check-ins, project updates, and asynchronous discussions, while in-person meetings are best for strategic planning, relationship-building, and brainstorming sessions.

Key Solution: Establish meeting guidelines to help you determine when face-to-face meetings add value and when virtual options are more efficient. Leverage employee feedback to ensure meeting formats align with team needs.

Hybrid work best practices 

Simply scheduling face-to-face time isn’t enough—leaders must ensure these gatherings are productive, inclusive, and cost-effective.

The following best practices will help organizations maximize the value of human connection while maintaining the flexibility of hybrid work models.

1. Define which meetings are worth gathering for

Categorize meetings to determine their optimal format. Brainstorming sessions, strategic planning, team-building activities, and one-on-ones benefit immensely from in-person settings due to the richness of interaction they require.

To determine which meetings should be in person, leaders should ask :

• Does this meeting require deep collaboration or brainstorming?
• Will in-person interaction help build stronger relationships among attendees?
• Would virtual tools limit the effectiveness of this discussion?

An in-person meeting may be the best option if the answer is “yes” to any of these.

2. Use data to schedule face-to-face interactions

Using workplace analytics provides insights into space usage and employee attendance patterns. Use tools like occupancy sensors, desk booking software, and employee feedback to determine when and where in-person meetings are most effective.

Action steps:

1. Analyze attendance trends: Track office foot traffic and meeting room bookings to identify peak collaboration days.
2. Schedule anchor days: Designate specific days where teams are encouraged to be in the office for key meetings.
3. Gather employee preferences: Use pulse surveys to align scheduled in-person meetings with employee availability and work styles. This data-driven approach allows for scheduling "anchor days" or all-hands meetings when the majority are present, maximizing the impact of in-person interactions.

3. Leverage flexible office spaces

As companies reduce their real estate footprints and embrace hybrid models, flexible office spaces offer a better alternative to long-term leases. These on-demand spaces allow organizations to support distributed teams, host offsites, and hold client meetings without paying for rarely used space.

With access to fully equipped meeting rooms and amenities, teams can collaborate in person when it truly counts—while staying agile and cost-efficient.

Action steps:

1. Identify high-need areas: Determine which cities or regions require flexible office space based on team distribution.
2. Leverage coworking networks: Partner with providers offering on-demand spaces to accommodate hybrid team meetups.
3. Evaluate cost efficiency: To optimize budgets, compare the expense of flexible spaces versus maintaining large office leases. You can use on-demand meeting rooms for quarterly offsites or regional meetups, eliminating the need for large, often underused boardrooms. This approach offers both flexibility and cost savings.

4. Optimizing costs

Adopting on-demand spaces can significantly reduce real estate expenses. Instead of locking into long-term leases, companies pay only for the space they use—freeing up budget for other priorities. Coworking spaces are more cost-effective than traditional office leases in 97% of U.S. cities, according to a 2024 report.

Action steps:

1. Calculate space utilization costs: Assess current office expenses and identify underutilized spaces.
2. Implement a hybrid budget strategy: Allocate resources toward both permanent offices and on-demand meeting spaces.
3. Monitor and adjust spending: To optimize spending, track how often your teams use office space, which locations are most active, and how usage aligns with productivity. This data helps you identify underused areas, adjust leasing strategies, and reallocate resources effectively. By scaling space based on real-time demand, you avoid overpaying for offices that aren’t delivering value.

5. Optimize your office for hybrid meetings

To accommodate in-person and remote participants equally, office spaces should be optimized with advanced video conferencing technologies. Creating a frictionless experience ensures that both on-site and remote employees remain engaged and productive.

Action steps:

1. Invest in high-quality AV equipment: Equip conference rooms with HD cameras, omnidirectional microphones, and large monitors for clear communication.
2. Design hybrid-optimized spaces: Arrange seating and lighting to enhance visibility and inclusivity for remote attendees.
3. Train teams on hybrid meeting best practices: Educate employees on virtual collaboration tools to ensure productive meetings. Implement desk and room booking systems to prevent scheduling conflicts and design more collaboration zones to enhance team interactions.

6. Implement desk/room booking systems

Streamlined space scheduling software ensures teams can access necessary spaces when required, reducing downtime and enhancing productivity. 

Action steps:

1. Implement an intuitive booking system: Use software that integrates with calendars and allows employees to reserve desks and meeting rooms easily.
2. Monitor usage trends: Analyze booking data to understand peak demand times and adjust office resources accordingly.
3. Establish booking guidelines: Set clear policies on how and when spaces can be reserved to avoid conflicts and ensure fair access.

7. Establish hybrid meeting policies

Setting guidelines that define the structure of hybrid meetings ensures consistency. Establishing clear policies helps prevent confusion and ensures every employee can contribute equally.

Action steps:

1. Create a hybrid meeting playbook: Creating a hybrid meeting playbook helps teams define when to meet in person vs. virtually and sets clear participation expectations. For a solid example, check out the Hybrid Meetings Playbook by MPI—a practical guide covering audience types, engagement tactics, and tech setup. Use it as a template to build your strategy.
2. Ensure accessibility for remote workers: Every in-person meeting requires a virtual attendance option with interactive features.
3. Standardize meeting technology: To minimize technical issues, implement company-wide use of the same conferencing tools. Policies can include requiring virtual join options for all meetings or setting specific days for in-person collaborations.

FAQs – In-person meetings & hybrid work

How often should hybrid teams meet in person?

Determining the optimal frequency for in-person meetings in hybrid teams depends on various factors, including team objectives, project complexity, and the need for collaboration. Regular face-to-face interactions, such as monthly or quarterly meetings, can enhance team cohesion and alignment. For instance, some organizations conduct quarterly off-sites to facilitate in-person interaction and strengthen relationships among team members.

What types of meetings are best to do in person vs. virtual?

Strategic discussions, brainstorming sessions, team-building activities, and performance reviews are ideal for in-person settings—these benefit from deeper collaboration and human connection. On the other hand, routine meetings like weekly check-ins or informational briefings (e.g. status updates, company announcements, or project overviews that don't require discussion) are often just as effective in a virtual format.

How can we justify the cost of in-person meetings in a hybrid model?

While in-person meetings come with costs, the benefits—like improved collaboration, innovation, and engagement—often outweigh the investment. A 2024 study found face-to-face meetings can lead to 36% more revenue and 37% more closed deals. Using flexible office solutions also helps reduce overhead by letting companies pay only for space when needed.

How do flexible office spaces work for ad-hoc meetings?

Flexible office spaces, like those offered by Gable, provide on-demand access to various work environments—including meeting rooms, coworking spaces with day passes, and event spaces. This flexibility allows teams to collaborate in person, host clients, or run workshops without committing to long-term leases, keeping costs low while maintaining a high-quality experience.

What’s the best way to manage meeting room bookings in a hybrid office?

Space scheduling software like Gable HQ simplifies the process by allowing teams to reserve desks, rooms, or collaboration zones in advance. For example, a workplace manager at a mid-sized tech company uses Gable HQ to set up recurring "anchor days" when most employees are in the office. Employees can see real-time availability and book the space they need—preventing double-bookings and reducing no-shows. Over time, usage data helps leaders adjust their layout and resources based on demand.

Embrace flexibility for the future of meetings

In-person meetings remain a powerful tool for connection and collaboration, especially when combined with the flexibility of hybrid work. By strategically planning when and how teams meet face-to-face and leveraging modern solutions, workplace leaders can get the best of both worlds: the creativity and camaraderie of in-person interaction and the efficiency and agility of remote work.

‍