Walking Meetings have been popular for some time, particularly in America where the weather can be more encouraging than in Scotland! Steve Jobs was one of the first business leaders to actively encourage staff at Apple to get up, get out and meet up, reporting increased creativity and team morale.

During 2021 this approach to working has crept into many of our working days as we all adapted to a new working norm. Many of us may have seen our neighbours pacing their garden during calls as companies encouraged us to remember to keep moving and take a break from Zoom and Teams while working from home.

As we make the move back to office lives, whether we are returning to our existing headquarters, a smaller satellite office or making the move from the spare bedroom to a small office, walking meetings look set to stay.

At Banchory Business Centre, we have a network of walks right on our doorstep, from woodland walks to more urban routes, you have every opportunity to get away from your desk, collaborate with colleagues and enjoy the benefits for fresh air and gentle exercise.

Here’s our top five tips for making walking meetings work for you.

Prepare – Don’t spring a walking meeting on your colleague. It’s always best to be suitably dressed for all Scottish weathers and have comfortable footwear even for a quick brainstorm round the block. There’s nothing worse than being distracted by sore feet!

Have a Plan – Decide how long the ‘meeting’ is going to run for and where you plan to walk. Be mindful of the fitness of everyone in the meeting and schedule a rest stop halfway through if it will make everyone feel more comfortable.

Keep it small – Walking meetings aren’t suited to the full team marching along the pavement. If too many people are involved it becomes difficult for people to keep up, be involved and put forward their ideas. Research shows that side-by-side walking breaks down ‘organisational hierarchy’.

Get Creative – Walking is good for creativity. Studies show that teams using walking meetings for brainstorming had better results than when sitting at their desks. Walking meetings may not be the best solution for decision making meetings when paperwork is needed and conversations must to be formally noted!

Follow-up – Remember, you should still follow up as you would following a traditional meeting. Ensure notes are written up and any actions are formally recorded. Why not take a couple of photos or team selfie and share them when you get back to the office to encourage others to take to the great outdoors next time!