Meeting Cost Calculator

The Hidden Cost of Meetings

Meetings are necessary for collaboration, but they come with a significant cost. When you gather 10 people earning an average of $50/hour for one hour, that meeting costs the company $500.

Meeting Statistics

• The average employee spends 31 hours in meetings per month
• 71% of meetings are considered unproductive
• $37 billion is lost annually to unproductive meetings
• The average meeting has 8 attendees

Tips for More Efficient Meetings

Before the Meeting

• Question necessity: Could this be an email or Slack message?
• Limit attendees: Only invite essential participants
• Set a clear agenda: Share it in advance
• Choose shorter defaults: Try 25 or 50 minutes instead of 30 or 60

During the Meeting

• Start on time, end early
• Assign a timekeeper
• Stay on agenda
• Document decisions and action items

Meeting Alternatives

• Async updates via Slack/email
• Loom videos for presentations
• Shared documents for collaboration
• Standing meetings for quick syncs

Calculating ROI of Meetings

For a meeting to be "worth it," the value created should exceed its cost. A $500 meeting should generate more than $500 in value through decisions made, problems solved, or work enabled.