Outdoor Meeting Spots

Many of the most productive conversations in the office don't happen in the meeting room, but on the way there. Outdoor meeting spots formalize this effect: they turn the outdoor space into a workspace on equal footing – with a table, a bench, and, where needed, a power outlet.

What works outside that doesn't work indoors?

Fresh air, daylight, and movement change the conversation: walking makes people think more creatively – in experiments at Stanford University, participants came up with considerably more ideas while walking than while sitting (Oppezzo & Schwartz, 2014). Creative meetings, feedback conversations, and relaxed 1:1s benefit the most: hierarchy feels flatter outside, the mood is more relaxed, the conversation more open. At the same time, an outdoor meeting sends a strong signal: we're taking the time – and we're going outside because it's good for us.

How do spontaneous plans become fixed locations?

The difference between a one-off outdoor meeting attempt and an established outdoor meeting culture lies in the infrastructure. A sturdy table with a bench, optional shade, and ideally access to a power outlet turns a good idea into a real workspace. Offering the outdoor area as a room option in the calendar – 'Terrace spot' alongside 'Meeting Room 2' – removes the last hurdle. A good complement is the best practice Walk & Talk: The Meeting on the Move.