Take attendance. Everyone else does.
Take attendance? Hell yes! Taking attendance is not an old-fashion elementary school activity. It is part of the good order and discipline people desire in the workplace. I expand on discipline - workplace (not military) discipline in my book, "It's Personal, Not Personnel." Of course, if it is done in the 'teacher calling out each name' style then a leader risks belittling their team. They are adults after all. All of this aside, there is goodness in taking attendance in meetings and other events where people are expected to be.
It starts with establishing a standard. The leader should clearly define and announce the audience in some form. This could be a reoccurring calendar invite or company policy which lists expected attendees by position (not name). Once the standard is set, it is important for a leader to take notice of who attends - because everyone else does.
People notice their coworkers who decide to attend or not to attend meetings. They notice those who show up late and those who focus more on their phone than the meeting itself. Leaders should notice this behavior as well and address it. "Why am I punctual to meetings and attentive while others could care less and get away with it?" This thought will run through the heads of people who do it right and, if not addressed, might result in emulation of this behavior or worse, quiet quitting.
Names do not have to be called from a list, but a leader can designate another person to take attendance and report who is missing. Names can be checked off a list from a zoom (or the like) session where attendees are listed. Leaders can announce that a person is missing with good reason to ensure rumors do not start. To ensure trust, a leader can explain why he or she takes attendance. "Exceptional organizations instill good order and discipline, mediocre organizations have none." There is a soundbite for you.
This blog might seem unnecessary - a basic concept which needs no emphasis. However, I've seen organizations do this poorly and I've seen the results. Remember, your people are taking attendance in many ways. They are paying attention. You should too.
Make it Personal!
Rob
Rob Campbell