Use this Meeting ROI Calculator to estimate whether a meeting is worth the time. It calculates attendee cost, preparation, follow-up work, expected value, ROI, and efficiency score.
Positive ROI means the expected value exceeds the time cost. Negative ROI suggests the meeting may be too long, too crowded, or better handled asynchronously.
The hardest input is expected value. Use conservative estimates to avoid justifying unnecessary meetings.
A 6-person, 1-hour meeting at $75 per hour with prep and follow-up can cost $787.50. If it creates $1,200 of value, ROI is positive.
Multiply attendee count by average hourly cost and include preparation and follow-up time for a fuller estimate.
A meeting is worth it when the decision value, savings, or coordination benefit is greater than the total time cost.
Subtract meeting cost from expected value, divide by meeting cost, and multiply by 100.
Use async updates, smaller attendee lists, shorter default lengths, and clear decision criteria.
A good meeting efficiency score means the meeting is short, focused, decision-oriented, and creates value greater than its cost.
| Module | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Total cost | Attendee, prep, and follow-up cost. |
| ROI | Expected value compared with cost. |
| Async signal | Whether the meeting should become a written update. |