How to Run a Pub Team Meeting (That Actually Works)

Let’s be honest – most pub team meetings are a right waste of time. Staff rolling their eyes, clock-watching, and you talking at a room full of people who’d rather be anywhere else. Sound familiar? The problem isn’t that meetings are pointless – it’s that most landlords run them wrong.

Poor communication kills pub teams faster than anything else. When your staff don’t know what’s happening, feel left out of decisions, or can’t voice their concerns, you’ll see it in their performance, attitude, and how quickly they leg it to the competition.

Before the Meeting: Get Your Ducks in a Row

First things first – timing matters. Don’t spring meetings on people at the last minute or schedule them when half your team can’t make it. Give at least a week’s notice and pick a time that works for most folk, even if it means paying a bit of overtime.

Have a proper agenda and stick to it. Write down what you want to cover and share it beforehand. This isn’t about being corporate – it’s about respecting everyone’s time and keeping things focused.

Make sure you’ve got somewhere quiet to meet where you won’t be interrupted every five minutes by deliveries or punters asking for directions to the loo.

Running the Meeting: Keep It Real and Relevant

Start with the good stuff. Acknowledge what’s going well, recognise individual achievements, and celebrate any wins – even small ones. Staff need to hear when they’re doing things right, not just when something’s gone tits up.

Keep it conversational, not a lecture. Ask questions, get people involved, and actually listen to what they’re saying. Your bar staff know things about customers you don’t, and your kitchen team spot problems before they become disasters.

Cover practical stuff that affects everyone – new menu items, upcoming events, changes to procedures, or rotas. If you need to discuss performance issues, do that privately later.

Use tools that make communication easier. Our free SmartPubTools FOH app lets you share updates, rotas, and important information with your team instantly, so meetings can focus on discussion rather than just information dumping.

After the Meeting: Follow Through

Don’t let good ideas and promises disappear into thin air. Follow up on what was discussed, implement changes you agreed to, and check in with staff about how things are going.

Regular team meetings aren’t just about communication – they’re about keeping your staff engaged and showing them their voices matter. Get this right, and you’ll see the difference in your team’s attitude and your pub’s atmosphere.

Ready to improve your pub’s communication and team management? Sign up for SmartPubTools – it’s completely free and designed by pub people, for pub people.