Healthy, inclusive meetings for all

How many meetings have you had this week?

If you're like many people, the answer is probably "too many."

Meetings are meant to help us connect, solve problems and move work forward. Yet so many people leave them feeling tired, overwhelmed or wondering whether they really needed to be there at all.

The way we plan and run meetings can have a real impact on wellbeing, stress levels and whether people feel able to contribute. The good news is that creating healthier, more inclusive meetings doesn't require a complete overhaul. Often, it's the small, thoughtful changes that make the biggest difference.

Stress changes how we show up

We don't arrive at a meetings as blank slates.

Many of us are already carrying a busy mind before the meeting has even started. We may be managing competing deadlines, difficult conversations, caring responsibilities, personal worries or simply moving from one meeting straight into the next.

When we're stressed, our brains work differently. We can find it harder to concentrate, remember information, make decisions, listen well or find the words we want to say. We may become quieter, more reactive or struggle to process lots of information at once. That doesn't mean we're disengaged. It means we're human.

This is worth remembering when we're chairing meetings too. If people aren't contributing as much as we'd hoped, it may not be because they don't care. They may simply be overwhelmed.

Imagine you've just asked, "Any questions?" and no one says anything. It's easy to assume everyone agrees. In reality, one colleague may still be processing the information, another may be worrying about asking a "silly" question, while someone with ADHD may have become distracted by an earlier discussion and needs a moment to refocus.

Simply saying, "I'll give everyone a minute to think," or inviting people to add questions in the chat can open the door to voices that might otherwise be missed.

Not everyone thinks out loud

One of the biggest myths about meetings is that the people who speak the most have the best ideas. In reality, people process information in very different ways.

Some people think by talking things through. Others need time to reflect before they contribute. Some people are naturally quieter. Others may feel anxious about speaking in front of colleagues, particularly if they're worried about saying the wrong thing or being judged.

For colleagues who are neurodivergent, meetings can bring additional challenges. They may need more processing time, prefer clear structure, find frequent topic changes difficult to follow or become overwhelmed by busy slides, multiple conversations or long online meetings.

None of this reflects ability. When we expect everyone to contribute in the same way, we risk missing valuable ideas from people who simply communicate differently.

Inclusive meetings aren't about giving some people special treatment. They're about recognising that different people do their best thinking in different ways—and creating the conditions for everyone to contribute.

Inclusion starts long before the meeting begins

Creating inclusive meetings isn't about making special arrangements for one or two people. It's about designing meetings that work well for the widest range of people.

Many of the adjustments that support someone with anxiety, ADHD or autism also make meetings better for everyone.

For example:

• Share the agenda in advance so people know what to expect and have time to prepare.

• Make the purpose of the meeting clear. Why are people there? What decisions need to be made?

• Invite only the people who need to attend.

• Keep slides simple and avoid overwhelming people with too much information on screen.

  
  

These small changes reduce uncertainty, which can make a real difference for people who experience anxiety while also helping everyone arrive feeling more prepared.

One manager I worked with made a simple change. Instead of sending an agenda five minutes before the meeting, they shared it the day before, along with two questions they wanted people to think about. The meeting itself didn't take any longer, but more people contributed. Colleagues who preferred time to process their thoughts arrived feeling prepared rather than put on the spot.

Small changes that help everyone participate

Creating an inclusive meeting isn't about asking everyone to speak. It's about giving everyone an opportunity to contribute in a way that works for them.

That might mean:

• building in a few seconds of silence after asking a question

• using the chat alongside verbal discussion

• using quick polls or reactions

• inviting ideas after the meeting as well as during it

• making cameras optional where appropriate

• explaining when the conversation moves to a new topic

• including breaks during longer meetings.

  
  

Imagine you're discussing a new way of working. One person jumps in immediately with ideas. Another is quietly making notes. A third shares a thoughtful comment in the chat ten minutes later. All three are contributing. Inclusive meetings recognise that participation doesn't always look the same. Speaking first isn't the only measure of engagement.

During online meetings, many organisations now make cameras optional where appropriate. For someone experiencing anxiety, feeling unwell, managing sensory overload or simply exhausted after several hours of video calls, having that choice can reduce pressure without reducing their contribution. What matters is engagement, not whether someone's camera is switched on.

Those few extra moments of thinking time can completely change who contributes. As facilitators, we often feel uncomfortable with silence and rush to fill it. Yet waiting just five seconds longer can give people the space they need to gather their thoughts and join the conversation.

For someone with anxiety, those few seconds provide time to gather their thoughts. For someone who is autistic or has ADHD, they create space to process information before responding. For everyone else, they encourage more thoughtful conversations. Sometimes the most inclusive thing we can do is simply slow down.

Psychological safety matters

People are much more likely to contribute when they feel psychologically safe. That doesn't mean everyone agrees all the time. It means people feel able to ask questions, admit they don't know something, respectfully challenge ideas and share different perspectives without worrying they'll be dismissed or embarrassed.

Imagine a team discussing a new process. The manager asks,"Does everyone agree?"The room falls silent. Instead, they try, "What challenges might we come across?" or "Is there another perspective we haven't heard yet?"Almost immediately, someone offers a concern that helps the team avoid a problem later.

Psychological safety isn't about everyone agreeing. It's about people feeling safe enough to think differently.

Middle managers can make a bigger difference than they think

Many middle managers tell me they don't have the power to change organisational culture. While that may be true at a strategic level, they have enormous influence over the experience people have in their own meetings. Some of the most effective changes cost nothing and take very little extra time.

·       Finish meetings five minutes early where possible.

·       Avoid booking over lunch.

·       Rotate who speaks first instead of always hearing from the loudest voices.

·       Summarise decisions regularly to reduce cognitive overload.

Notice who hasn't spoken yet—but avoid putting people on the spot. A manager I met recently introduced what they called the "One More Voice" rule. Before moving on from an agenda item, they would simply ask,"Is there one more voice we'd like to hear before we decide?" Not everyone spoke every time, but over a few weeks they noticed more people contributing, particularly quieter colleagues who previously hadn't felt there was space to join in. It's a small change, but one that sends a powerful message: every voice matters.

A simple checklist before every meeting

Before sending that meeting invitation, pause for a moment and use the STOP checklist.

S – Should this be a meeting? Could this be an email or a shared document instead?

T – Time: What's the shortest meeting that will achieve the outcome?

O – Outcomes: What do people need to leave knowing, deciding or doing?

P – Participation: Who needs to be involved, and how can everyone contribute?

Better meetings begin with kindness

Creating healthier meetings is about recognising that every person joins a meeting carrying something different. They may be managing pressure, processing information in their own way, feeling anxious about speaking up or simply trying to get through a busy day.

When we reduce unnecessary stress, create space for different ways of thinking and make it easier for everyone to contribute, we don't just improve wellbeing—we unlock better conversations, better ideas and better decisions.

The most effective meetings aren't necessarily the ones that cover the longest agenda or finish with every action completed. They're the ones where people leave feeling clear about what comes next, listened to, respected and able to contribute in a way that works for them.

As leaders, managers and colleagues, we all have the opportunity to shape that experience. Because when meetings are inclusive, people don't just feel better—they think better, work better together and create stronger, healthier teams.