Equitable Meeting Checklist

Inclusive meetings, in which everyone’s voices are heard equitably, require intention and allyship. Meetings can be daunting for women (a Brigham Young University and Princeton study showed that 75% of meetings are dominated by men) but can be an opportunity for championing inclusive behaviour and creating a culture in which everyone feels safe and valued.

Try implementing some of these simple processes for more equitable meetings:

First, get everyone on board: It’s important to make sure everyone is on board with the objective of equitable meetings and aware of what you’re working towards and why. This could involve a quick check-in at the start and end of a meeting. Ask for feedback on progress, take feedback on board and celebrate progress.

Check-in: Be aware of who is calling in remotely and ensure those people are presented equally. Think about their experience and how comfortable they would feel in speaking up. Don’t let those working remotely be disadvantaged.

Think before you speak: Encourage participants to actively listen rather than just waiting to make their point. You may want to pause before speaking to make sure you’re not interrupting.

Office housework: Who is setting up the meeting? Who is taking notes? Is there any catering that needs to be arranged? These tasks are often taken on by women or individuals from marginalised groups. Make sure these are rotated.

Agenda: Often people will feel more comfortable and confident in voicing their opinion if they know the purpose of the meeting and can prepare in advance. Where possible, let people know how they can also contribute to the agenda.

Facilitate the discussion: Taking on the role of facilitator to make space for all voices, making sure dominant voices don’t take control. Rotating the role of facilitator makes it a shared responsibility and creates more awareness of equitable practices. 

Speak up: Normalise calling out microaggressions by asking someone calmly and assertively to repeat what they said. Or simply asking “What did you mean by that?” If someone is interrupted, ask to go back and hear what the person was saying - this shows their input is valued and highlights the interruption, “I don’t think Lorna had finished and she was raising some important points, can we go back to what she was saying?”

Lift others: Credit others’ ideas publicly and celebrate successes, especially those of women and individuals from marginalised groups.