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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2009
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Silicon Valley Unplugs for Meetings

Companies go 'topless' to boost employees' attention

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(Newser) – Tired of competing for attention with iPhones, BlackBerrys and laptops, some Silicon Valley companies are banning them from meetings. One exec calls it going "topless," short for laptopless, and the Los Angeles Times reports that it's boosting some companies' efficiency. "Aside from just being rude," an exec wrote, "partial attention generally leads to partial results."

Universities are getting into the act, too, shutting down wireless in classrooms, to drag students off Facebook during lectures; more than 75% of professors at UCLA's law school took the plunge. One Yahoo veteran suggests a step beyond unplugging: "No-laptop meetings make sense. No meetings make even more sense."

Other techniques to force employees to pay attention is to make them stand during presentations.
Other techniques to force employees to pay attention is to make them stand during presentations.   (Shutterstock)
Meetings without laptops encourage employees to pay more attention, make more eye contact, and boost efficiency.
Meetings without laptops encourage employees to pay more attention, make more eye contact, and boost efficiency.   (Shutterstock)
Silicon Valley companies are banning high-tech devices from meetings in order to get people to focus better.
Silicon Valley companies are banning high-tech devices from meetings in order to get people to focus better.   (Shutterstock)
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