Is Skipping Small Talk Before a Meeting Rude or Efficient?

Nature contacted other scientists to investigate these actions. Is this meeting chair being rude, or simply trying to use everyone’s time more efficiently?

Is avoiding small talk at work rude?

Several scientists weighed in on whether skipping informal conversation and prioritizing a quick start to meetings is efficient, discourteous or both.

Comments from the judges

“I don’t like small talk either, but I think it’s rude to be late when everyone else is making an effort to arrive on time. I always arrive on time and quietly, hoping that others will continue making small talk while I sit and wait for the meeting to start.” — Juliana Sanchez Alponti-Miller, biologist, University of York, UK

“A few minutes of small talk before a meeting can help lighten the mood. You can always set aside five minutes for that before starting the meeting.” — Mariana Belen Galeano, geneticist, Ikibisen in Buenos Aires

“I understand that you want your meetings to be efficient, but punctuality is also a sign of respect. A good academic meeting should have both warmth and focus, without wasting time on small talk.” — Jay Jesus Molino Cornejo, physicist at Uderas, Panama City

“Sometimes habits can be misunderstood. It’s something as simple as, ‘Hello, how are you doing?’ Telling your co-workers will make people feel more comfortable around you. Even if the conversation is short or not very deep, this type of small talk often makes future collaboration and communication much easier.” — Monalisa Maric, quantum engineer at Friedrich Schiller University in Jena, Germany

“While small talk may seem useless, it lubricates social situations and helps people get to know each other. It’s your choice to opt out of this ritual and stay late, but to me it looks aloof and prioritizes existing relationships over new ones, because it deprives new participants of the opportunity to introduce themselves and their interests.” — Maggie Swift, conservation scientist at the Cornell K. Lisa Yang Wildlife Health Center in Ithaca, New York

The judgment

It’s clearly not just anonymous straight people who get annoyed when a co-worker talks about their weekend or the weather. However, intentionally being late for a meeting seems to cross the line.

Efficient meetings do not necessarily need extended small talk, but arriving on time and offering a brief greeting can signal respect, make colleagues feel comfortable and support future collaboration.