A formal meeting in a business environment is a pre-planned event with a formal notice that most often is sent via email or an official company memo. An informal meeting can take place almost anywhere, anytime, and there is seldom the structure and formality that you will see in a formal meeting.
At most formal meetings, it is a senior executive or a member of senior management who presides over the meeting. The atmosphere in these meetings are formal and there are specific agenda items that must be gone over. These meetings most often take place in a company boardroom where technology such as laptops can be used to display PowerPoint presentations. A formal meeting is a place where company policies can be made or modified, department and company goals are set, and other important business decisions are made with the input of all executives and management. Formal meetings also tend to last much longer than informal meetings, sometimes for hours and the meeting is not dismissed until the executive in charge declares the meeting is over.
An informal meeting can take place virtually anywhere from a fast food restaurant to a company meeting room. There is usually no formal invitations sent out although meeting participants can be notified via email in many cases. It is very unlikely that any company policies will be enacted at these type of meetings unless the company in question is very small with few employees.
Both informal and formal meetings are part of the everyday business world and anyone working in a Fortune 500 company should be informed on how act and carry themselves in both situations. Important decisions can be made in both so it is important to pay close attention to what is going on as it could very well affect your job.
At most formal meetings, it is a senior executive or a member of senior management who presides over the meeting. The atmosphere in these meetings are formal and there are specific agenda items that must be gone over. These meetings most often take place in a company boardroom where technology such as laptops can be used to display PowerPoint presentations. A formal meeting is a place where company policies can be made or modified, department and company goals are set, and other important business decisions are made with the input of all executives and management. Formal meetings also tend to last much longer than informal meetings, sometimes for hours and the meeting is not dismissed until the executive in charge declares the meeting is over.
An informal meeting can take place virtually anywhere from a fast food restaurant to a company meeting room. There is usually no formal invitations sent out although meeting participants can be notified via email in many cases. It is very unlikely that any company policies will be enacted at these type of meetings unless the company in question is very small with few employees.
Both informal and formal meetings are part of the everyday business world and anyone working in a Fortune 500 company should be informed on how act and carry themselves in both situations. Important decisions can be made in both so it is important to pay close attention to what is going on as it could very well affect your job.