How to run a productive all-hands meeting: Tips and template for your next all hands meeting

An all-hands meeting is more than just a regular team meeting. It is an opportunity for the whole company to come together, share important updates, and keep the entire team aligned. Remote work culture has given rise to virtual events and meetings. Due to this, companies find it challenging to host engaging sessions, especially in all-inclusive meetings like all-hands meetings.

These meetings encourage open communication and transparency and give employees a sense of ownership in the company’s direction. They are a platform for sharing company goals, celebrating successes, and addressing challenges. In this article, we’ll explore what an all-hands meeting is and how you can run one that leaves your team feeling informed, engaged, and motivated.

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What is an all-hands meeting?

An all-hands meeting, sometimes called a town hall meeting, is a company-wide gathering where all employees come together to discuss important company matters. It typically involves the leadership team sharing updates on business performance, company goals, and future plans. The goal of all-hands meetings is to develop open communication and instill a sense of ownership across the entire team.

These meetings ensure that everyone is aligned with the company’s goals and working together toward common objectives. Whether held in-person or virtually, all-hands meetings aim to keep employees informed, boost morale, and enhance overall employee engagement, creating a unified team working toward shared success.

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Everything you need to know to hold a productive all-hands meeting:

A productive all-hands meeting is more than just a presentation of company data. It is a platform where stakeholders can share important updates, team members can ask questions, and everyone in the company feels aligned with the organizational goals. A successful all-hands meeting should cultivate a culture of open communication, boost employee morale, and offer a clear understanding of what the next steps are for the company.

For example, companies like Netflix regularly hold all-hands meetings to reinforce transparency and ensure their entire team, including remote workers, are well-informed and engaged with company objectives. When planning your next all-hands meeting, consider the following best practices:

• Keep the meeting focused on key priorities.
• Collect questions from employees beforehand to address any concerns.
• Ensure everyone in the organization has a chance to participate, even remote teams.
• Create an engaging and interactive atmosphere by encouraging questions and comments.

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How to build a great all-hands meeting agenda for company-wide engagement?

Engaging a large audience in an all-hands meeting can be tough. Many companies often find it challenging to run effective meetings because they lack a clear agenda. Without a structured plan, meetings can feel disorganized and fall short of their goals.

Here’s how you can build a well-structured all-hands meeting agenda that keeps your audience engaged and on the same page.

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Key elements of an all-hands meeting agenda:

• ‍Welcome and company updates: In an effective all-hands meeting, the CEO should start by welcoming everyone and stating the purpose of the meeting. This ensures clarity for new hires who may be unfamiliar with the format. After the introduction, provide a high-level agenda overview to set expectations and maintain engagement.
• Business performance: The CEO should briefly update the company on performance, achievements, and challenges, keeping this section concise and to the point. Departmental updates follow that, with each executive speaking for no more than ten minutes, focusing on key points relevant to the broader audience.
• Team recognition: Recognition and awards should be covered next, as they showcase commendations and employee achievements. Offering small prizes, like gift cards, cash, or vouchers, can further boost engagement and morale.
• Q&A session: Finally, before ending the session, the “Ask me anything” segment should be included, which allows employees to raise questions or concerns. The CEO should manage this part, address issues empathetically, and provide clear responses based on pre-collected feedback. This ensures that employees feel heard and valued.
• CTA: At the end of the meeting, the meeting should conclude by clearly outlining actionable next steps, future goals, and how employees can contribute.

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How to create an engaging and productive session?

Imagine how you want employees to feel when they leave the meeting—whether it's excited, motivated, or empowered. Then, work backward to gather the essential details needed to create that experience, ensuring the meeting feels engaging and inclusive.

Both the content and presentation delivery are equally important for an engaging all-hands meeting. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you plan and execute a meeting that keeps everyone engaged:

• Start with a clear objective: Know what you want to achieve with the meeting. Is it to share updates, align on goals, or introduce new hires? A definite objective will help you develop the structure of your meeting.
• Incorporate storytelling: Make your presentations more engaging by telling a story about your team’s journey or the company’s vision. A compelling narrative hooks the audience and keeps them interested in knowing more. It also enhances the effectiveness of your presentation by providing it with a logical flow and improving information retention.
• Encourage participation: Get everyone involved by allowing time for questions or feedback. This can be especially helpful in virtual all-hands meetings, where it’s easy for employees to feel disconnected.
• Use multimedia: Multimedia presentations play a key role in breaking the monotony and keeping the audience excited. Therefore, add videos or infographics to make the meeting more dynamic and visually appealing.
• Recognize contributions: Acknowledge your team member's hard work and give a shoutout to those who have gone above and beyond.

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What are the best practices for running a successful all-hands meeting?

Preparation is essential for a successful all-hands meeting. Companies across industries have long used these meetings to cultivate a culture of transparency, unity, and growth. Consider these recognized best practices to make your all-hands meetings more effective and productive.

• Share the agenda ahead of time: Before the meeting, let your employees know the agenda so they can prepare questions or feedback.
• Keep it interactive: Encourage questions and comments throughout the meeting. Using interactive tools like live polls or Q&A sessions is a smart way to collect questions and keep the audience engaged.
• Use visuals: Present data, important metrics, and timelines using data visualization techniques like charts, graphs, or dashboards. This practice not only engages the audience but also helps make complex information easier to understand.
• Recognize achievements: Celebrating successes helps to boost employee morale and reinforce a positive company culture. Therefore, ensure that you spend enough time recognizing the team's achievements.
• Incorporate feedback: Ask employees for their feedback after each meeting on how the meeting can be improved. This shows that you value their input and are committed to continuous improvement.

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Practical tips for running your next company all-hands meeting:

A successful all-hands meeting goes beyond polished slides or great delivery. Its true success lies in engaging your team—the employees who collaborate to drive the company forward. Here are some valuable tips to help you make your next all-hands meeting more effective and meaningful.

• Ask employees what they want to know: Before the meeting, send out a survey asking employees what topics or questions they have. This will ensure that the meeting addresses their concerns and makes them feel involved.
• Keep it focused and concise: Avoid overwhelming your audience with too much data or lengthy presentations. Focus on high-level information and key points to keep the meeting engaging and easy to follow.
• Invest in presentation quality: Ensure that your slides are well-designed and professional. Slides prepared at the last minute reflect poorly on your organization and distract from the meeting's content.
• Choose the right timing: Schedule your meeting at a time that works for the majority of your employees. Avoid early mornings or late afternoons on Fridays. Consider rotating the time to accommodate different schedules.
• Make it interactive: Include opportunities for employees to ask questions and provide feedback during the meeting. This can be done through live Q&A sessions or interactive polls.
• Communicate clearly: Be transparent about company performance, challenges, and goals. Ensure that your messaging aligns with the company’s mission and values to reinforce trust and clarity.
• Keep the focus on company vision and values: Use the meeting to remind employees of the company’s mission, vision, and values. This helps in aligning everyone with the broader organizational goals and fosters a sense of unity.
• Follow up after the meeting: Gather feedback from employees about the meeting's effectiveness and make improvements based on their suggestions. This helps in continuously enhancing the quality of future all-hands meetings.

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All-hands meeting presentation template:

A professionally designed all-hands meeting presentation can transform your session into a productive and engaging experience, even in a virtual meeting. Below is an example of a well-structured all-hands meeting presentation template, available for easy download and 100% customization to fit your needs.

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Like the presentation example shared above, Prezent offers over 35,000 professionally designed slide templates and more than 1,000 structured storylines tailored to your audience's needs. Here’s how it helps:

• ‍Facilitates visual storytelling with data: Prezent helps you tell a compelling story with your data using various formats like charts, graphs, and images. This makes it easier for your audience to understand key metrics and trends, improving the impact of your message.
• ‍Saves you time and effort: Prezent’s pre-designed slides and organized content sections simplify the creation process. You can focus on the content and delivery rather than spending time on design and formatting, making your meeting preparation quicker and more efficient.
• ‍Provides a tailored approach: Prezent’s fingerprint feature helps you understand the needs and preferences of different audiences, allowing you to customize your presentation accordingly. This ensures that your meeting is aligned with your audience’s expectations and leaves a stronger impression.

All-hands meetings can deliver exceptional results and foster a motivated team. By focusing on key elements during preparation, practicing, and maintaining a strong feedback loop, you can make every meeting highly engaging.

With Prezent, you can streamline this process, saving up to 80% of your time. Try the AI-powered platform by scheduling a demo or starting a free trial, and invest your time in perfecting your presentation delivery.