Not only do business leaders say in-person meetings are beneficial to operations, according to a new survey released by the national coalition Meetings Mean Business, but also face-to-face is critical to career development.

As a result, corporate leaders are making in-person meetings a financial priority and report increasing investment in face-to-face meetings in 2016.

“The survey looks at how face-to-face meetings help drive top-line growth and bottom line results for the business community, said Richard Harper, executive vice president at HelmsBriscoe and co-chair of Meetings Mean Business.

He added, “The results show that face-to-face continues to be a platform that provides value to the business community.”

The survey indicated that in-person meetings are beneficial to several aspects of business operations, including the ability to close deals, engage a team and develop professionally.

Executives who were surveyed reported that meetings improve their ability to network, grow professional and grow their company’s bottom line.

Four in five surveyed believe they have attended an in-person meeting, conference or event that would not have yielded the same success as one conducted remotely.

The survey also found that meetings enable successful and meaningful connections. The majority of executives agree that team engagement, collaboration, professional development and productivity are improved by participation in in-person meetings, conferences and events.

“In-person meetings are a priority investment for executive leaders, with 92 percent planning to invest as much if not more in 2016 as they did last year,” said Michael Dominguez, senior vice president and chief sales officer for MGM Resorts International and co-chair of Meetings Mean Business.

He added, “Business executives clearly understand the value of bringing people together in-person to achieve positive outcomes whether it’s for adding value to the bottom line, engaging their employees or growing their own careers.”

Here is what executives who were surveyed said more specifically about the value of in-person meetings:

·        Nine in 10 executives say meetings improve their ability to close deals (93 percent), network (90 percent) and grow professionally (88 percent).

·        Eighty-nine percent of executives agree that new business opportunities (86 percent), workforce engagement (80 percent), training (73 percent) and staying up-to-date on industry trends (62 percent) are best accomplished face-to-face.

·        Ninety-seven percent find that meetings deliver a return on investment

·        Eighty-six percent of executives believe that face-to-face meetings help improve the bottom line.

To learn more about our key findings check out our results here.